first meeting with Kristina – my supervisor

First meeting with my supervisor Kristina… when I told her about my method sample examples, she suggested I´d look into the ideas of creating a design program. Johan Redström and Thomas Binder have written on the subject in “Exemplary Design Research”, and Binder together with Eva Brandt in “Experimental Design Research”.

Further, Kristina talked about the importance of, or at least pointed out, contextualization of a concept, design, or artifact…. Background: one idea of mine, inspired by the material, which I presented, was lacking context. Kristina suggested I´d consider having a concrete situation, or a theme, for the ideas… she mentioned Anna Vallgårda, and her PhD project, where she explored materials, but without any context. In contrast, Kajsa G. Eriksson, another PhD, is working with clothes as creators of meaning.

And, the examples I´m collecting don´t have to be wearables… Kristina reminded me.

method – sample examples

modular moves is an exploratory project; doing experiments as a  tool to gain understanding plays an important role, examples of  wearables is another. To give some structure and visualize the intended work process I made a model, and call it method sample examples (at least for now).

In short, examples are gathered, and mapped, aspect are extracted by analysis, then the aspects are used as parameters for generating ideas, and concepts.

The collection of examples, play different roles, and are used for various reasons: (1) they guide and help finding direction, to frame and defining the area; (2) modular moves is positioned in relation, and with reference to the examples which together form a map of the research area; (3) and the examples of wearables are sources for inspiration.

To uncover the qualities, or aspects embedded within the design examples, I´m using critiquing techniques described by Bardzell. My version of a “close reading”, would probably be a Critiquing Light.