Research proposal for my PhD thesis

1. 01.2011 | Research proposal
Communication process
as a collective experience
Silvia Schiaulini
PhD candidate in Design sciences
School of Doctorate Studies
IUAV University of Venice
silviadots@gmail.com mail
silvia_schia skype
silviaschiaulini linkedin

2. 01.2011 | Research proposal
Communication process
as a collective experience
Index
0. Research field
1. Context
2. Open questions
3. Research theme
4. Scientific hypothesis
5. Working hypothesis
6. References
7. Timing

3. 0. Research field
Communication design

4. 1. Context
Communication design today:
new directions and changes

5. 1. Context
Communication design today:
new directions and changes
New media
A lot has to be explored in the web
2.0 potentiality. Most of the contents
are displayed in a traditional mise en
page. We have to develop skills and
tools that take advantage from this
participatory new type of communi-
cation, and we have to face it with
awareness.

6. 1. Context
Communication design today:
new directions and changes
New media Project characteristics
A lot has to be explored in the web Few common characteristics have
2.0 potentiality. Most of the contents been emerging in communication de-
are displayed in a traditional mise en sign projects in these last years:
page. We have to develop skills and • self initiated project, in contrast to
tools that take advantage from this commissioned ones
participatory new type of communi- • the usage of a more local and political
cation, and we have to face it with language opposed to a global one
awareness. • base research, not commercial
• collaboration as a key concept be-
tween different studios, co-production
• Open source and creative commons

7. 1. Context
Communication design today:
new directions and changes
New media Project characteristics Call for responsibility
A lot has to be explored in the web Few common characteristics have The increasing number of manifestos
2.0 potentiality. Most of the contents been emerging in communication de- could be seen as an evident conse-
are displayed in a traditional mise en sign projects in these last years: quence or answer to the call for re-
page. We have to develop skills and • self initiated project, in contrast to sponsibility that is involving the com-
tools that take advantage from this commissioned ones munity.
participatory new type of communi- • the usage of a more local and political
cation, and we have to face it with language opposed to a global one At the same time the trend of new
awareness. • base research, not commercial master degrees, workshops and sym-
• collaboration as a key concept be- posiums is to focus on the theme of
tween different studios, co-production Design for the social change.
• Open source and creative commons
* 2000 First Things First update
* 2000 Bruce Mau’s Incomplete
Manifesto for Growth
* 2001 AIAP, disegno etica e comunicazione
* 2001 Socialist Designer’s Manifesto
* 2002 First Declaration of the St. Moritz
Design Summit
* 2004 The Free Culture Manifesto
* 2006 The Public Role of the Graphic Designer
* 2006 Owner’s Manifesto, The Maker’s
Bill of Rights
* 2008 Metahaven, White Night Before A Manifesto
* 2009 The Repair Manifesto from Platform21

8. 1. Context
Communication design today:
new directions and changes
New media Project characteristics Call for responsibility Professional blur and new opportunity
A lot has to be explored in the web Few common characteristics have The increasing number of manifestos As boundaries between disciplines
2.0 potentiality. Most of the contents been emerging in communication de- could be seen as an evident conse- are more and more blur and profes-
are displayed in a traditional mise en sign projects in these last years: quence or answer to the call for re- sionists are more and more hyperspe-
page. We have to develop skills and • self initiated project, in contrast to sponsibility that is involving the com- cialization, few new figure are needed.
tools that take advantage from this commissioned ones munity. These are the ones which had the abil-
participatory new type of communi- • the usage of a more local and political ity to keep a multidisciplinary project
cation, and we have to face it with language opposed to a global one At the same time the trend of new on going, coordinating authorities,
awareness. • base research, not commercial master degrees, workshops and sym- professionists of the connection.
• collaboration as a key concept be- posiums is to focus on the theme of
tween different studios, co-production Design for the social change.
• Open source and creative commons
* 2000 First Things First update
* 2000 Bruce Mau’s Incomplete
Manifesto for Growth
* 2001 AIAP, disegno etica e comunicazione
* 2001 Socialist Designer’s Manifesto
* 2002 First Declaration of the St. Moritz
Design Summit
* 2004 The Free Culture Manifesto
* 2006 The Public Role of the Graphic Designer
* 2006 Owner’s Manifesto, The Maker’s
Bill of Rights
* 2008 Metahaven, White Night Before A Manifesto
* 2009 The Repair Manifesto from Platform21

9. 2. Open questions
New media
Should we
consider the web
as an enemy
of vis-à-vis
communication
or as a tool
of universal
communication?

10. 2. Open questions
New media Project characteristics
Should we Creative commons:
consider the web you are what you
as an enemy share or you loose
of vis-à-vis what you share?
communication
or as a tool
of universal
communication?

11. 2. Open questions
New media Project characteristics Call for responsibility
Should we Creative commons: Will contemporary
consider the web you are what you designers be the
as an enemy share or you loose catalysers of
of vis-à-vis what you share? changement?
communication
or as a tool
of universal
communication?

12. 2. Open questions
New media Project characteristics Call for responsibility Professional blur and new opportunity
Should we Creative commons: Will contemporary Are we ready to
consider the web you are what you designers be the share the designer
as an enemy share or you loose catalysers of authorship with the
of vis-à-vis what you share? changement? audience?
communication
or as a tool
of universal
communication?

13. 3. Research theme
Communication process
as a collective experience
We are living a key moment for The possible error for designers is to The communication process has a
communication design, these are believe their profession as a rescuer duality in its own nature. We have to
just some of the questions we are for our time. go back to the initial conditions and
supposed to answer in a short time. Nico Macdonald in a paper for New do our work in responding to people
There’s a growing community on the DesignRevue, asks himself Can de- needs again.
web and on magazines who is busy signers save the world? (and should
in understanding where the future
communication will lead us.
they try?) .
One man or one profession will not New and more
New moments of discussion are
change our reality in a better one,
this could happen only by means of
significant ways
spreading also in other fields as a common effort. in communication
in consumes, ecology, politics and
administration. It seems we’re making could be found
a step away from passivity. by sharing the
process itself.
Nico Macdonald,
Can designers save the world?
(and should they try?),
New Design, n° 6, September/October 2001.

14. 4. Scientific hypothesis
The elaboration process of
communicative artefacts could take
advantage form a participative design
process.

15. 5. Working hypothesis
Communication process
as a collective experience
Research section Experimental section
Social communication tools and media Research of funds and promoting board
Historical analysis of social communication Definition of territorial area
Collective communication projects: ‘60 in China and Europe Creation of a working group
Case study (one for each decade 70/80/90) Definition of the theme
Analysis of UN Agenda21 action plan (2002) Design proposals
Strategies and form of activism Development of the project
Web 2.0: the appearance of virtual participative communication Expanded group test
The influence of new media on the collective thought Activity workbook
Open source and creative commons Publication (on line/on street/on paper)
Definition of co-design and its techniques
Contemporary case study

16. 6. References
People: contacts to develop
Anna Carola Freschi Ann Thorpe Liz Sanders Anne Bush
Anna Carola Freschi is an Assistant Ann Thorpe is pursuing research on Liz Sanders is the founder of Make-
Professor of Sociology at the Univer- cultural aspects of sustainable design, Tools, a company that explores new Susan Szenasy
sity of Bergamo and at the University underpinned by theories of human spaces in the emerging design land-
of Florence where she teaches Infor- needs, sustainable consumption and scapes. She has practiced co-design- John Thackara
mation Society and Social Change. design process and practice. Her work ing across all the design disciplines.
She also coordinates the Forms of the grows out of research she conducted Her current focus is on bringing par- Alastair Fuad-Luke
Political in the Network Society sec- for her book The Designer’s Atlas of ticipatory, human-centered design
tion of CIUSPO, the inter-university Sustainability and embraces economic thinking and co-creation practices to Charles Leadbeater
political sociology centre based in and cultural elements of sustainabil- the challenges we face for the future.
Florence. She has published books ity, along with ecological ones. She is Sanders speaks about and offers BGV Nightschool
and articles on local governance, dig- particularly interested design activism learning experiences in human-cen-
ital movements and culture, and local and in the role of digital economies tered design research and innovation Michael Bierut
institutional e- democracy initiatives. and information networks in sustain- for clients, colleagues and students
able design. around the world. She has a Ph.D. in William Drenttel
La società dei saperi. Reti virtuali e Experimental and Quantitative Psy-
partecipazione sociale, Roma, Carocci, http://designactivism.net chology and a B.A. in both Psychology Jessica Helfand
2002, pp. 197. and in Anthropology.
François Jégou
Democrazia elettronica e partecipazi- http://maketools.com
one al tempo del neoliberismo, in
Testimonianze. Galassia Internet,
n. 452, pp. 78-86, 2007.

17. 6. References
Revue and website
Website and blog Revue
http://designobserver.com Design Issues
http://opencollaboration.wordpress.com Aiga Journal of Graphic Design
http://notesondesign.net Eye
http://dextersinister.org Print
http://interactions.acm.org Baseline
http://designactivism.net Design quarterly
http://maketools.com Progetto grafico
http://sustainable-everyday.net Information Design Journal
http://collaborativeconsumption.com Blueprint
http://good.is/departments/transparency Item
http://poptech.org Adbusters
http://livinglabproject.org Good Magazine
http://instructables.com
http://owela.vtt.fi
http://propublica.org
http://massivechange.com
http://slowdesign.org
http://socialdesignsite.com
http://threetreesdontmakeaforest.org

18. 6. References
Today bibliography
Eternally Yours Time in Design,
010 Publisher, Rotterdam 2004
susitainability, long now, future
scenario, objects life, consumption,
future, nostalgia

19. Umberto Eco,
Opera aperta,
Bompiani, Milano 1962.
indeterminazione, arte
contemporanea, apertura al pubblico,
interazione, importanza del fruitore,
casualità, linguaggi, esperienza

20. Gianfranco Morelli,
L’amara vittoria
del situazionismo,
BSF Edizioni, Pisa 1996.
Internationale Lettriste:
[...] un lavoro collettivo aperto a più
gente possibile che nella ricerca
artistica trovi l’espressione atta a
cambiare le abitudini degli uomini.

21. Yona Friedman,
Utopie realizzabili,
Quodlibet, Macerata 2003.
L’ipotesi del gruppo critico come punto
di partenza per un’ecologia sociale.
L’utopia come antiutopia, la
comunicazione generalizzata come
anticomunicazione sono, forse i segni
distintivi della nostra epoca.

22. Manuel Castells (da una lezione di),
Saperi e poteri,
Informazione e cultura
nella network society,
Egea, Milano 2008.
comunicazione e potere,
mezzi di autocomunicazione di mas-
sa, mass media, rete libera,
media come spazio

25. Anna Carola Freschi,
La società dei saperi,
Reti virtuali e partecipazione sociale,
Carrocci, Roma 2002.
reti civiche e partecipazione sociale,
nuove reti e partecipazione virtuale,
nuove tecnologie disuguaglianze e
opportunità, impegno civile, nuove
forme di mobilitazione

26. Naomi Kelin,
No Logo,
Bur, Milano 2010.
comunicazione politica, campagna
Obama, ripresa dello spazio pubblico,
interferenze culturali, attivismo
antiaziendale, antimarketing

27. David B. Berman,
Do good design,
how design can change the world,
AIGA design press, 2009.
communication design, female
image in ad, brand literacy,
overconsumption, manifesto,
social responsability.

28. Jaques AttalÍ,
Breve storia del futuro,
Fazi editore, Roma 2007.
Previsioni del futuro: all’iperimpero
e all’iperconflitto seguirà
l’iperdemocrazia basata su una nuova
economia detta relazionale.
Si creerà un rapporto nuovo con la
proprietà intellettuale, che non potrà
più essere assoluta ma dovrà essere
condivisa con il complesso dell’umanità,
in quanto necessaria alla creatività di
ciascuno.

29. Pekka Himanen,
L’etica hacker e lo spirito dell’età
dell’informazione,
Feltrinelli, Milano 2001.
concezione del lavoro come
attività gratificante, gratuità
della condivisione del sapere,
collaborazione, sopravvivenza - vita
sociale - intrattenimento

30. Steven Heller, Véronique Vienne,
Citizen Designer, Persperctives on
design responsability,
Allworth press, New York 2003.
design philosophy, social aspects,
design history, responsability,
interview

33. Alastair Fuad-Luke,
Design activism, beautiful
strangeness for a sustainable world,
Earthscan, London 2009.
activism strategies, history of design,
co-design, eco-design, mapping the
discipline, innovation, product design,
design exploration

35. AAVV,
Did someone say participate?
An atlas of spacial practice,
Mit Press, Cambridge 2006.
relationship professionist/amateur,
new disciplines, new media, audience
participation, design critics,

38. 7. Timing
I wish I…
next steps.
February-March April-May June-July September >
Opening a blog on my thesis project. Historical research (continuation) Contemporary research Rielaboration of the collected
Public utility design and the First materials.
Call for paper for The 2011 Design grafic design biennal in Italy. Interview to:
History Society International Confe- People: Giovanni Lussu, Gianfranco Bethnal Green Ventures Nightschool Future step definition and starting
rence on Design activism Torri, Elena Green, Elisabetta Ognibe- project Bethnal Green Ventures is a point for the experimental phase.
(From the tazebao to youtube). ne, Albe Stainer. practical school for people who want
to use the web and mobile technology
Historical research (start) to change stuff that really matters:
Documentation and interview on the from health care and education to
lettrist and situationist work in the employment and energy creation.
‘70 in Paris. Interview to some of the
members of the collective Grapus and Thinkpublic social design agency
Robert Massin. Thinkpublic are an agency focused
on using design to improve service
experiences in the public sector.
They achieve this by working with
service providers and the general
public to gain understanding of how
their services and experiences could
be improved.

40. . The end
Thanks for your attention.