VISIONING THROUGH DIVERSITY: ‘OPEN VISIONS’ – AN OPEN, DIGITAL COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH TOOL FOR DESIGN CLASSROOMS, INDUSTRY AND CITIZENS

DS 93: Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE 2018), Dyson School of Engineering, Imperial College, London. 6th - 7th September 2018

Year: 2018
Editor: Erik Bohemia, Ahmed Kovacevic, Lyndon Buck, Peter Childs, Stephen Green, Ashley Hall, Aran Dasan
Author: Barhad, Koby; Veres, Angelika Seeschaaf
Series: E&PDE
Institution: 1: Faculty of Design,OCAD University, Canada; 2: Radical Norms, Design Strategy Lab, Toronto, Canada
Section: Digitalisation of Design and Engineering Education
Page(s): 744-751
ISBN: 978-1-912254-02-6

Abstract

Open Visions is a digital tool that responds to hegemonic constraints and diversity needs in the context of industrial design pedagogy. The aim of this project is to integrate a multitude of perspectives and systems thinking depth into existing speculative design methods. This is developed as a response to what can be seen as a white, binary, Eurocentric practice for a design classroom that has a strong mix of ethnicities, genders and socio economic backgrounds. In this paper, we draw a link between hegemonic conformity and a decline in critical thinking skills in education. We analyse existing methods of teaching critical thinking in design, discuss limitations of some of the tools they provide and explore the potential of moving those tools into a digital environment. Open Visions aim to open the studio space to communities, citizens and industry thus providing opportunity for students to be part of the public discourse on a variety of trending relevant issues. We explore possible criteria for success for Open Visions such as easy access and knowledge exchange, safe space, customization and agency over content and discuss an initial case study and our next steps.

Keywords: Design Education, Speculative Design, Diversity, Critical Thinking, Co-Visioning

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