‘Scripting’ – Personal Narratives in the Designing of Artefacts

Abstract

This paper explores the design process activity using a speculative metaphor which parallels the film-making process with the process of designing products. In the context of design, the scripting of artefacts is both verbally and non-verbally communicated through a storyboard of visual documentation, verbal discourse and textual information. The concept of ‘scripting’ is explored in this paper through one aspect of an ongoing research investigation of industrial design students, their educational context and the artefacts that are designed. A focus on ethnographic-oriented approaches allows for an exploration that includes but is not limited to the tradition of investigating explicit design procedure. Through in-depth involvement in the design studio an eight-week design project is documented and considerable insights are gained into the social and cultural forces that influence the ‘scripting’ of designed artefacts.