Design as Activity (a short note)
Some rough ideas for the “Design as Activity” project
On Jan 6, 2023, I made the above diagram which represents a possible theme for a new project: “DESIGN as ACTIVITY”.
In fact, this theme suggests a new “Process” view of Design.
While the popular “Desing Thinking” model and its variants are Practice-based “Process” views, my solution is a Theory-based “Process” view.
Inspired by Activity Theory (which refers to a group of theoretical approaches, not only one approach), I discover four significant aspects of Design:
1. Objective: anticipation and goals
2. Object: things you are working on
3. Option: opinions and decisions
4. Opportunity: serendipity and emergence
As a “process” view, I’d like to claim that there is a tendency behind each aspect.
1. Objective: Move from Uncertainty to Certainty
2. Object: Move from Abstract to Concrete
3. Option: Move from Disagreement to Consensus
4. Opportunity: Move from Potential to Actual
Design is an Activity that is a Social Practice. Design is not Art.
You can find various models of “process” about Stages or Step-by-Step in Design Projects. However, these four tendencies set a deep frame for Design Activity in general.
You can call it a “meta-process” of Design.
The above idea was shared on Linkedin, I’d like to use this post to collect some rough ideas for the project.
Opportunity
One type of Opportunity for Design Activity is “Visual Space Affordances”.
According to Activity Theory, there is a three-level hierarchy behind Activity
- Activity
- Actions
- Operations
Activity Theorists use the concept of “Affordances” which is adopted from Ecological Psychology at the “Operations” level.
For designers, designing a diagram and a book cover is an Operation.
On Jan 5, 2023m I used a picture to design a book cover for the “Design as Creative Life” project.
On Jan 6, 2023, I used the same picture to design a diagram for the “Design as Activity” view.
I perceived the “Visual Space Affordances” of the picture and took it to represent the notion of “tendency”.
You can see the original picture below and perceive a new meaning for your work.
Object
Yesterday (Jan 25, 2023), I designed a fake cover for a possible theme called “The Whole Wellbeing”.
It was inspired by a collaborative project between my friends Mani Vannan and Stephen Beller, PhD.
As mentioned before, I worked with Stephen Beller, PhD on his “Slow Cognition” behind a four-decade journey of exploration, discovery, and innovation in a mental healthcare system.
You can find the story here:
I use the “Creative Life Curation” framework to guide my research. One unit of analysis of the framework is “Creative Journey” which requires at least for projects.
Yesterday I reviewed his journey and decided to select his WPIC project (Whole-Person Integrated-Care, 2008) as a third project for a Thematic Journey Mapping.
This morning I received a message from Mani Vannan. He told me that he is working with Stephen Beller, PhD too. Moreover, he aims to reinvent the WPIC project.
Wow! This is a fantastic moment!
So, I made a new possible theme called “The Whole Wellbeing” to create a new thematic space.
We will use the new thematic space to “reboot the WPIC strategy”.
Mani Vannan told me the following message:
In addition to powerful abstract models, you are also great with image selection to “tell” a story.
Yes, I am a designer and a thinker.
I really like designing Logos, covers, and some old-fashioned print designs.
One aspect of print designs is turning abstract ideas into concrete visuals through visual metaphors.
This is the secret of telling a story visually.
Diagramming is not for telling a story, but for a model. However, both diagramming and storytelling share the same deep skill: turning abstract ideas into concrete visuals.
If you are not a designer, you can learn this skill and use it to improve your creative life.
Objective
Today (Jan 26, 2023), I saw a post about “PRACTICE V.S. THEORY” on Linkedin.
My comment:
The original author doesn’t talk about “Real Theory”, but “Hypothesis”.
On Page 2, the author claims that “In Theory, Everything is Possible.”
Academic theorists or scientific theorists don’t claim it. From them, a new theory aims to solve a theoretical problem. A theory can’t talk about everything. A theory can’t make anything possible.
Innovation is a long-term process. You can’t claim that only the TEST action is the key to success stories.
If you don’t have a high-quality hypothesis, you are going to waste time and money on testing a bad hypothesis.
This refers to an issue called the Hypothesis — Data Gap.
There is a “THEORY” behind a HYPOTHESIS. Each THEORY can generate several HYPOTHESES.
DATA comes from real EXPERIENCE. Experience can generate DATA.
The core of the above diagram is “I” which refers to managers, designers, strategists, researchers, etc.
Different groups of people hold different attitudes to the Hypothesis — Data Issue.
On Sept 30, 2022, I made a visual framework called HITED to respond to this issue.
There are many academic papers about the Hypothesis — Dada Issue. My goal is to develop a new visual language for Professional Workers in order to encourage the discussion about the Hypothesis — Data Issue.
You can find more details in Design Wisdom: The HITED Framework for Methodological Empathy.
