Provocation Through Narratives: New Speculative Design Tools for Human-Non-Human Collaborations

In a complex and changing world, design is called to act to nurture and provoke critical reflections regarding wicked, complex, and interconnected issues, becoming a sensemaking agent that, exploiting its speculative methods, uses narratives as an inquiry tool, as a co-design tool, and as a provocative tool. Through the presentation and analysis of a provotype designed by the authors, the research aims to define new speculative tools for human-non-human collaborations and highlight how design narratives may be involved within more-than-human discourses

Interactive prototypes in the participatory development of product-service systems

Stakeholders who are part of the development process of a new Product-Service System (PSS) could use interactive prototypes during meetings to exchange different point of views. Based on the findings of a conversation analyst and the reflections of a design researcher we compared three explication techniques of how a prototype was involved during such a meeting (for pointing and manipulating, for demonstrating its function and for imitating and/or demonstration through body movement and gesture) with the phases of a co-reflection session (exploration, ideation and confrontation). We found that the prototype was especially useful during the exploration and confrontation phases. Pointing and manipulating helped to make reflections concrete, made it easier to propose small design changes and helped the participants to reach common goals. Interactive prototypes do have their limits, during the ideation phase the prototype did not play an important role

The Energy Babble in Experimental Practice: Provocations In and Out of Design

The Energy Babble device and documentary film featured in the following exhibition as part of the Melbourne International Design Festival: 'As an exhibition, round-table discussion and workshop, Experimental Practice: Provocations In and Out of Design investigated how new hybrid practices and collaborations were negotiating complex social and environmental challenges. The exhibition presented a number of projects in which art and design strived to make a difference within the specific communities in which they were situated. Curated by Katherine Moline (UNSW), Brad Haylock and Laurene Vaughan (RMIT), Experimental Practice was the second iteration of the exhibition and symposium Feral Experimental: New Design Thinking, shown at UNSW Galleries, Paddington, in 2014.’ This project was generously supported by UNSW Australia Art & Design, UNSW Galleries, the National Institute for Experimental Arts, RMIT School of Media and Communication, RMIT Design Research Institute and RMIT Design Futures Lab

The (New) roles of prototypes during the co-development of digital product service systems

This paper investigates different roles that prototypes play during the development of digital Product Service Systems (PSSs). A literature review reveals that prototyping supports designers during the design process, as well as during knowledge sharing processes with stakeholders. To create a better understanding of these two co-existing roles of prototyping, we executed a research-through-design project in the healthcare domain. This design project was centred around the development of four different prototypes that the designer sequentially developed. A major input into the design process was co-reflection sessions between the designer and different stakeholders. We analysed the prototyping process and the co-reflection sessions. Moreover, we executed a conversational analysis to understand the actual knowledge sharing processes between the designer and the different stakeholders. The results present a detailed overview of the different (co-existing) roles of the prototypes. We distinguished two new types of prototypes which were both related to the development of the intangible aspects of the digital PSS: (1) service interface prototrial aimed at exploring several options for detailing the different intangible aspects of the digital PSS, and (2) service provotype to stimulate collaborative creation of the intangible aspects of the digital PSS in an early stage

Educating about Responsible AI in IS: Designing a course based on Experiential Learning

Responsible AI (RAI) is an emerging topic in the Information Systems (IS) literature. RAI entails ensuring ethical, transparent, and accountable use of AI technologies in line with societal values, expectations, and norms. The challenge for research on IS education at university level is to accompany the growing research on RAI with approaches to educate students about this emerging theme. Research on IS education on responsible AI remains scarce to date, however. We ask: How can we design a course to educate students about responsible AI? We build on earlier research and an experiential learning-based approach to propose a course design promoting students’ multidisciplinary, problem-based learning about RAI applied to the case of public welfare services. Our study is based on participatory observations of student groups and group interviews after a project, acting as an arena where the students could reflect on the learning process and evolving awareness of RAI

Methods for researching and building capacity in codesign among non-experts

The paper presents two case studies of methods that were used in practice with non-expert co-design groups. The methods draw on asset-based community development principles to fulfil a two-fold objective: first, to study co-design (derive knowledge about co-design), and second, to support co-design practice by building the capacity of those groups to carry out design tasks. The paper discusses how the two objectives are met in each case, and derives some general observations about co-design practice in the context of non-expert groups and the capabilities that need to be supported or nurtured. The paper contributes to the development of design research methods that have an impact on societal change

Product Advanced Design: A Cultural Intermediation Between Knowledge and Information Authors

"Digital transformation (DX) drives transversal change, breaking disciplinary silos to transition to more sustainable paradigms through new ontological and epistemological frameworks. This has consequences on product design and development too: since DX concerns cultural and meaning shifts, it enhances product development as a high-intensity knowledge-based process. Thus, product design shifts into its "Advanced" stage, enacting transcendence and translation of different kinds of knowledge into future-oriented artefacts. This highlights new needs in the generation and transmission of Advanced Design knowledge stemming from future artefact production instances. By focusing on recent challenges rising in product design and development, this paper aims to discuss the cultural intermediation enacted by Advanced Design knowledge through the results of an applied research experience.

A Non-Custodial Wallet for CBDC: Design Challenges and Opportunities

Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is a novel form of money that could be issued and regulated by central banks, offering benefits such as programmability, security, and privacy. However, the design of a CBDC system presents numerous technical and social challenges. This paper presents the design and prototype of a non-custodial wallet, a device that enables users to store and spend CBDC in various contexts. To address the challenges of designing a CBDC system, we conducted a series of workshops with internal and external stakeholders, using methods such as storytelling, metaphors, and provotypes to communicate CBDC concepts, elicit user feedback and critique, and incorporate normative values into the technical design. We derived basic guidelines for designing CBDC systems that balance technical and social aspects, and reflect user needs and values. Our paper contributes to the CBDC discourse by demonstrating a practical example of how CBDC could be used in everyday life and by highlighting the importance of a user-centred approach.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figure