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Guiding idea
Design and design research are for the main part still adhering to
the conviction that scientific research efforts will necessarily increase
planning capacity and predictive power with respect to the success
of design solutions. The leading paradigm seems to be based upon the
assumption, that the design field will more and more become a subject
of causal models, that the formerly white map will become increasingly
colourful and complete, and that the swampy regions of uncertainty
and unpredictability will be subsequently replaced by solid and well-grounded
knowledge. Historical experience and empirical evidence, however,
permit us to be sceptical about this modernistic assumption.
The forthcoming conference is set to challenge the approach or
attitude, which may be labelled as the "knowledge base position"
of design research, not by claiming that it is superfluous, but
that it neglects and leaves out the much larger field of "not-knowing"
or "unknowledge". Or, to put it more precisely it neglects
the various attempts made by diverse fields such as systems theory,
evolution theory, complexity theory and others, to deal with real-world
problems in manners, which, at the same time, acknowledge and respect
the special systemic nature of these phenomena namely their obstinacy,
their unpredictability and their uncontrollability.
As a consequence, "knowledge-based" design research almost
inevitably creates its own blind spot. It is unable to appropriately
recognize the full implications of what it means to be in a field
of uncertainty, a space of imagination and projection, where we
necessarily have to act when designing. The "knowledge base
position" is insufficent by itself and needs to be complimented
by the "unknowledge base position".
The hypothesis of this proposition is that systems theory and evolution
theory provide promising means to enter the field of design thinking
from the other side of the distinction knowing - not-knowing, that
is from the side of "unknowledge". Systems approaches
acknowledge both the knowable and unknowable. We can "know"
the unknowable by knowing where the knowable ends.
It is not so much of science as a method, but science or knowledge
as an ideology, which is being called into question. By (scientifically
and non-scientifically) examining the processes of designing as
processes in the course of socio-cultural evolution, we will learn
more clearly what is impossible in design and design research, and
we will be in a better position to identify the stable islands of
reliable knowledge, which are - without any doubt - existing in
design.
The conference title " DESIGNsystemEVOLUTION" is a deliberate
choice and requires some semantic clarification: "DESIGN…EVOLUTION"
acknowledges and appreciates the obvious fact, that there is a considerable
development, differentiation and complexification of and in the
discipline. Professionalization is advancing, but progress in foundations
is nevertheless slow and still questionable. "…system…"
addresses the phenomenon of both interlinked as well as separated
chunks of knowledge and action and reflection being in the design
process and in disciplinary communication and practice.
System thinking of one kind introduces the concept of "organized
complexity", which is helpful for illustrating and managing
the inherent "wholeness" of design situations. System
concepts of the other kind remind us of the inevitable autonomy
and autopoietic character of the various entities involved, which
leads to fundamental incompatibilities, causality gaps and the highly
temporal nature of knowledge in design.
"DESIGNsystemEVOLUTION" addresses the development of the
professional and academic field of design in its typical progressive
+ chaotic character.
The forthcoming conference is aimed to provide a forum for the
presentation and discussion of these new approaches and ideas, and
maybe to initiate a framework for the development of a new domain
of design research.
themes
The field as sketched above is not at all well-structured. Therefore
we propose a number of very general headings with somewhat metaphorical
character and with some more precise sub-headings. They are to serve
as illustrations and suggestions for possible contributions to DESIGNsystemEVOLUTION
and for the final organization of topics and tracks at the conference.
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| stories & histories / science & fiction |
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1) development / evolution of design (the design
phenomenon in time) |
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design histories and design futures…(e.g. design
in Bremen) |
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design for social / cultural needs (e.g. designagainstcrime) |
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design for evolving societies / design in the periphery…
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2) designing evolution (controlling the uncontrollable) |
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designing nature… |
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design on an evolutionary scale (biological, genetic,
geographic design…) |
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design as social and cultural guidance system (political
design…) |
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| rhythms & algorithms / genes & memes |
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3) evolution theories in design (explicitly applying
e-theories) |
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evolutionary models of industrial / design development |
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evolution of artefacts |
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genetics & memetics in design |
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4) evolutionary design (imitating evolution) |
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the physics of form |
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evolutionary algorithms in design and engineering |
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generative design & art |
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| search & research / complexification &
progress |
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5) evolving paradigms in design research (introducing
the joker) |
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the scientific approach |
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the project centered approach |
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"Design Noir" and beyond… |
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6) design theories / methods / philosophies evolving?
(progress in design?) |
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evolutionary epistemology |
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"wicked problems" and 2nd order cybernetics |
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the evolution of design methods (hard / soft / chaos+complexity
/ …) |
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| knowing & not-knowing / systems & management |
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7) design paradigms in innovation & strategic
management (new or different?) |
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dealing with uncertainty |
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designers - experts in not-knowing? |
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Futures Studies and scenario-planning |
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8) Theory of social systems: Niklas Luhmann + design
+ evolution (special track) |
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and some dedicated counter-positions... |
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