Abstract
Human values play an integral role in any design that aims to improve the quality of human life. However, only a few design approaches concentrate on human values in their design, and there is even very little agreement between them in identifying human values. Considering this, we created a design tool based on a comprehensive value framework to support designers’ addressing human values in their designs. This tool intends to raise designers’ awareness about human values and provide tangible materials to facilitate the use of selected values within the design process. This article investigated whether this tool is applicable and effective to be used in design education. A quasi-experimental study with design students showed that the project groups who were supported with this tool addressed significantly stronger human values in their design concepts compared to the control groups. Results of the evaluation indicated that the tool is not only applicable in a design process but is also effective at enriching design concepts with human values.
Highlights
IntroductionIn this era, technology is interwoven with all aspects of life, and people perceive the world via products
Nowadays, life without technology is hardly imaginable
We found three independent design approaches: (a) value sensitive design (VSD); (b) value-led participatory design (VPD); and (c) value-centred design (VCD), that all aim at addressing human values in design
Summary
In this era, technology is interwoven with all aspects of life, and people perceive the world via products. Verbeek (2005) argues that products play a mediating role between human beings and the world, anticipating the future in that they co-shape the existence and experience of people—and their lifestyle. As products are not self-formed phenomena, emphasising their role in human life brings to light the responsibility of designers. Supporting this statement, Verbeek recalls the moral responsibility of designers in shaping the future Design in its origin aims “at changing existing situations into preferred ones” Design in its origin aims “at changing existing situations into preferred ones” (Simon 1996, p. 111), there is very little agreement on what a ‘preferred/better situation’ means or how to achieve one
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