Week 3 Assignment
1. Reading Responses
“Rethinking Design Thinking-Race after Technology”
I thought this article presented a very interesting perspective on design thinking that I had not considered before. But as I read through it I found some valid points about how the extreme enforcement of design thinking could not necessarily only have positive outcomes. When designers and companies go through the design thinking process to design a product I feel as though a lot of them are targeting their research process to a certain demographic and decisions are ultimately made by company executives who might be driven by capitalistic motives moreso than anything else. In some cases this might be effective and helpful in producing great products but I agree with the author of the article that this does not necessarily apply to all cases. I found the concept of ‘design justice’ to be a interesting and new term for me and I feel as though the topic will probably gain more traction and awareness as our society proceeds to advance towards a brand driven market.
I thought this article presented a very interesting perspective on design thinking that I had not considered before. But as I read through it I found some valid points about how the extreme enforcement of design thinking could not necessarily only have positive outcomes. When designers and companies go through the design thinking process to design a product I feel as though a lot of them are targeting their research process to a certain demographic and decisions are ultimately made by company executives who might be driven by capitalistic motives moreso than anything else. In some cases this might be effective and helpful in producing great products but I agree with the author of the article that this does not necessarily apply to all cases. I found the concept of ‘design justice’ to be a interesting and new term for me and I feel as though the topic will probably gain more traction and awareness as our society proceeds to advance towards a brand driven market.
“The Promise of Empathy: Design, Disability, and Knowing the ‘Other’”
Prior to reading this article, I did not have much knowledge about the process of designing for individuals with disabilities- that being said this reading definitely conjured a lot of thoughts in me about how it can be done right or at least in the best and most effective way possible. I think the most important part to highlight which the authors of this article did a great job with is recognizing the fact that as able bodied designers emulate the behaviors of those with disabilities based on few encounters seems to tread on dangerous territory as they could make assumptions or even perpetuate certain stigmas through their unconscious decisions. Although I do understand that designers go into a project with the best of intentions it is true that they might further case a distance between themselves and who they are designing for by othering those with disabilities. Another important point that I found in the article is about the importance of having actual participation and partnerships from individuals with certain disabilities during the design process rather than forming an understanding of them and designing based off of those thoughts.
Prior to reading this article, I did not have much knowledge about the process of designing for individuals with disabilities- that being said this reading definitely conjured a lot of thoughts in me about how it can be done right or at least in the best and most effective way possible. I think the most important part to highlight which the authors of this article did a great job with is recognizing the fact that as able bodied designers emulate the behaviors of those with disabilities based on few encounters seems to tread on dangerous territory as they could make assumptions or even perpetuate certain stigmas through their unconscious decisions. Although I do understand that designers go into a project with the best of intentions it is true that they might further case a distance between themselves and who they are designing for by othering those with disabilities. Another important point that I found in the article is about the importance of having actual participation and partnerships from individuals with certain disabilities during the design process rather than forming an understanding of them and designing based off of those thoughts.
2. Assignment 3: Arduino Inputs and Outputs
In collaboration with Ploy Pruekcharoen
Come up with a design for a simple learning game that uses an input (button press or sensor) and an output(light, motor, speaker, screen, etc)
Initial Ideas-
a. Using buttons and screen output/lightbulb?- creating a simple game for children to learn addition/subtraction
b. Using switches and screen output- creating a game about how colors are made and combined
︎︎︎ BACK TO ITP BLOG