On the effectiveness of experimenting with C-K theory in design education: Analysis of process methodology, results and main lessons drawn
Year: 2013
Editor: Udo Lindemann, Srinivasan V, Yong Se Kim, Sang Won Lee, John Clarkson, Gaetano Cascini
Author: Blanchard, Philippe Michel; Corsi, Patrick; Christofol, Hervé; Richir, Simon
Series: ICED
Institution: 1: Arts et Métiers ParisTech, France; 2: IKBM Sprl, Brussels, Belgium; 3: L'école de design Nantes Atlantique, France
Page(s): 113-122
ISBN: 978-1-904670-45-2
ISSN: 2220-4334
Abstract
This paper experiments a transdisciplinary design innovation way in educational contexts through workshops implementing a C-K Theory-based co-evolution between Concepts and Knowledge spaces. At l’école de design Nantes Atlantique EDNA, a ‘posture for humans’ concept subject was prescribed to students working half time in industry as a preparatory phase to the development of a contemporary day bed. The workshop permuted halfway C-K groups’ yields: cross-contents swaps brought ruptures in groups’ bias and enabled locating and addressing cognitive fixations. A log scale expressed relative K increments in mobilized knowledge. Groups’ innovation capability was graded on innovation capability maturity levels relative to C constructs. Engineering students often opened large K gaps while designers amplified C jumps even if bounding K operations. The process improves C-K implementation processes for small organizations and hybridizes competencies. With its primary power to orderly address the known and the imaginary, C-K Theory helps going beyond known design innovation approaches and supports educational settings not far from what is possible about everywhere in all specialty domains.
Keywords: Innovative design, design education, creativity, design methodology, C-K theory