#CCDN271

[tammykuo-blog-blog]

CCDN271 Assignment 1: Assessing and Critiquing Sources - Plan

Assignment 1: Assessing and Critiquing Sources

Analyse: How, Why, Opinion.

Critiquing a source (For refining the skill of critically investigating design.):

~how it relates and engages to designing for developing countries

~critique it’s arguments and aims

~critique it’s technique and methods

~Critically assess it as a whole.

 First contextualise the concept.

 Then introduce the source

 Describe and analyse the source. What, How and Why is the source effective to the extent it is.

 Critique source holistically in terms of it’s engagement, effectness of aims, techniques of content and of source communication itself, and as a whole.

tag #CCDN271 and #Assign1 

[blaiseha271]

Gender in design

This section examines the crisis of masculinity at the Bauhaus and links it to the boarder crisis in patriarchy after the First World War. Bauhaus reminiscences and depictions of Bauhaus students and buildings in the catalogue of the 1938 MoMA Bauhaus exhibition show a re-enactment of war trauma in Bauhaus theatre and festivals. These and other experiments led to radical and subsequently conservative revisions of masculine identity. There is discussion from Walter Groupius, as he talks about how the war has effected design “Todays artist lives in an era of dissolution, without guidance. He stands alone. The old forms are in the ruins, the benumbed world is shaken up, the old human spirit is invalidated and in flux towards a new form.” this is the point where an era of masculine design arises. The section draws heavily on personal statements by Bauhaus students and masters, and juxtaposes these with theoretical analyses of masculine formation.

Ruedi Ray, k. (1984). Gender and Architecture. Journal of Architectural Education, Vol. 55 (No. 2), pp. 73-80. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1425608  

[level200-blog]

Another piece of interesting critical design/design fiction using the theory of quantum computation to design a fictional prototype for the '5th Dimensinal Camera', a camera that can see into simultaneous worlds. Sound a bit like stargate??

[alexledesign-blog]

Assignment 1 - The Everyday

“As a result everything can be regarded as part of our popular culture, because pop does not only pick up elements of our everyday life, our whole everyday life goes pop.” (Duschlbauer, 2005) Inclusive with the words of Thomas Dushlbauer is that of everyday design, stating all design can become everyday design as it has the potential to become a part of our everyday lives.

In late 2003, acclaimed design critic (Ted, 2012)Donald A. Norman released his book, ‘Emotional design: Why we love (and hate) everyday things’, coinciding with this was, ‘Design and Emotion’ an edited collection of papers given at the 3rd Design and Emotion Conference 2002, released by the four editors; Deana McDonagh, Paul Hekkert, Jeroen van Erp and Diane Gyi . Both books brought up individual perspectives about what attributes of everyday design make them lovable (and despicable), with Norman bringing up the memories and experiences of the design with its owner while ‘Design and Emotion’ singling out the aesthetic and colour of the design itself.

When explaining a collection of teapots Donald Norman owns and loves, he mentions “Which one of these teapots do I usually use? None of the above. I drink tea every morning. At an early hour, efficiency comes first.” (Norman, 2003) So why own the teapots? Norman later explains that each teapot have their own aspects, giving them each a purpose to design. His first teapot, the ‘Nanna teapot’ excels in Visceral design. The appearance of this teapot is what has made it emotionally connected to Norman, with him stating “I so enjoy its appearance, especially when filled with the amber hues of tea, lit from beneath by the flame of its warming candle.” The second teapot (a tilting teapot which allowed users to determine how strong they wanted their tea by the angle the teapot was tilted) was associated with Behavioural design, where both pleasure and effectiveness of use is key to the design. Finally his third teapot example was Reflective design, how rationalized and intellectualized the product was and its ability to tell a story no matter how functional it was, stating, “It isn’t particularly beautiful, and it’s certainly not useful, but what a wonderful story it tells!” Donald Norman’s views on the emotional connection to everyday design are something we can all relate to. Everything we own from its aesthetics to its individual meaning we keep, as they have a Visceral, Behavioural or Reflective aspect to it,

Sheila Baker’s opinions in ‘Design and Emotion’ on everyday design are similar, although they rely more with colours and their relation with emotions. According to Baker, colours in ancient times were symbolic with great meaning. She states “Colour is a fast track to emotion: a hot line to instinct. It is powerful, evocative and moodchanging. It has energy, Colour is sensual. When the sense are involved the effect is heightened.” (Baker, 2003) with it having often the first impact as well as the most memorable and lasting effect within society. Acknowledging Sheila Baker’s statements we see that colour’s role in everyday design has a huge impact on society. The market today holds a countless amount of products each with an array of colours to choose from not only for variety, but reason being that designers know colour has an emotional attachment for the customers who buy it.

Overall both ‘Emotional design: Why we love (and hate) everyday things’ and ‘Design and Emotion’ revealed an obscured emotional dimension. From the Visceral, Behavioural and Reflective aspects to the colourful aesthetics of products they are all a part of everyday design, which we as society tend to overlook.

Works Cited

Baker, S. (2003). Colour and emotion in design. In P. H. Deaner McDonagh, Design and Emotion (p. 188). London: CRC Press.

Duschlbauer, T. (2005). Searching for the 'everyday'. In M. S. Laboratory, What People Want (Populism in Architecture and Design) (pp. 180-181). Basel: Birkhauser - Publishers for Architecture.

Norman, D. A. (2003). Emotional Design: Why we love (or hate) everyday things. In D. A. Norman, Emotional Design: Why we love (or hate) everyday things (p. 4). New York: Basic Books.

Ted. (2012, March 22). Don Norman: Cognitive scientist and design critic. Retrieved March 22, 2012, from Ted: http://www.ted.com/speakers/don_norman.html

[tristanoorschot-blog]

CCDN 271                                                                                                         Tristan Oorschot

Project 1 (15%)                                                                                                        26/03/2012

Assessing and Critiquing Sources

Information Graphics: Globalization of Symbols

The beginning of the journal article addresses how there is a large amount of data currently being recorded all around the world. “With data feeds streaming into news and press organisations in real-time, there is very little that isn't recorded.” (Anonymous 2010) The article then goes on to discuss how sensitive data is also recorded and manipulated into visual representations but also how these can mislead those trying to interpret the data. “…the explosion in data visualisations, infographics and mash-ups has produced a number of ill-informed, badly designed and even misleading representations.” (Anonymous 2010) The article then says that creating infographics that represent the information and are also aesthetically pleasing is the design challenge for designers today. In the article the author says the challenge is “…providing engaging and useful access to information without misleading or skewing the truth behind the numbers.” (Anonymous 2010)

The main points that the article puts forward are firstly, the amount of data that is currently being recorded is growing larger and larger, secondly, with the large amount of data being recorded and visually represented there is more and more misleading and badly designed representations and finally, what the challenge is for designers who create information graphics today.

The Journal article was published on 8 July 2010 making it quite recent. This is important for the topic of information graphics because they are a relatively new way to deal with large complicated amounts of information and are become ever more digital and interactive. The article presents solid arguments about the three points outlined above. They back up their statements, using examples and quotes from the head of graphics at British daily newspaper ‘The Guardian,’ Michael Robinson.

This article relates strongly to my research topic of Information Graphics and the globalisation of symbols because it raises issues about how masses of information are becoming globally available. “We have access to information like never before and it's almost overwhelming.” (Anonymous 2010) It also touches on how technology has allowed for this mass sharing and globalisation of information. “We’re entering a new world where events, locations and contextual information are open and shared, and it's going to be huge.” (Anonymous 2010) However also mentioned is how this technology has allowed anyone to input and use information. “Improvements in software have made it easier to input data, but what people are doing with it creates a whole other problem.” (Anonymous 2010)

In relation to my research topic the article failed to address any actual examples of information graphics that have become globally recognised. These have mostly become this way through mass production and the internet. Examples include battery icons on computers and cell phones and the green and red stick men that show when to cross the road.

The work as a whole is extremely useful for my research topic as it looks in depth at the information side of information graphics as well as the graphic side. It looks at what information people are representing visually and what the challenges are for designers in the field of information graphics today.

Reference List:

Anonymous. (2010). INFOGRAPHICS: Facts in Focus. Design Week, 14. Retrieved from Victoria University Library Database.

[gracehemara]

Assignment Five:

Craft remains an original form of design. 

As modern technology expands the horizon for design possibilities and moves design further into the an age of technology, techniques in many genres of design are adapting and accepting change, In spite of this, small handmade crafts remain a genuine traditional design form, “unchanged in centuries” (Quinn & Felix, 2011, p.21). This assignment will research conventional small handmade crafts, debating that the traditions of handmade crafts are consistent throughout the design forms history. This research will begin with the meaning of craft, traditionally and the changes the modern culture has had on what it means to craft, using Etymology and Collins dictionary definitions. Central to this research will be the crafter, and the differences between traditional and modern crafters, Faythe Levine & Cortney Haimerl’s documentary approach text Handmade Nation, will provide scope into the modern crafts in a large influential country, America. Leading in the concluding discussion; differences between developed and developing countries in the circumstances of meaning to craft and who crafts, which Poor Peoples Knowledge, By J. Michael Finger & Phillip Schuler will contribute towards in this final aspect to craft.

The meaning of craft has evolved with time and the extension of technology, however in this development the meaning of craft has held its values to the original meaning, as Jobs (1985) said, “the new technology will not necessarily replace the old technology, but it will date it.” Which is an immensely relevant statement in modern society, notably in design because technology can increase possibilities and production, therefore a well applied statement in terms of crafts definition. Historically craft meant to ‘to exercise a craft, build, to make skilfully’ (Online Etymology Dictionary, 1950), a definition which would be considered a vague term for modern society, but considering earlier times where manual skill was the only way of producing items, objects and materials, craft would have been an aspect of everyday life and a necessity rather the a choice, for example the preparation of a meal would be time consuming craft, beginning with the growth of vegetables and nourishment of a mammal to begin the meal, there would also the picking, cutting, and cooking of the meal, and preparation of the fire to cook over – a meal would involve much time and the hands of more then one person in the whole process. Therefore this imprecise meaning is fitting for its time. Fortunately that meaning still rings true in the modern adaptation where craft is ‘an activity involving skill in making things by hand’ (Collins English Dictionary), a narrower definition to craft, with specificity allowing modern culture to easily define between craft and other forms of design. In particular the involvement of technology could stray the meaning of craft if not for the ‘by hand’ part, as many object can be designed and tested without the rigors routine of modeling, making and remaking. Therefore adding small specificity to the definition through time has kept the meaning true. Despite both meanings being worded differently they both posses the same intention to have manual labor and handmade skill. Although the modern meaning of craft is manipulated to suit leisure (‘activity’) and an object (‘things’), its intentions remains the same, to ���go against the grain of mass manufactured” designs where “each item is unique and handmade” (Syjuco, 2008, p.144), and produce individual work, as craft creates the desire and “challenge to produce something beautiful” (Rara, 2008, p.148). Which are all core aspects to the meaning of craft. The discussion of definition holds value in the argument of craft continuing to be a traditional form, because it shows that through time and change craft is still considered the same form it was when first becoming a form of design.

Central to crafting culture is the crafter, and the reason behind crafting, for this section of research, only the developed regions will be discussed. Historically (pre-1820) crafting was a means of leisure and income, it was a non-technological time, and before the industrial revolution. Craft was and everyday necessity to contribute to the larger task at hand, and was widely exercised by all members of a family or community to help with any provision and produce. For instance if an item, object or material was required, crafting ones self was the most common practice. Modern means of craft could be divided into a decisive three groups: Essential – consisting of of economic necessity for maintenance due to unavailability of professional labor.  Re/Pro active – involving a self directed hobby for handicrafts, and manipulation of raw materials for personal pleasure in spare time. Lifestyle – is the choice rather then the need for home improvement in a designed manor. (Atkinson, 2006, p.3) All of which are practiced within comminutes. However this knowledge isn’t necessary to survive on, in comparison to history’s reasoning and desires to craft, because of the introduction of tradesmen, designers and the industrial revolution. Which removed the need to know and continuously practice the historic reasons of practice, as they became knowledge to those who seek a “professional craft education.” (Elder, 2005, p.7), allowing other to acquire there help or product if need be. The diversity in craft is dramatic in terms of intention and reasoning; where it has changed “in ways and become more competitive” (Elder, 2005) despite this, historic practices still hold value in modern crafting culture with “the emotional rewards craftsmanship hold out for attaining skill are twofold” (Sennett, 2008). So despite the original premise of craft becoming less common, it can still be found throughout, and thriving. Crafters dominate the weight in the argument of craft being a continuing form of design, as crafters have the power to keep the style ‘alive’ and decided where and how it will be applied, and whether they hold onto the original values of craft.

 The Concluding discussion is the contrasts between modern developed and developing countries, looking at materials being used to craft and reasons for craft. Seeing if a grey area arrives where craft between ‘classes’ are similar in the same way time has developed craft but hasn’t changed the core of craft. Craft in developed countries consists of essential, re/pro active and lifestyle all of which were explained previously and we can see are still practiced. However developing countries subsist of two interceding groups of craft - survival and income. Firstly materials used in developed countries consist “primarily things […] I find around me” (Bliss, 2008, p.128) but with aesthetic being a flourishing contributing factor to modern craft, brought materials are being used more and more, where “materials allows them to be instantly identifiable” (Lieble & Roy, 2004, p.55) and “identity in his protection against copies.” (Jiménze, 2004, p.18). Which doesn’t stray from the meaning of craft, but raises the level and standard of craft. However developing countries are crafting the majority from “natural materials” (Kate & Laird, 2004, p.19) found around them, to save on cost that cannot be spared, as the item, object or material being produced will entirely be used for income and in turn, survival. Secondly looking at reasons to craft developed countries are divided between crafting for essential (whether in the home or not) and crafting for recreational purposes. It would appear fewer people require craft to survive as craft now has “value beyond capacity to generate income” (Finger, 2004, p.2), however there is still the trend of crafting or survival and income but not to the extent of those in developing countries. Where contrastingly craft is there to “provide viable income and lifestyle” (Lieble & Roy, 2004, p.59) to help the majority survive, which essentially is the only human trait we all have in common – survival. The grey areas which arrived from these two areas of comparisons, is the use of found objects, whether they become dominate in the outcome of the product or play a small part in the process - sharing the mentality that found objects can be as useful if not more then those brought. Also showing that although some must purely craft for survival, and individuals in developed countries share the method of survival by craft because it is where the “heart is, but not where the money is.” (Miller, 2008, p.140). The discussion of developed and developing countries was relevant to craft being a continued design form to show that although class may separate us, we are mentally in synchronization when it some to crafting.

Despite the inevitability of technological advancement and change, craft has so far managed to stay an original form of design. Through definition we see that only the adaptation to modern society has altered the wording but not it’s meaning – for anything to be considered craft it must be, pure handmade which is the core unchanged factor about craft. Also by looking at the crafters the very vessel that defines craft and allows it to continuously grow and thrive – and to see that crafters have decided to keep the original form and values shows that craft is an unchanged form. Finally by looking at the developing countries and seeing that although the main reason behind crafting isn’t the same - as our circumstances are very different much like the reasons to craft through change in time. However we share the ways to craft. So through these aspects of craft, you see that time has changed the design world rapidly but craft has remained the same, and that though class may separate the world, craft is still the same form. So you can see that craft is an unchanged form of design and still holds it traditional values.

References:

Quotes (in order of mention):

Quinn, T, & Felix, P. (2011). Book of Forgotten Crafts. David & Charles Publishers.

Jobs, S. (1985). Playboy Magazine. ?

craft. (n.d.). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved May 11, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=craft&searchmode=none

craft. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved May 11, 2014, from Dictionary.com website:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/craft

Syjuco, S. (2008). Handmade Nation. Princeton Architectural Press.

Rara, S. (2008). Handmade Nation. Princeton Architectural Press.

Atkinson, P. (2006). Journal of Design History: Vol.19, No.1. Oxford University Press.

Elder, A.C. (2004). Made in Canada. McGill- Queens Press.

Sennett.R. (2008), The Craftsman. Yale University Press; 1 edition

Bliss, J. (2008). Handmade Nation. Princeton Architectural Press.

Lieble, M, & Roy, T. (2004). Poor Peoples Knowledge. World Bank Publications.

Jiméze, N.A. (2004). Poor Peoples Knowledge. World Bank Publications.

Kate, K, & Laird, S.A. (2004). Poor Peoples Knowledge. World Bank Publications.

Jiméze, N.A. (2004). Poor Peoples Knowledge. World Bank Publications.

Miller, C. (2008). Handmade Nation. Princeton Architectural Press.

Books:

Levine.F, & Heimerl.C. (2008). Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design. Princeton Architectural Press.

Elder.A.C. (2005). Made in Canada: Craft and Design in the Sixties. McGill- Queens Press.

Finger.J,M, & Schuler.P. (2004). Poor People’s Knowledge: Promoting Intellectual Property in Developing Countries. World Bank Publications.

Quinn, T, & Felix, P. (2011). Book of Forgotten Crafts. David & Charles Publishers.      

Atkinson, P. (2006). Journal of Design History: Vol.19, No.1. Oxford University Press.

[bmtaylor-ccdn271-blog]

CCDN 271 - Assignment One

Everyday Design

In the text, "Aspects of Everyday Design: Resourcefulness, Adaptation, and Emergence", Ron Wakkary and Leah Maestri discuss the results of their research involving four families over a five month period, and how they interact with designs of everyday.

While studying these families, Wakkary and Maestri investigate how designs become evolved through the everyday interactions of people. Wakkary and Maestri discovered that not only did these families adapt to certain designs but that they also often modified the designs to adapt into that individuals surroundings and everyday routines. By doing this, Wakkary and Maestri state, that everyday people become everyday designers, in turn, creating an adaptation and evolution of design systems. 

This source will be relevant to my research as Wakkary and Maestri examine the aspects of everyday design in regard to regular middle-class families and how their solutions and adaptions of existing designs further develop the works of professional designers, thus creating a design cycle.

  Wakkary, R., &  Maestri, L. (2008). Aspects of Everyday Design: Resourcefulness, Adaptation, and Emergence. Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 24(5), 478-491. doi:10.1080/10447310802142276 

    Critical Design

In the text, "Design Noir: The Secret Life of Electronic Objects", Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby suggests the role industrial design has on electronic product design. Dunne and Raby ask important questions to provoke and motivate other designers.

Duune and Raby investigate the cultural and the physical effects of electronic objects, and how a person's experiences can change in a technological environment. Dunne and Raby point out how industries simply re-present different forms of the same product rather than having new purposes for electronic products. Dunne and Raby also take note of how critical design is an effort to push life experiences, unlike mass production industries which purely focus on the medium and the social market rather than the human experience.

This source will be relevant to my research as Dunne and Raby examine the design of electronic products through critical and affirmative perspective, thus understanding further, the experiences between people and electronic products.

  Dunne, A., & Raby, F. (2001). Design Noir: The Secret Life of Electronic Objects. Birlin, Germany: Birkhäuser.

      DIY Design

In the text, "A Lifestyle Choice? Evaluating Motives of Do It Yourself (DIY) Consumers", Colin C. Williams investigates the reason behind why the retail for DIY supplies has increased so dramatically over the past few years. He asks the vital question, whether it is by choice and enjoyment or whether it is because of the economic constraints, that more people are beginning to participate in DIY activities.

Through his research, Williams demonstrates - through tables - evidence of such things as; sales of DIY products, participants of DIY activities, types of labour, and sources of labour. By compiling all this data, Williams comes to the conclusion that it is neither choice and enjoyment nor economic constraints which are the reason for the increase of DIY retail, but a combination of both.

This source will be relevant to my research as Williams provides reliable evidence to support his claims that both choice and economic constraints contribute in increasing the DIY retail.

  Williams, Colin C. (2004). A Lifestyle Choice? Evaluating Motives of Do It Yourself (DIY) Consumers. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 32(5), 270-278. doi: 10.1108/09590550410534613  

  Google Warming

In the text, "Privacy Online", Diane K. Bowers discusses how in the arrival of the computer and the internet people may be in danger of having their privacy breeched as they are yet to understand how accessible information can be.

Bowers discusses how, in the late 1990's, computers were becoming more and more popular in everyday households. This made it very easy for people to give out personal information into the cyber world. Though, at this time, Bowers states, that many people were reserved about giving out information online, there still needed to be a way to protect individuals privacy. It was at this point when a privacy working group was created to articulate a set of laws under the privacy act involving the internet. Bowers discusses these laws in further detail.

Though this article is from the late 1990's, it still may be of use to my research, as Bowers discusses the privacy of the internet. This gives me insight as to how online privacy has changed since the arise of social networking.

  Bowers, Diane K. (1997). Privacy Online. Marketing Research 9(3), 37-38. doi: n/a

[blaiseha271]

Historical influences on contemporary issues

Visitors to Mexico City are often struck by the prevalent use of concrete in houses of all sizes, and representative of all social classes. Indeed, cement is a central component of domestic construction in Mexico City. The state of the cement market in Mexico notes that among the constructors of low-income informal housing (who account for between 60 and 70 percent of all housing built in capital city), “more than 60 percent use concrete block construction in the walls and 90 percent of those interview will make floors and roofs out of cement”. An examination of typical middle- and high-income houses built since the 1920s demonstrates that the basic structure of the house is the same as the low-income houses. The decorative elements are superimposed on this structure. This generalised, and well established, use of cement as a basic ingredient of domestic construction contrast with the more limited  use the materials has enjoyed in the other industrial countries.

Walker, A. (2000). Historical Influences on the Use of Cement in Mexican Domestic. Construction History, Vol. 16. pp. 87-98. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41613815 

[rickysituccdn271-blog]

Critical Design

Methods in Critically design is to unraveling the finer details of an objective to articulate certain motives to perform tasks and achieve what has been set out. The article "Critical Design Ethnography: Designing for Change", critically designs a process in ethnography of transforming a local context and applying it into multiple contexts in a classroom. This process was an experiment in engaging children between the ages of 9-12 to be assessed and educated so that they can learn to be a socially responsible in their community. An effective process where the children are tasked to act in a socially and responsible way in a real world vs fictional world to help them determine appropriate social actions. What makes this process a critical analysed design is the procedures in conducting these experiments where they personally interact with the children while also personally getting to know each individual child. Through a variety of activities, acting in between the real world and fictional play it helps the children to create and gain a sense of purpose as an individual while making them a knowledgeable and a sensible member of their community.

Barab, S. Thomas, M. Dodge, T. Squire, K. Newell, M. (2008, Jan 8). Critical Design Ethnography: Designing for Change. Anthropology and Education. 35(2), 254-268. doi: 10.1525/aeq.2004.35.2.254 Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/doi/10.1525/aeq.2004.35.2.254/pdf

[dannigibbon-mediadesign]

Assignment 4: Research Paper

“Poverty was simply a fact of life for the great majority of human beings up until the latter part of the eighteenth century”, when the Industrial Revolution changed everything.  “Discoveries and inventions that took advantage of inanimate sources of energy – coal and steam in particular”, which meant that productivity was multiplied and a lot more goods and services were available to more people.  This made the wealthy, wealthier, created a middle class and left the poor behind.  Now there are more than 2 billion people in the world that live on $2 or less a day.  These people don’t have access to basic necessities such as clean water, health care, education, stable housing and employment opportunities.  They are struggling to survive through a lot of situations the developed world take for granted.  The world has enough resources to give the entire population a decent quality of life.  The problem is that we don’t have an economic system capable of redistributing these resources that the wealthiest 10% of the world’s population have.

Instead we can look to design.  But how can the developed world use design to help reduce poverty?  I will look into Paul Polak’s design principles for designing for developing countries, what do designers need to consider and how do they approach these problems.  I will look at how Polak has used these principles to create innovative designs and how they are helping people move out of poverty.  Then I will look into designs for high income countries and see how they aren’t appropriate for use in low income countries and how these designs have been altered and simplified to suit the target market of low income countries.  I will then look at statistics of how poverty has developed over the last 200 years to find out whether designers are making a difference in the reduction of poverty.

Paul Polak is trying to find practical solutions to eliminate poverty.  He is the founder of IDE (International Development Enterprises), D-Rev: Design for the Other 90% and Windhorse International.  In his book ‘Out of Poverty’ he talks about the “Three great poverty eradication myths: that we can donate people out of poverty, that national economic growth will, and that Big Business, operating as it does now, will end poverty”.  He proves that programs based on these ideas have failed and that the key to ending poverty is to help the poor earn more money through their own efforts by giving them access to affordable, innovative design that fits their needs.  His 12 principles are as follows: “1. Go to where the action is, 2. Talk to the people who have the problem and listen, 3. Know the specific context, 4. Think and act big, 5. Think like a child, 6. See and do the obvious – immerse yourself in the problem, 7. If someone already invented it, you don’t have to, 8. Measurable impacts that can be scaled up, 9. Design to specific price targets, 10. Practical 3 year work plan, 11. Continue to learn from your customers, 12. Don’t be distracted by what people say”.

To elaborate on Polak’s principles, you can’t help people in poverty from your office on the other side of the world.  He states that designers need to “understand how a product is actually being used”.  Therefore for example, if you're selling drinking water to people in villages, you go to their homes,” where the action is” and you “listen to the people who are there”, ”learn from your customers”, ”immerse yourself in the problem” and find out what kind of container they're keeping their drinking water in and it may surprise you.  Then you can take what you’ve learnt and create an innovative design “to specific price targets” which solves the problem.  You “think and act big” in order to get the design to the millions of people that need it.

Polak used the above principles to create innovative designs to help people living in poverty including Krishna Bahadur Thapa, a farmer in Nepal.  Krishna invested $26 to buy a 250-square-meter drip [irrigation] kit which Polak designed.  “He learned horticulture, and he worked hard to raise off-season cucumber and cauliflower, and all of a sudden he made $256 in one season when he was used to making only $50 to $100 a year.” He went from one tiny plot to a whole acre of irrigated fruits and vegetables. He bought himself a buffalo and made almost $700 selling milk. Then he bought two-thirds of an acre of oranges. He raised goats and sold the kids for meat.  With this one basic design Polak and IDE have helped Krishna and 20 million other one-acre farmers move out of poverty.  They have more than doubled what they were previously earning, helping them to afford more basic needs and raising their quality of life.

One major problem in low income countries is health care.  The technology that is used in high income countries is much too expensive and isn’t appropriate for use in low income countries because of their infrastructure, electricity supply and lack of well-trained staff.  Which means people are losing their lives from everyday procedures which we would take for granted in high income countries.  Here are some examples of products that have been designed to work around these problems and are giving everyone access to health care and saving many lives.

There is a huge need for prosthetic services in low-income countries.  As well as the usual causes of amputation, “15,000 persons die or are maimed from landmine related injuries [in low-income countries] each year” and “more than one-third of those who survive landmine injuries require amputation”. (p294)  Seven professionals came up with “The Shape&Roll prosthetic foot.  In designing it they considered shape, materiality, manufacturing, durability and the income of the target market.  It is a simple device which is easy to fabricate by moderately skilled persons, lightweight, durable, low in profile and inexpensive.  It’s allowing people in low income countries who require amputation to live a fairly normal life, still able to carry out most activities that they previously were able to.

Another example is ‘The Universal Anesthesia Machine’ designed by Dr. Paul Fenton, a British anesthesiologist.  A lot of people living in poverty don’t have access to safe surgery due to anesthesia.  The machines used in high income countries need a “well trained anesthesialogist, a team of biomedical engineers, a budget up to $100,000 per machine and an infrastructure that can supply an uninterrupted supply of electricity and compressed oxygen”.  If these machines were to be used in low income countries they would be inappropriate and unsafe as there is often only one person in a region who is qualified in anesthesia, not a single biomedical engineer and they have regular power outages due to a weak infrastructure.  Fenton designed this new anesthesia machine to fit the requirements of low income hospitals.  It can operate without electricity, maintenance doesn’t need a specialist, draws oxygen from the air and is low cost.  It is just as functionable, safe and reliable as the anesthesia machines used in high income countries.  It is giving these people access to safe health care and saving many lives.

A third example is Embrace, an enterprise that aims to help the millions of vulnerable babies born every year in developing countries through a low-cost infant warmer.  Jane Chen is the co-founder and CEO.  “Around the world, 4 million low-birthweight babies die within the first 28 days of life because they are so tiny they don't have enough fat to regulate their body temperature”.  Traditional incubators are a solution to this problem, but they cost up to $20,000 and require a constant supply of electricity, not available in many rural villages.  Jane Chen and her co-workers designed the ThermPod which costs less than 1% of the cost of a traditional incubator, it requires no electricity, has no moving parts, is portable, safe and easy to use.  It is a blanket which you wrap around the baby which has a pouch in the back with a phase-changing material that looks like wax.  It is first melted, then releases heat over six hours that keeps the baby warm as the material solidifies.  To reuse it all you have to do is reheat it.  It is so simple yet it is saving hundreds of newborn babies.

A lot of people in low income countries don’t have access to safe drinking water and therefore are catching waterborne diarrhoeal diseases.  LifeStraw is a portable water purifier created for prevention of the common waterborne diarrhoeal diseases. It needs no power to operate, it is robust and designed for tough outdoor conditions, requires basic care and no maintenance and filters 1000 litres of fresh surface water.  That’s 18 months of drinking water for an adult and 3 years for a child.  This small tube can be carried around with ease and used to filter any water.  It has made a huge health impact on young children, pregnant women, those with debilitated immune-systems and made it easy for everyone to have access to safe drinking water.

An organisation called ‘One Laptop Per Child’s aim is “to empower the world’s poorest children through education”.  They are providing children with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with collaborative, joyful, and self-empowered learning.  Uruguay was the first major country in the world to provide every elementary school child with a laptop, Peru has provided 8,300 schools with laptops and Argentina, Mexico, and Rwanda are also distributing large numbers.  They allow children to be engaged in their own education, learn, share, and create together.

 Hans Rosling’s Gapminder World shows graphs of how countries have progressed over the last 200 years in life expectancy and income per person.  It shows that in the year 1800 every countries life expectancy was below 40 years and their income no higher than $3,000.  When the 19th Century came about the “western world’s” life expectancy and income began to increase quite rapidly but the “developing countries” stayed relatively the same.  By 1950 they’re life expectancy especially, began to rise, the western world still increasing as well.  A clear middle class was formed.  When the graph reaches the year 2010 not a single countries life expectancy is below 45 years and the gap between the developing world and the western world has decreased from 50 years previous.  This progression shows how the western world is using their technology and power to design for and help raise the quality of life, for people in developing countries.

According to the UN’s World Summit on Social Development, the ‘Conpenhagen Declaration’ described poverty as, “A condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information.”  There is a growing trend for designers to create innovative designs for the 90% of the world’s population who need it the most.  These designers are travelling to remote locations in low income countries to talk to these people in poverty and find out what problems they have.  They are taking designs that already exist in high income countries and simplifying and adapting them to suit the constraints of these people in poverty.  All the above examples mentioned and the hundreds more designs out there may only give them access to one basic human need but they are slowly but surely helping each person make their way out of poverty.  The more and more designs created for this target market the faster these people will be provided with access to all the basic human needs, reducing and eliminating poverty.  Roslings Gapminder World already proves that people in povertys life expectancy and dollar per person is increasing and they are catching up to the developed world.

Bibliography

Polak, P. (2008). Out of poverty: what works when traditional approaches fail. San Francisco, Calif.: Berrett-Koehler.

Tucker, A. (2008). Paul Polak, Social Entrepreneur, Golden, Colorado. Smithsonian. Retrieved May12, 2012, from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/making-a-difference/interview-polak-200808.html

One Laptop per Child. (n.d.). One Laptop per Child. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from http://one.laptop.org/

Frenkel, E. (2011). Erica Frenkel: The universal anesthesia machine | Video on TED.com.  TED: Ideas worth spreading. Retrieved March 22, 2012, from http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/erica_frenkel_the_universal_anesthesia_machine.html

General, D. (1995). Eradication of Poverty. The Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action: World Summit for Social Development [6-12 March 1995]. New York: UN.

Sam, M., Childress, D., Hansen, A., Meier, M., Lambla, S., Grahn, E., Rolock, J. (2004): The Medicine, Conflict and Survival: 'Shape&Roll' ProstheticFoot: I. Design and Development of Appropriate Technology for Low-Income Countrie,. 20:4, 294-306

Deviney, F. (2012). Texas Politics - Poverty in Texas - BETA. Welcome to Texas Politics. Retrieved May 27, 2012, from http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/12_5_0.html

About Global Aid Warehouse New Zealand. (n.d.). LifeStraw New Zealand. Retrieved May 27, 2012, from http://www.lifestraw.co.nz/about_us.asp

Rosling, H. (2010). Gapminder World. Gapminder: Unveiling the beauty of statistics for a fact based world view. - Gapminder.org. Retrieved May 27, 2012, from http://www.gapminder.org

Euchner, J. (2012). Innovation to Reduce Poverty: An Interview with Paul Polak. Research Technology Management, 55, 11-15.

Chen, J. (2010). Jane Chen: A warm embrace that saves lives | Video on TED.com. TED: Ideas worth spreading. Retrieved May 27, 2012, from http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_chen_a_warm_embrace_that_saves_lives.html

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Assignment Four:

ABSTRACT:

As modern technology expands the horizon for design possibilities, many forms of deign are adapting to new techniques, as Jobs (1985) said, “the new technology will not necessarily replace the old technology, but it will date it.” In spite of this, small handmade crafts remain a traditional design form, “unchanged in centuries” (Quinn & Felix, 2011, p.21). This assignment will research the conventional small handmade crafts, debating that traditional handmade craft objects are consistent throughout the history of the design form. Beginning with Alan Elder’s 2005 text, Made in Canada, this text provides a historical look at craft in Canada where craft was applied across multiple design genres to form the identity of the country. Following with Handmade Nation, By Faythe Levine & Cortney Haimerl’s, a documentary text that provides scope into the modern crafting culture in a large influential country, America. Finally Poor Peoples Knowledge, By J. Michael Finger & Phillip Schuler will contribute to the reasons and forms of craft in developing countries that are currently being applied.

APPROACH:

The meaning of craft? (History/ Modern)

Who crafts? (History/ Modern) Why?

Differences between craft in developed/developing countries? 

PARAGRAPHS:

MEANING OF CRAFT IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD:

The historic meaning of craft is to ‘require manual skill’ (Online Etymology Dictionary).

The modern meaning of craft is ‘an activity involving skill in making things by hand’ (Collins English Dictionary). 

Despite both meanings being worded differently they both posses the same intention to have manual labor and handmade. Although the modern meaning of craft is manipulated to suit an object, its intentions remain the same, to “go against the grain of mass manufactured” designs where “each item is unique and handmade” (Syjuco, 2008, p.144).

(Main theme – craft meaning is unchanged)

PEOPLE WHO CRAFTED THEN & NOW:

Historically crafting was a means of income, craft was widely practiced by members of the family to help produce income and provide leisure.

Modern means of craft in developed countries could be divided into three groups: Income, lifestyle and active craft. All of which are practiced by wider comminutes if need be­, but aren’t essential for people to know. However there is still the desire to and “challenge to produce something beautiful” (Rara, 2008, p.148). 

The change in craft is dramatic in terms of intention and reasoning; “to change in ways and become more competitive” (Elder, 2005) despite this historic practices still hold value in modern crafting culture with “the emotional rewards craftsmanship hold out for attaining skill are twofold” (Sennett, 2008).

(Main theme – practice of craft has changed for reasons but the type is the same.)

DIFFERENANCES BETWEEN DEVELOPED & DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN MODREN SOCIETY:

Modern craft in developed countries consists of lifestyle, essential and active craft, all of which are practiced widely. However modern developing countries are crafting to provide a means of income for survival.

Materials used in developed countries “primarily things […] I find around me” (Bliss, 2008, p.128) but with aesthetic being a major contributing factor to modern craft, brought materials are being used more and more. However developing countries are crafting the majority from “natural materials” (Kate & Laird, 2004, p.19) found around them, to save on cost that can’t be spared. 

Developed countries are divided between crafting for survival and crafting for recreational purposes; it would appear fewer people need craft to survive because craft now has “value beyond capacity to generate income” (Finger, 2004, p.2). In contrast to the developing countries which craft the majority to “provide viable income and lifestyle” (Lieble & Roy, 2004, p.59) to help them survive.

(Main theme – contrast from developed countries and developing. but socially makes us equal/anyone can craft for any reason)

REFERANCES:

QUOTES:

Quinn, T, & Felix, P. (2011). Book of Forgotten Crafts. David & Charles Publishers.

craft. (n.d.). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved May 11, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/craft

craft. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved May 11, 2014, from Dictionary.com website:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/craft

Syjuco, S. (2008). Handmade Nation. Princeton Architectural Press.

Rara, S. (2008). Handmade Nation. Princeton Architectural Press.

Elder, A.C. (2004). Made in Canada. McGill- Queens Press.

Sennett.R. (2008), The Craftsman. Yale University Press; 1 edition

Finger, J.M. Poor Peoples Knowledge. World Bank Publications.

Kate, K, & Laird, S.A. (2004). Poor Peoples Knowledge. World Bank Publications.

Lieble, M, & Roy, T. (2004). Poor Peoples Knowledge. World Bank Publications.

BOOKS:

Levine.F, & Heimerl.C. (2008). Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design. Princeton Architectural Press. 

Elder.A.C. (2005). Made in Canada: Craft and Design in the Sixties. McGill- Queens Press.

Finger.J,M, & Schuler.P. (2004). Poor People’s Knowledge: Promoting Intellectual Property in Developing Countries. World Bank Publications.

Quinn, T, & Felix, P. (2011). Book of Forgotten Crafts. David & Charles Publishers.          

Sennett,R. (2008). ), The Craftsman. Yale University Press; 1 edition

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Assignment Four: Research Paper

Title: The Benefits of Technology in Our Everyday Lives

Theme: The Everyday

 Technology has revolutionized the world of today. Since its existence, our everyday lives have been transformed in different ways through machinery that automates interactions that were once found to be challenging or impossible. It affects the way we live on a daily basis in many situations in life; at home, work, or school. Domestic technology and information technology are two different forms of new technology that have become particularly accepted and used by society. Domestic technologies have become so common in homes, they now exist as ‘part of the furniture’, in the sense that they have “become contextualized as ordinary, everyday elements of the home, to be replaced or upgraded only when broken” (Hughes et al., 1998). This idea of domestic technology being an ‘ordinary’ component in our homes establishes its constant involvement in our lives on a daily basis. Other forms of technology such as information technology (IT), affect us in a similar sense, as they have changed the way we interact with both computers and one another, as well as how we gather information. This essay will examine the development of new technology, specifically its existence within design, in order to illustratethe way it affects the everyday lives of users. It will be argued that design, with the integration of new technology, benefits the way we function, as well as benefiting the routines in our everyday lives. It also affects also our methods of interaction: working, learning, communication etc. (Benefits of Technology, 2010), in such a way that provides convenience among other enhancements in accomplishing our everyday tasks.

Domestic technologies have revolutionized the way that we accomplish tasks in our homes. They “modify the range and duration of events to be accommodated during the course of a daily schedule” (Shove, 2003). In other words, we are able to get things done more quickly and frequently in our everyday lives. Contemporary machines such as the clothes dryer are good examples to illustrate this, as clothes generally dry faster in clothes dryers than on a washing line, and unlike washing lines, clothes dryers are unaffected by weather conditions, which allow for less interference in the schedule of events during the day. In addition, kitchen tasks such as whipping cream can be achieved more quickly with a food mixer as opposed to doing it by hand with a utensil. Again, this is an example of new technology that allows users to accomplish tasks more quickly and efficiently, saving time and effort that can be put to use to accomplish other tasks. The invention of the computer has also played a significant role in the functioning of many people’s lives. Its design was originally intended to service the world of work (Habib, 2000). It alleviated the amount of work that was required to solve large and complex mathematical calculations. As the capabilities of computers increased and the computer hardware costs decreased, a larger number of workers began to use computers. In the 1980’s, Apple Macintosh and Windows-based computers contributed to the rise of personal computers. Concerns regarding the ease of human interactions with computers had also emerged during this time, and once this human-computer interaction issue was addressed, the computer became increasingly popular in homes. New entertainment-oriented capabilities (i.e. video games) as well as utility applications added to its appeal to users. As more features were installed into the computer it became more of a ‘general purpose machine’ (Habib, 2000). Applications and programs that computers now provide open up the possibilities through their broad range of operation capabilities. Users can now better organize their lives due to software that can either be downloaded or is even freely provided by computer manufacturers. For example, digital calendars, media storage applications, and address books found on computers can be used for organizational purposes. These are all examples of applications that can have a hard-copy equivalent outside of the computer, however the benefit of having them all in one place is that it saves on the time and effort typically required for people to seek them out in their homes. Thus, the computer is a source for many functions that we do in our homes/work on a daily basis. It enables users to manage and perform tasks that would be impossible or require more time to achieve without the help of machinery.

  Information technology (IT) is termed as a “vast array of information in digital form” (Atkinson and Castro, 2008). It has enabled many key innovations and improvements in our lives/society – from education and health care to a better environment and securer communities. Since its notable rise in the mid 1990’s, it has transformed us into an information-rich society, which in effect, has significantly changed the operations in our everyday lives at school, work, and home. For instance, the emergence of online applications/tools have opened up the possibilities for schools and changed the education system in such a way that has improved learning outcomes, expanded access to education, and changed learning styles. Parents are able to access and follow information online regarding their child’s academic progress, and students are able to take online classes that were unavailable prior to the existence of the Internet. In addition, throughout most of the 20th century, information was received through the radio, television, and newspaper/magazines. This meant that people had to search through the frequencies of local radio stations, television channels and bookshelves or drive to the local library to seek out the required information. Because of the information technology available on the Internet, users now have access to information simply by making a few keystrokes on a keyboard. With search engines such as Google and Wikipedia, users are able to learn about destinations they wish to travel to, restaurant reviews, online shopping - all at their fingertips. These examples share the common characteristic of flexibility and increased availability; the potential and expansion of operations that have become available through technology effectively benefit us in the way that we can now perform a wider variety of tasks. Additionally, having access to information updates in real time is a prominent feature of information technology, since the value of information can often be associated with how quickly it is available to the user (Atkinson and Castro, 2008). A recent example of this is the rise of Twitter, which is essentially a social networking site where users can post status updates on their own lives and also on news stories from all over the world. In this way, Twitter has the ability to function as a news service, as users – often those closest to the scene - diffuse information to many users at once. There are situations in life where having this updated information can determine the outcome of the situation. Such as avoiding traffic through road traffic updates, preparing for floods through water level updates, airplane flight updates in real time etc. Presenting information in real time not only provides convenience, it also allows users to make the right decision at the right time, which can save them the money, time or effort, if this information was not available.

  While new technology can be seen as beneficial to our lives, it is also worth considering the flaws that arise when new technology is introduced. With the constant growth and societal acceptance of new technology, users must adapt to the challenges and opportunities that new technology provides. In some cases, this can be an unpleasant or unfamiliar feeling, as it may be out of the ordinary and something that users have no previous experience with nor have encountered in their everyday lives. A learning curve is associated with new technology where the steepness of the curve depends on how familiar or unfamiliar users are with new technology (Hamill, 2000). The innovation of color T.V’s is a good example of successfully avoiding this unfamiliarity, since users already know how to use a black and white T.V and can readily identify the benefits of having a color T.V. This familiarity level is a factor that can make the user either willing or unwilling to engage with new technology. For example, Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw (1989) proposed a theoretical model during the time period when computers were becoming increasingly popular. It was named the ‘Technology Acceptance Model’ (TAM), which posited that ‘perceived usefulness’ and ‘perceived ease of use’ strongly relate to computer acceptance behaviors. In other words, if the user can predict and anticipate what the new technology will offer and how easy it will be to use, there is a higher chance that the user will begin using it. This suggests that new technology that is similar to previously used technology will be more easily accepted and used than technology that does not have the benefit of having a familiar technology as its precursor.

Conversely, it is also important to consider that, in recent times, technology is designed with much concern and consideration towards the user - the developments and advancements of user friendly interfaces are often embedded in technology today (Habib, 2000). These work to avoid and eliminate the feeling of unfamiliarity experienced by the user. For example, as previously mentioned, Apple Macintosh and Windows have worked to design the interface of their computers to be more user friendly in order to increase their appeal to a wider range of users. Thus, by creating interfaces that are easily understood or relatable to users, there is a reduction in the negative ‘unfamiliar’ aspect of new technology, where technology is deemed too complicated and so is unaccepted by the user.

  As evidenced, bothdomestic technology and information technology are two primary forms of new technology that have a significant influence on what occurs in our everyday lives. The examples and evidence given have demonstrated that these two technologies are in fact beneficial. They can potentially save us time, money, and effort, while also opening up a broader range of functions and possibilities that have implications for how we experience everyday life. However, we also see that when these forms of new technology emerge, users may experience a ‘technical barrier’, in which the functionality does not make sense to them, therefore feelings of discomfort arise as well as feelings of hesitation and unwillingness to take further action in using the technology. This may suggest to designers that it would be logical to seek ways of analyzing and evaluating the acceptability of these systems in the early stages of the design process.  Due to this, designers may look to new technology in order to provide beneficial user interactions that save time and ease the effort required to accomplish tasks, allowing for more/other tasks to be accomplished. In a sense, today’s society can now be more productive with the aid of technology.

�� In effect, the contributions of domestic appliances and information technology have improved our quality of living through the aforementioned qualities of flexibility, speed, convenience, efficiency, and a broad range of possibilities. These qualities all play a part in demonstrating that new technology offers some positive factors that can effectively improve your everyday functioning. All of these discussed ideas and examples relate back to the main argument and purpose of the essay, as they deal with the routines and events that occur in our everyday lives, and they are examples that demonstrate improvement and benefit to these routines. Although for some users, technology can appear confusing or intimidating. In this case they should consider the ways in which overcoming this feeling and getting to know technology can help them in the long run with the benefits it provides.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Atkinson, R., & Castro, D. (2008). Digital Quality of Life: Understanding the

Personal & Social Benefits of the Information Technology Revolution. Social Science Electronic Publishing.

Davis, F., Bagozzi, R., & Warshaw, P. (1989). Management Science. User

Acceptance Of Computer Technology: A Comparison Of Two Theoretical Models. 35(8), 982-1003.

Habib, L. (2000). Computers and the Family: A Study of Technology in the    Domestic

Sphere. London, U.K: London School of Economics and Political Sciences.

Hamill, L. (2000). Personal Technologies. The Introduction of New Technology into

the Household. 4,1-16.

Hughes, J., O’Brien, J., & Rodden, T. (1998). Understanding Technology in Domestic

            Environments: Lessons for Cooperative Buildings. Lancaster, U.K.

Shove, E., Watson, M., Hand, M., & Ingram, J. (2007). The Design of Everyday Life.

Oxford, U.K: Berg.

Shove, E. (2003). Comfort, Cleanliness, and Convenience: The Social Organization

of Normality. Oxford, U.K: Berg.

Venkatesh, V. (2000). Information Systems Research. Determinants of Perceived

Ease of Use: Integrating Control, Intrinsic Motivation and Emotion into the Technology Acceptance Model. 11(4), 342-365.

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The everyday/critical design

The unfortunate social and economic conditions of Third World societies have instigated designers and design scholars to pay attention to the needs of this two-thirds of the world population. The “ideology” of design as problem solving drives designers and design scholars to think about how design can contribute to helping Third World societies. The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) organised the “Design for Need” conference in April 1976.

The idea of design for the Third World advocated but either Papanek or Bonsiepe did not really work because they lacked political dimensions in their implementation. Therefore, this article seeks to offer a new perspective to implement the idea of design as a solution for Third World societies by looking at the interweaving of design and politics. 

Amir, S. (Autumn, 2004). Rethinking Design Policy in the Third World. Design Issues, Vol. 20 (No. 4), pp. 68-75. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1512003 

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DIY

"DIY" is an exercise in which people generate their own work for a hobby, adapting to economic situations or improving something to their own satisfaction. In this article, "DIY and the dynamics of craft consumption", Matthew Watson goes in depth about the reasons of DIY. The original idea of DIY was promoted by companies supplying DIY materials and tools but this idea turned DIY into a exercise where regular home owners practice it for personal motivation purposes. It makes DIY something people do as a hobby, a form of critical or non-critical work that could stimulate creativity and producing quality work for mental satisfaction, a challenge or education. The introducing of DIY may have beneficially aided some individuals as it forces them to "DIY" due to economic conditions. This also fall back to the competence and confidence of an individual, whether they can produce quality or satisfying work which could be potentially a fall factor.

Watson, M. Shove, E. (2008, March). Product, Competence, Project and Practice: DIY and the dynamics of craft consumption. Journal of Consumer Culture. 73-74. doi:10.1177/1469540507085726   Retrieved from http://joc.sagepub.com.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/content/8/1/69.full.pdf+html

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Assignment Three

Poverty exists not because there aren’t enough resources to give the entire world’s population a decent quality of life.  It exists because we don’t have an economic system capable of redistributing resources that the majority of the wealthiest 10% of the world’s population have.  Instead we can look to design.  But how can we use design to help reduce poverty?

Paul Polak is a former psychiatrist and founder of IDE.  In his book ‘Out of Poverty’ he talks about the “Three great poverty eradication myths: that we can donate people out of poverty, that national economic growth will, and that Big Business, operating as it does now, will end poverty.“  He proves how programs based on these ideas have failed and that the key to ending poverty is to help the poor earn more money through their own efforts by giving them access to affordable, innovative designs that fit their needs.

He used these steps to create innovative designs to help people living in poverty including Krishna Bahadur Thapa, a farmer in Nepal.  Krishna invested $26 to buy a 250-square-meter drip [irrigation] kit which Polak designed.  “He learned horticulture, and he worked hard to raise off-season cucumber and cauliflower, and all of a sudden he made $256 in one season when he was used to making only $50 to $100 a year.” He went from one tiny plot to a whole acre of irrigated fruits and vegetables.  From this one basic design Polak has helped Krishna and hundreds more farmers to earn more than double what they were previously earning, helping them to afford basic needs and raising their quality of life.

 An organisation called ‘One Laptop Per Child’s aim is “to empower the world’s poorest children through education”.  They are providing children with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with collaborative, joyful, and self-empowered learning.  Uruguay was the first major country in the world to provide every elementary school child with a laptop, Peru has provided 8,300 schools with laptops and Argentina, Mexico, and Rwanda are also distributing large numbers.  They allow children to be engaged in their own education, learn, share, and create together.

‘The Universal Anesthesia Machine’ was designed by Dr. Paul Fenton, a British anesthesiologist.  A lot of people living in poverty don’t have access to safe surgery due to anesthesia.  Fenton designed this machine to fit the requirements of low income hospitals.  It can operate without electricity, maintenance doesn’t need a specialist, draws oxygen from the air and is low cost.  It is just as functionable, safe and reliable as the anesthesia machines used in high income countries.  It is giving these people access to health care and saving many lives.

According to the UN’s World Summit on Social Development, the ‘Conpenhagen Declaration’ described poverty as, “..severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information.”  There is a growing trend for designers to create innovative designs for the 90% of the world’s population who need it the most.  Each design may only give them access to one need but they are slowly but surely helping each person make their way out of poverty.  The more and more designs created for this target market the faster these people will be provided with access to all the basic human needs, reducing and eliminating poverty.

Bibliography

Polak, P. (2008). Out of poverty: what works when traditional approaches fail. San Francisco, Calif.: Berrett-Koehler.

Tucker, A. (2008). Paul Polak, Social Entrepreneur, Golden, Colorado. Smithsonian. Retrieved May12, 2012, from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/making-a-difference/interview-polak-200808.html

One Laptop per Child. (n.d.). One Laptop per Child. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from http://one.laptop.org/

Frenkel, E. (2011). Erica Frenkel: The universal anesthesia machine | Video on TED.com.  TED: Ideas worth spreading. Retrieved March 22, 2012, from http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/erica_frenkel_the_universal_anesthesia_machine.html

General, D. (1995). Eradication of Poverty. The Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action: World Summit for Social Development [6-12 March 1995]. New York: UN.