Co-Design
Encyclopedia
Co-design is a philosophy
in the American pragmatist
tradition, which argues that all people have different ideals and perspectives and that any design process needs to deal with this. Co-Design traces its roots to Immanuel Kant
, who in the Critique of the Pure Reason observed that to put a question one has to have some information or knowledge. Kant called this a priori knowledge. Therefore the concept of objectivity
is regarded to be difficult or even meaningless. William James
suggested that the criteria for truth should be "useful", which is a cornerstone in Co-Design thinking.
In co-design there is an understanding that all human artifacts are designed and with a purpose. In co-design one tries to include those perspectives that are related to the design in the process. It is generally recognized that the quality of design increases if the stakeholders interests are considered in the design process. Co-design is a development of systems thinking
, which according to C. West Churchman
"begins when first you view the world through the eyes of another."
People who have contributed in the field are:
Co-design has recently become popular in mobile phone development, where the two perspectives of hardware and software design are brought into a co-design process C.f. Co-design is also applied in urban relocation
.
Co-design is different from for example participatory design
in that it does not assume that any stakeholder a priori is more important than any other. It also differs from various user-centered design
approaches in that it acknowledges that the client or beneficiary of the design may not be using the artifact itself.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
in the American pragmatist
Pragmatist
Pragmatist may refer to:*A person who subscribes to pragmatism, a field of philosophy*A person who subscribes to pragmaticism, Charles Sanders Peirce's post-1905 branch of philosophy...
tradition, which argues that all people have different ideals and perspectives and that any design process needs to deal with this. Co-Design traces its roots to Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
, who in the Critique of the Pure Reason observed that to put a question one has to have some information or knowledge. Kant called this a priori knowledge. Therefore the concept of objectivity
Objectivity (philosophy)
Objectivity is a central philosophical concept which has been variously defined by sources. A proposition is generally considered to be objectively true when its truth conditions are met and are "mind-independent"—that is, not met by the judgment of a conscious entity or subject.- Objectivism...
is regarded to be difficult or even meaningless. William James
William James
William James was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher who was trained as a physician. He wrote influential books on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and on the philosophy of pragmatism...
suggested that the criteria for truth should be "useful", which is a cornerstone in Co-Design thinking.
In co-design there is an understanding that all human artifacts are designed and with a purpose. In co-design one tries to include those perspectives that are related to the design in the process. It is generally recognized that the quality of design increases if the stakeholders interests are considered in the design process. Co-design is a development of systems thinking
Systems thinking
Systems thinking is the process of understanding how things influence one another within a whole. In nature, systems thinking examples include ecosystems in which various elements such as air, water, movement, plants, and animals work together to survive or perish...
, which according to C. West Churchman
C. West Churchman
Charles West Churchman was an American philosopher and systems scientist, who was Professor at the School of Business Administration and Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of California, Berkeley...
"begins when first you view the world through the eyes of another."
People who have contributed in the field are:
- William JamesWilliam JamesWilliam James was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher who was trained as a physician. He wrote influential books on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and on the philosophy of pragmatism...
- Edgar A. Singer
- C. West ChurchmanC. West ChurchmanCharles West Churchman was an American philosopher and systems scientist, who was Professor at the School of Business Administration and Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of California, Berkeley...
- Russell L. AckoffRussell L. AckoffRussell Lincoln Ackoff was an American organizational theorist, consultant, and Anheuser-Busch Professor Emeritus of Management Science at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Ackoff was a pioneer in the field of operations research, systems thinking and management...
- Donald SchönDonald SchönDonald Alan Schön was an influential thinker in developing the theory and practice of reflective professional learning in the twentieth century.- Education and career :...
- Olov Forsgren
- Lars Albinsson
- Mikael Lind
- Matt & Gail Taylor http://www.mgtaylor.com
Co-design has recently become popular in mobile phone development, where the two perspectives of hardware and software design are brought into a co-design process C.f. Co-design is also applied in urban relocation
Urban relocation
Relocation of inhabitants and infrastructure development is facing many urban areas. There are several reasons for urban relocation; industry development, for instance mining, response to natural disaster, for instance tsunami recovery and social/economical renewal...
.
Co-design is different from for example participatory design
Participatory design
Participatory design is an approach to design attempting to actively involve all stakeholders in the design process in order to help ensure the product designed meets their needs and is usable. The term is used in a variety of fields e.g...
in that it does not assume that any stakeholder a priori is more important than any other. It also differs from various user-centered design
User-centered design
In broad terms, user-centered design or pervasive usability is a design philosophy and a process in which the needs, wants, and limitations of end users of a product are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process...
approaches in that it acknowledges that the client or beneficiary of the design may not be using the artifact itself.