Facing complexity through varying the clarification of the design task

Wouter Carel Kersten,Jan Carel Diehl,Jo M.L Van Engelen

doi:10.7577/formakademisk.2621

Abstract

Today, most challenges designers face are complex. One way industrial design engineers have learned to deal with this complexity is to simplify the problem early on—for example, by focusing on one particular context, e.g. user group. Variations are typically addressed, but preferably inside the simplified design task or even after initial success has been achieved and a path has been set out. A range of authors have suggested ways to address variations during the design process. This paper contributes to exploring this notion of variation by presenting an approach that emphasises contextual variation early on, clarifying the design task before the design process, in a narrow sense, begins. This enables designers to seize opportunities that reveal themselves before a final path is set. Based on real-life cases and discussion of existing literature, the value of this approach for an industrial designer’s arsenal is explored and guidance for next steps is offered.  Keywords: context variation, complexity, design arsenal, variation of the design task, design approach

Highlights

Background, purposes and structure of the paper In this paper we expand on the thoughts we presented in a previous working paper (Kersten, Diehl, & Engelen, 2017) and an associated presentation at Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD6), which was organised in October 2017
This suggested approach most notably revolves around intentional early contextual variation, or, in seminal design engineering terms (Beitz & Pahl, 1996; Pahl, Beitz, Feldhusen, & Grote, 2007), ‘when clarifying the design task’
Where does industrial design engineering come from? we briefly look back on where the industrial design field has come from and touch on the other two main topics we presented in the introduction, i.e., an underlying attitude and level of codification

Summary

Introduction

Background, purposes and structure of the paper In this paper we expand on the thoughts we presented in a previous working paper (Kersten, Diehl, & Engelen, 2017) and an associated presentation at Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD6), which was organised in October 2017. The core question we explore both, in a practical and an academic sense, is whether the main principle of engaging in contextual variation early in the design process when clarifying the design task adds value for industrial design engineers addressing complex problems.

Results

Conclusion