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Distributed Design¶
This week we learned about Distributed Design, an approach to design which “utilises global connectivity to move data, instead of products. An approach that challenges and rethinks the current oudtaded production and consumption paradigm.” It embraces systems thinking as much as design thinking, and the concept of sharing opportunity and value with all who co-create it. We obtained knowledge and put it into practice with two models and exercises, The New Mushroom and the Reflection Tree. We also explored some references, including Domingo Club, which was of great inspiration.
Day 1: Mushroom Model Learning Skills ~ Imagination and creativity (visualizing and imagining scenarios from multiple perspectives), Analisis (identifying patterns and creating connections between points), Team Communication (communicating and listening effectively in order to foster productive dialogue). Dynamics ~ We had a great dynamic, our topic of interest was easy to decide on. We were all excited about bread and had different ideas on why bread is important to us and the systematic broadness to its existence. Communication was great and we had a good time. Interactions ~ I had to go out to understand another group and return those insights to the group. The role I played definitely played influence on my opinion since I approached the first product (bread) through one perspective and then tried to compare it with a completely different product and insights (fertilizer). I had an important task to provide useful ideas to the team. My interpretation to this was influencing for sure, although all members could voice their ideas and reflections with originality without restrictions.
bread by Antonio Heinemann
Day 2: Reflection Tree Learning Skills ~ Awareness (having the capacity to go back and analyze what has been done and evaluate where we are standing with these ideas on our projects), Honesty (being true to what we are trying to accomplish and what we have actually accomplished so far, incorporating potential while being humble about where we are at), Curiosity (asking questions and being genuinely interested in how colleagues perceive the same exercise through a different lens). Dynamics ~ Again, we had a great dynamic although this time the exercise was more about individual projects rather than a collectively selected idea. This definitely created a sense of independency rather than actual team work. Interactions ~ I don’t think the role I played necessarily influenced my opinion. I think it was a great opportunity to express and articulate certain ideas, as well as to absorb certain seeds of knowledge.
distributed design 2 by Antonio Heinemann
Day 3: Value Presentation Unfortunately, I was feeling a bit unwell this day and could not manage to make it to class. Yet I would like to express some ideas and learnings from the seminar as a whole.
What is real value? Economical, social, environmental, personal, mental, physical? How many different ways are there to really measure what something is valuable and are we really using this in the most conscious way possible? What are some things that we take for granted? What are some things that we might collectively over value?
What is distributed? It does not only mean its open, but it also means that it is taking in consideration a systematic and comprehensive view along each process. From open design, collective creating, to making it economically accesible and environmentally friendly. It encourages us to view our projects from a wider perspective and allows us to better prepare for its evolution.
How do we promote accessibility? We discussed in class about some methods to make something accesible. Naturally, we can seek to produce goods in a good quality, durable and eco-friendly way that is low cost and can be purchased by many. We also shared our advocacy for the open source community and sharing knowledge rather than simply selling. Still, an interesting thought came about questioning whether providing blueprints or simply selling something is more efficient.