This document contains a student's responses to online discussion questions for a course on American Diversity and Design. The student discusses topics like the impacts of innovations like smartphones, how family TV shows have become more diverse, iconic photos from 9/11, and how hats have taken on meaning as symbols of political movements. The student uses concepts from course readings and videos to analyze how designs have affected different groups.

1. Online Discussion Questions
University at Buffalo – State University of New York
ARC 211 - American Diversity and Design – Spring 2017
Rachael Gold
Spring 2017

2. Welcome!
Over the course of this semester, the
biggest thing that Design and Diversity has
taught me is that designs have lasting
effects that affect more than just the group
that they were designed to help. Being an
Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics
major, I have always based my decisions
off of history. I basically look at what has
worked in the past and what hasn’t and
decide how to move forward from there.
Throughout the course I’ve looked at the
readings as “history” and judged my
responses based off of facts presented in
the readings and videos. While my
approach to solving problems hasn’t
changed, I am much more knowledgeable
about different types of design techniques
and how they affect people. I found it
particularly compelling to look at how
something good for one party might
negatively affect another party. This can be
represented by the reading that included
information on the National Museum of
African American History and Culture.
While the museum was meant to teach
about African American culture, it actually did not include many of the struggles that African Americans
faced. This negatively affected the people that did not actually see the events happen.
The following pages document my responses to the online discussion questions in the Spring 2017
version of ARC 211 American Diversity and Design at the University at Buffalo – State University of New
York.
Photo by Rachael Gold

3. Response to "What is design?" from Hello World
On “What is design?” from Hello World: Where Design Meets Life by Alice Rawsthron
The author opened her chapter with the example of Ying Zheng, the ruler of the Qin empire, one of
the most powerful and enduring empires I the history of China. She explained how design innovation
contributed to Ying Zheng’s success. For example, in the development of weaponry, he resolved many
problems by standardizing parts, and this single innovation gave his armies great advantage over
other armies.
For this discussion, let’s move away from 246 B.C. China, and into the U.S. Describe an innovation or
invention (can be current or historical) that gave advantage to a group of people in the U.S. or to the
population as a whole. What were the social impacts of this innovation? Were any groups negatively
impacted by this innovation? For example, the telegraph, developed and patented in the United
States in 1837 by Samuel Morse, permitted people and commerce to transmit messages across both
continents and oceans almost instantly, with widespread social and economic impacts. This
heightened communication speed allowed
business persons to make decisions with up-
to-date information, often resulting in big
profits. Those without access had to rely on
out-dated information, which put them at a
disadvantage.
The invention of smart phones was a huge
advantage to the United States as a whole, but
particularly to middle class Americans. Smart
phones made it easily accessible to contact
people from anywhere or access the Internet.
This is especially helpful for people who have a
job where they may need to be in contact with
different people at many different times. A
good example of this is my mother. She is an
insurance broker and having a smart phone to use for work allows her to work from home once a week,
rather than traveling 2.5 hours to work and 2.5 hours back. The downfall to smart phones is that they
are very expensive and some people cannot afford to buy them. In addition, the generation of kids that
has grown up with smart phones has become very involved with social media and texting to the point
where online bullying is common and kids are avoiding talking to people in person by just using their cell
phones and texting.
http://www.tourisme-montreal
.org/meetings/2013/12/23/tips-cell-phone/

4. Response to "Introduction" from Diversity and Design
On “Introduction” from Diversity and Design: Understanding Hidden Consequences
The editors state that “diverse participation in the design process, from both professionals and public
citizens alike, yields more equitable results.” This makes sense, but typically has not been the case.
Nonetheless, many marginalized groups have impacted design in ways that have changed our visual
and physical worlds as well as our systems, policies, and institutions. For example, in the 1960s,
disability rights advocates designed media events to raise awareness about barriers in the physical
environment. They persisted with their efforts for decades, and, finally, in 1990, the Americans with
Disabilities Act became law. It mandated accessibility in public accommodations such as restaurants
and stores, public transportation, communication, and other areas of public life. This dramatically
changed our physical environment (from curb cuts to ramps to automatic doors) and the results made
public life more equitable.
Now it’s your turn. Describe a design that was impacted
by a diversity group. How and why did it change form
and/or circumstances? (Note that a design can be
anything requiring planning and development prior to the
production of an action, system, visual, material object,
or environment. Also, keep in mind that, for our
purposes, a diversity group is a group of individuals who
are underrepresented in society in some way—children,
older adults, the economically disadvantaged, those with
cognitive disabilities, etc.)
I believe that family television shows were impacted by
diversity groups. A major television show in the 1950's was
"I Love Lucy". The show focused around a family where the
man works and the woman is the housewife, even though
she does try to comically work at her husband's job. A
more current television show about a family is called "The
Foster's". The show focuses around a family with two
mothers and five children, four of which are adopted. Both
women work in the television series and do not represent a common housewife. Over the years, women
have come closer to equality with men and the LGBT community has become more accepted. Both of
these factors have affected how family is represented in television. A "normal" family is not just a
husband, wife, and a couple of kids anymore.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043208/

5. Response to Media/Society Chapter and TED Talk on Photographs
FROM: Chapter in Media/Society and TED Talk Photos that Changed the World
Where would you place the images shown in Photos That Changed the World into Croteau and
Hoynes' diagram entitled “Model of Media and the Social World”? Identify a mass media photograph
taken in your own lifetime that has served as an icon of an event. (Feel free to add an attachment.)
What roles does this photo play in the communication of the event?
The images in Photos That Changed the World were some of the most iconic images throughout history.
These images included a photograph from the Vietnam war of a dead protester from a peaceful student
protest against the war. This was one of the images that enabled the protest against the Vietnam war to
grow. The images in the TED Talk were trying to convey a message, therefore they would fit inside the
Media Message or Product part of the diagram entitled "Model of Media and the Social World". Photos
are still a huge part of the media today. On September 11, 2001, the twin towers were attacked by
terrorists and destroyed. With the destruction of
the towers, came the destruction of thousands of
people’s lives. The photo attached to this post
shows an image of the twin towers almost
immediately after they were hit. This photo was
published and provoked great reactions from the
American public. The photo allowed the entire
country and the world to know about the event.
The photo made many American people push for
military response to the attack. In addition, the
news of the event enabled many people to
volunteer to help affected families. The publication
of images like this one allowed the American public
to respond to 9/11 as they felt appropriate. http://portfolio.newschool.edu/oliverdorian/
911-commemorationoliverdorian/

6. Response to Articles on Hats as Communication Design
FROM: “Fashioning Protest for the Women’s March on Washington” and “The Worst Design of 2016
Was Also the Most Effective”
NOTE: Use the first three part of the SEE-IT method of critical thinking (State, Elaborate, Exemplify) to
address the following questions:
Typically, we do not think of hats as elements of mass media or social media. However, the two hats
(red and pink) discussed in the articles certainly have taken on that role. Why are the two hats (red
and pink) mentioned in the articles vehicles of communication design? What meanings do each of the
two hats carry? In terms of communication design, how are they similar? And how are they different
from one another?
Recently, two hats have become a big part of social media. Hats are generally not controversial, or
focused on in social media, but this situation is different. The red and pink hats shown in the articles are
automatically associated with hate and acceptance, respectively. Therefore, those people wearing them
are also associated with those traits. The two hats have vastly different meanings associated with them
but they both provoked huge reactions from the general public. The red hat which said "Make
America Great Again" gave attention to huge Trump
rallies while the pink "pussyhat" provoked mass
protests of Trumps ways. The protests against
Trump were called "The Women's March". The pink
hats have had a very lasting effect as the protests
against Trump continue, but the red hats are
starting to lose their power. Trump's popularity is
decreasing while the popularity of the
Women's March is increasing. Although, both hats
will never lose the meanings of hate and
acceptance.
http://portfolio.newschool.edu/oliverdorian/
911-commemorationoliverdorian/

7. Response IDEA Awards and Cradle-to-Cradle Video
NOTE: Use the first three part of the SEE-IT method of critical thinking (State, Elaborate, Exemplify) to
address the following questions:
Which of the 2016 IDEA Gold Award products seems to defy the Cradle-to-Cradle concept developed
by architect William McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart? How does this product resist or
disregard the concept? Provide an example of any products that embrace Cradle-to-Cradle design,
please describe and cite your source(s).
The Cradle-to-Cradle concept expresses the need for industries to provide products which are
environmentally friendly and address the diversity of the Earth's population. Products that fit the
concept should be able to serve a purpose to the majority of the human population. The Rolls Royce
Dawn defies this concept in that it is not
environmentally friendly and it is not accessible
to the general public. Only very rich individuals
can afford the $335,000 car and it is not
optimized for human comfort; It is only
optimized for a luxurious design. On the other
hand, there are plenty of other products that
do embrace the Cradle-to Cradle concept.
1
2016 IDEA Gold winner, TetraPot, provides
defense against soil erosion from waves
crashing against the land surrounding plants
that line the oceans. The concrete design
allows the roots of plants to intertwine and
create a natural ecosystem that is much
stronger than the previous one. This helps the
environment and the human population as a
whole because of the oxygen that these plants will create and the CO2 that they will absorb.
1
"TetraPOT." Industrial Designers Society of America - IDSA. November 25, 2016. Accessed May 03, 2017.
http://www.idsa.org/awards/idea/environments/tetrapot.
http://www.idsa.org/awards/idea/environme
nts/tetrapot

8. Response to “Industrial Design” by John Heskett and "The Incredible Inventions of Intuitive AI" by
Maurice Conti
In his chapter on industrial design (written in 1987), historian John Heskett claims that the methods of
mass production introduced by Henry Ford in the U.S. involved new concepts of the standardization
and integration of the production line that were adopted across the world. With Ford’s method, work
could be completed by relatively unskilled workers; it was more efficient and with this method,
products were made more quickly and cheaply than previously possible. What were some of the
social consequences of Ford’s production line? In other words, how did this system change our U.S.
society? Do any of those changes remain with us today? Now consider Maurice Conti’s TED Talk, and
the predictions he makes about production. How do you think manufacturing processes will change in
the next twenty years? How do you think these changes will affect our U.S. society?
Ford's production line created a highly efficient work environment that allowed many people to get jobs
and created previously expensive products in a much cheaper way. The production line created some
major problems though. The factories caused a large amount of air pollution and waste. In addition, the
workers performed the same tasks for hours each day and became about as mindless as the robots
themselves. The repetition of these tasks caused the workers to become tired, make mistakes, and
acquire serious injuries while on the job. In addition, in the time that the production line was created,
there was no real workers compensation so people would have no way of making money after they
were injured. The main social issue was that someone creating a car on a production line could
know nothing about cars and be able to complete their task without an issue. This created a hoard of
unskilled workers that had no motivation to become skilled at any field because they could get a job
without that skill. Alternatively, the assembly line did allow women and children to work on it, so it
created duel-income housing. In today's world,
most households are duel-income
households which is almost essential to the ever-
growing cost of living. The production line was the
beginning of the normalization of duel-income
houses. Additionally, the production line created a
dependence on technology in the workplace that
has only increased in today's world. Companies like
Amazon even have robots to transport goods
around the factories to wherever they need to be.
Maurice Conti's Ted Talk addressed the growing capabilities of technology. He talked about the
importance of collaboration between humans and technology. Technology does not have the ability to
make their own decisions but robots can perform tasks with unwavering precision. Humans can make
decisions for robots and have them complete tasks that would otherwise be close to impossible or
impossible for humans to do themselves. Bishop, a robot in Conti's research lab, is used to create holes
in walls for light switches or other appliances of the sort. Bishop cannot think on its own and has to be
told what to do by a human but can complete tasks with more precision than any human could. In the
next twenty years, I think that the human robot relationship will become more intact. I think that
http://www.caranddriver.com/tesla

9. industries and average citizens will use technology to preform everyday tasks. As I specified above,
Amazon is already beginning to do that. In addition, the new car, the Tesla, has the capabilities to drive
itself when a human tells it to. I think that cars like this will become more normal in the next twenty
years and make driving easier, especially for people with disabilities. I think that the closer humans get
with technology, the more advancements that the world can make.

10. Response to Ballantyne and Zumthor Articles
Andrew Ballantyne and Peter Zumthor present ideas about architecture that seem to value the
sensorial and material elements of life. How are Ballantyne’s and Zumthor’s viewpoints on
architecture alike? More importantly, how do they differ? (Use the SEE-IT method to respond to this
question.)
Ballantyne and Zumthor both have very sensible views on architecture but also praise the beauty of a
piece of architecture. A main similarity is that both believe in the structural usefulness of a piece of
architecture, but that it still must have an artistic quality. In the topic of contemporary art,
Zumthor mentions that it should be similar to contemporary music. Contemporary music contains
"disharmony and fragmentation" and Zumther believes that those qualities should be carried over into
the world of architecture as well. Zumthor mentions that architecture has a limit though. A new piece of
architecture might create interest from its unique appeal, but once people get used to that appeal, they
wonder what the usefulness of the building is. This compliments Ballantynes's point that architecture is
a "tool" to human life. Without usefulness
there is not much of a point to architecture.
One difference that distinguishes
Ballantyne and Zumther is that
Zumther emphasizes the need for
architecture to appeal to people's emotions
while Ballantyne mostly emphasizes that
architecture's main function is usefulness.
Rather than just a tool, Zumther recognizes
that architecture is a tool and a poetic expressions of the architect's feelings. Overall, architecture's
main goal is to provide a function to the recipient but the difference between Ballantyne and Zumther is
how important art and feeling is in architecture.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/13/travel/bea
utiful-bank-buildings/

11. Response to All Module 4 Materials
Your readings and viewings this week present different ways of thinking about architecture. Mies Van
der Rohe describes architecture as “The will of the epoch translated into space.” Andrew Ballantyne
describes architecture as the background for life. Jeanne Gang describes it as the act of building
relationships. All agree that architecture can change based on context and culture. Choose two works
of architecture from any of your materials this week—one with sensibilities about the past and one
with sensibilities about the present and/or future. How do each of these buildings either reflect or
challenge their cultural contexts? (Use the SEE-IT method to respond to this question.)
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello is a significant piece of architecture that shows the push for diversity
within architecture, even in a time as early as the 1700's. Jefferson home, Monticello was designed
based on Jefferson's insight into French culture and architecture. Jefferson served as an American
minister in France and used the information he acquired there to diversify American infrastructure.
Before Jefferson, most infrastructure was based off of British design. Jefferson wanted to show more
independence within America so he designed his personal home, Monticello, and the Virginia State
Capitol Building based off of French design
rather than British design. Jefferson's
architecture was one of the first steps to
diversity in American design.
A building that shows insight into the future
would be the Aqua building designed by
Jeanne Gang. The 700 unit building does not
only break up wind to allow more comfort for
residents, but it also allows for more
interpersonal connections between residents.
With the growing dependence on technology
in today's world, many communications between people are made through text or phone rather than
talking in person. This inhibits people's social abilities in relationships and in the work environment.
With the balconies being designed so that people have to pass one another, it creates a sense of
community. This has led to more friendships and romantic relationships within the building itself. I
believe more buildings like this will lead to healthier social environment within the world.
https://www.virginia.org/listings/historicsites
/monticellohomeofthomasjefferson/

12. Response to Pruitt Igoe Project, Talen, and Larson
Here is your discussion question on the Pruitt Igoe project, the Talen article, and the Larson
lecture. article. Please post your own response, and respond to at least two other students'
responses.
Imagine that you are part of a urban planning and design firm working with Emily Talen (author of
“Design That Enables Diversity”) and Kent Larson (who gave the TED Talk "Brilliant Designs to Fit More
People In Every City" The thee of you have been tasked with developing a plan to rebuild Pruitt Igoe in
St. Louis. City officials told the three of you that that they want to do it right this time. Identify three
strategies for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe in ways that promise to be more successful. What would Talen do?
What would Larson do? What would you do? How would your strategies differ from those of the
original urban planners/designers of the project? Why would your strategies be more effective?
Pruitt Igoe was a housing project in St. Louis created in 1954. It was meant to give the disadvantaged a
chance to live in decent housing rather than slums. The problem was that the project was terribly
maintained and it ended up becoming just as horrible looking and dangerous as the slums were. The
project had been completely demolished by 1976 and no one tried to rebuild it or make something very
similar to Pruitt Igoe.
Emily Talen has a strong belief that integrating diversity into communities will lessen tension between
races and classes and create a more successful society. If she were to redesign Pruitt Igoe, I believe that
she would make it an integrated community rather than a segregated one. She would create many
different buildings to make it comfortable for
all classes. This means smaller, more
affordable apartments for the disadvantaged
and larger apartments or houses for the
middle class. This would cause the different
classes to live in one community and
interconnect with each other. This differs
from the original Pruitt Igoe which was
extremely segregated. In the 1950's most middle class white families lived in the suburbs while most
poor black families lived in cities in places like Pruitt Igoe. Job opportunities were usually not near poor
areas. This meant that poor people were not able to bring themselves out of poverty. With integrated
communities, this would most likely be less of an issue since businesses follow people willing to spend.
Kent Larson focuses most on taking care of overcrowding in cities. Larson had the idea of making
apartments with movable walls. This technique optimizes space since the apartment can be set up
differently for every family's needs. This would be useful in a new design of Pruitt Igoe because it would
allow more people to fit in smaller spaces or allow families o have more rooms to create more privacy. I
feel this would benefit Pruitt Igoe because it would allow individuals to base their housing off of their
needs. I also feel that Larson would try to make businesses and schools more accessible to Pruitt Igoe to
create less waste from cars and allow people to get out of poverty.
http://www.pruitt-igoe.com/urban-history/

13. In my opinion, Pruitt Igoe should be designed with diversity as Talen would do it. I feel that this
approach would draw businesses closer to Pruitt Igoe and improve the maintenance situation since
there would be enough upper class people to help pay for it. This would give the poor a chance to move
out of poverty and and prevent Pruitt Igoe from becoming a slum again.

14. Response to Levy Article
Here is your discussion question on the Levy article. Please post your own response, and respond to at
least two other students' responses.
John Levy’s article, “An Overview: The Need for Planning,” discussed ways in which planning can
determine the characteristics of a place. For example, some smaller towns restrict the heights of
buildings to maintain a certain scale. How did planning define the character of the place in which you
grew up?
I grew up in a suburb called Lagrange, New York. I did not consider Lagrange the only part I grew up in
though. You could usually get from one surrounding town to another within about 20 minutes. I went to
school in Lagrange, visited friends in Poughquag, worked in Hyde Park, and went to the mall in
Poughkeepsie. All of these places were relatively close to my house. I felt connected to all these
towns and cities in some way because of the way that they were planned. My high school, in particular,
was part of this. Arlington High School included parts of Pleasant Valley, Poughkeepsie, Lagrange, and
Poughquag. It is a 3,500 student high school that is very well run and funded. This allowed students and
families from all four of the towns mentioned to connect with each other. In addition, an old railway
that ran through many of the towns mentioned and
more was built into a rail trail a few years back and this
allowed many residents to get from one town to
another by bike or foot without having to go on roads
that were already populated with cars. Also, the
Taghkanic State Parkway allowed cars to get all over
the Hudson Valley region in a relatively short time.
Overall, growing up in Lagrange gave me a great
connection to most of the Hudson Valley region. I feel
that others in the Hudson Valley region probably feel
that same sense of connection.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington_High
_School_(New_York)

15. Response to F.L. Olmsted
Displaying his plan at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Frederick Law Olmsted stated
that "Buffalo is the best planned city, as to its streets, public places, and grounds, in the United States,
if not in the world." What was the basis for this claim? Would Olmsted still make that claim today?
Why or why not?
Fredrick Law Olmsted was one of the biggest players in creating the urban park system and preserving
the natural environment. In the 1860's Buffalo was growing rapidly and had become an extremely
wealthy city. Buffalo native and US attorney, William Dorscheimer heard of Olmsted's incredible work in
creating New York City's Central Park. Dorsheimer wanted Buffalo to have their very own Central Park
and he wanted Olmsted to design it. Olmsted agreed, but he built something very unique rather than
replicating Central Park's design. Buffalo was designed with Niagara Square in the center of the city and
three main roads that connected most of the rest of Buffalo. Olmsted was inspired by this and decided
to base his design off of Buffalo's original radial design. Olmsted created three park systems that ran off
of parkways all through Buffalo. The way
that these parks were built, made it
possible to travel through most of
Buffalo and never leave the park system.
This created a community in Buffalo and
allowed more "greenspace" to be
connected.
Olmsted understood one important fact. Olmsted understood that parks and cities were always
changing since design changes over time. That being said, I do not think that Olmsted would still say
"Buffalo is the best planned city, as to its streets, public places, and grounds, in the United States, if not
in the world.". Olmsted made this claim in the first place because Buffalo had connected parkways and
parks and had connected itself with the natural environment. By the 1960's, a lot of the original parks
had been destroyed to create highways and infrastructure. This infrastructure disrupted the
"greenspace" that Olmsted had created. In 2012, the traffic circle at Niagara Square was renovated
based off of Olmsted's original designs but a lot of the park system is still destroyed. Overall, Buffalo
could get back to where Olmsted had called it the best designed city in the world, but it would take a lot
of renovations to do that.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/13440437009
9188787/

16. Response to Walter Hood's Work
Identify something that should be memorialized either on UB's campus or in your hometown. Imagine
that you are the person who will oversee this project, and that you are using Walter Hood's 'triad of
investigations' as your approach to the project. What would your landscape intervention
commemorate/memorialize? How will you use Hood's 'triad of investigations' to design a new
landscape intervention? What do you imagine that the design will be? (Either written or visual
descriptions are acceptable).
I come from a very historic city, Poughkeepsie, NY. New York even ratified the Constitution in a
courthouse in Poughkeepsie o Market Street. That court house still exists and is memorialized. In
addition, FDR had his estate in the neighboring town, Hyde Park. Also, a historical society near my high
school has been created out of an old school house from the 1800's. The city of Poughkeepsie has not
been in good shape in the past few decades though. A main attraction for underprivileged kids has been
the Poughkeepsie Skate Park. In recent years, it has become unsafe and fairly unmaintained. It resides
near the Children's museum in Poughkeepsie but many parents are afraid to let their kids go near that
skate park. I believe that the skate park should be renovated in order to make it safer for kids in the
community. I also think that the city should
higher security guards to watch the park at
certain times of the day in order to keep kids
safe. Renovating the skate park would allow kids
to connect with themselves and the community
more but I think it should also allow kids to
connect with the city's history more as
well. Being that the skate park is a short walk
away from the children's museum, I believe it
should basically become an extension of the
museum. The skate park should have small plaques all around commemorating Poughkeepsie's
history. The plaques cold commemorate the ratification of the constitution, FDR, etc. This would allow
kids to learn and play at the same time while still feeling safe. This design relates to Hood's "triad of
investigations" in that it is commemorating something that represents the community as a whole. In
addition, the skate park will most likely be used every day and become an integral part of the
community. Lastly, many of the residents in the city of Poughkeepsie need cheap forms of
entertainment. The skate park would allow them to have that.
https://mapofplay.kaboom.org/playspaces/36
1-poughkeepsie-skatepark

17. Response to Charles Davis and equityXdesign's Work
Critique either the MLK Memorial or the National Museum of African American History and Culture
using equityXdesign’s core beliefs and/or design principles. (Use the beliefs or principles that are most
relevant to your critique rather than all of them.) (NOTE: Limit your response to less than 250 words.)
The National Museum of African History and Culture is meant to commemorate African American
culture through clothing, paintings, design, etc. The issue with the design is that it makes light of the
struggle that African Americans have encountered in the past and in the present. The museum
represents African Americans as equal to all other races. This was not the case in the past and it still is
not the case today. African Americans still
experience lower pay than white Americans and are
the recipients of blatant racism from many citizens
and companies. The museum also claims to work
towards educating the American public on African
American culture but it cannot successfully do that
without properly commemorating struggles as well
as accomplishment. The museum cannot improve
the future without properly teaching the history.
http://www.essence.com/culture/national-
museum-african-american-history-and-culture

18. Response to the Brookes
The abolitionist poster, the Brookes, is an iconic image that often is included in exhibits that explore
issues of race and power. It was commissioned by Thomas Clarkson in 1788, and the Committee of the
Abolition of Slavery used it to inform and shock the public. While some consider the poster as an
important component of the abolitionist campaign, it recently “has been strongly criticized by some
individuals and groups of African heritage as providing a very limited view of the history of the
transatlantic slave trade, resistance and abolition (Hudson 2007).” The lesson here is that how a
viewer sees an image is dependent upon his/her social, economic, and cultural position. Keeping this
in mind, find another iconic graphic that addresses racial issues and post it for others in your group to
view. (Add it to your response by clicking on the picture in the tools section. Do not add it as an
attachment that needs to be opened.) How do you interpret the graphic? What is its meaning? Now
imagine that someone from a racial and cultural background different than your own is looking at the
same graphic. Briefly describe this person. How might s/he interpret its meaning? How might this
differ from your interpretation? What are the possible reasons for these differences? (Consider the
three assessment principles mentioned in the article to help you: a technology of vision, an
instrument of empathy, and a symbol of control.) (NOTE: Limit your response to less than 250 words.)
The graphic above shows the incorporation of ethnic dolls into the American Girl Doll series. American
Girl doll has always had a message that little girls that buy the dolls should be able to identify with the
dolls. Originally, all the dolls were
white. This would make it harder for
people of any other race to identify
with the dolls. I believe that the
addition of ethnic dolls allows more
girls to identify with the dolls and
have the same relationship with them
that only white children did before.
My issue is that even if the dolls
represent different races, they still do
not represent anyone below the
middle class. The dolls can be over $100 and are not affordable to someone of lower class. 2
The poverty
rate for African Americans is about 26% and about 26% for Hispanics as well in the US. The poverty rate
for whites in only about 9%. Therefore, American Girl Dolls still do not represent a lot of the ethnic
population because a lot of people that are not white cannot afford them.
2
"Poverty | State Of Working America". Stateofworkingamerica.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 3 May 2017.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/FeliciaFitzpatrick/
the-definitive-ranking-of-the-american-girls-
dolls-jbnr

19. Response to "Landscape Stories" Chapter
This is a two-part question. Please post your own response by Friday, March 31at 10:00 am, and
respond to at least two other students’ responses by Sunday, April 2 at 10:00 pm.
First, let’s start with your own home. Describe a place in your home (indoors and/or outdoors) that
you think of as representative of your own ethnic background and discuss why you consider this place
to be ‘ethnic’. –OR-- Describe an object in your home that you think of as representative of your
ethnic background and discuss why this object is considered to be ‘ethnic’. (If possible, add photo/s.)
Is this object or place something that you will keep or continue when you establish your own home?
Why or why not?
Now let’s move into your community. In “Landscape Stories,” the authors show how landscape
architects develop a historical narrative that sifts through and interpets the culture and material of
underrepresented groups. Think about the community where you grew up. Describe and discuss any
evidence of cultural influences on the physical environment in your community. If possible, describe
evidence of the cultural influence of an underrepresented group. (If possible, add photo/s.) Is this
cultural influence being acknowledged or preserved from future generations? Why or why not? (Limit
your response to 250 words.)
Judaism is technically not an ethnicity but my family and myself believe it to be one. In my town, many
people are Christian and do not know much about Jewish culture. I believe that Judaism needs to be
treated as an ethnicity in order to teach people about that culture. Something in my house that I would
consider representative of my Jewish heritage is
challah bread. My mom frequently buys or
makes this bread and it is something my family
and I always look forward to. Challah is a
traditional Jewish bread usually eaten during
holidays. I will definitely have challah bread in
my own house when I'm older because it tastes
great and it represents something that my family
loves.
The town that I specifically live in is mostly
white, middle class, and Christian but the town next to mine is very mixed between Hispanic, white, and
African American. I would say that the Hispanic population has had the most influence on my towns'
culture. There are many restaurants that cater to traditional Mexican cuisine and most of the stores and
attractions have signs in Spanish or have employees that speak Spanish. In addition, the most popular
language to learn at my high school is Spanish. Since many children and teens are learning Spanish, I
believe that the culture is being preserved. The more of the language that these kids learn, the more of
the culture they can also learn.
http://honeyvillefarms.blogspot.com/2013/06
/teacher-tuesday-braided-challah-
bread.html#.WQotJoWcFPY

20. Response to Article on Sports Branding
This thread will focus on the ethnic characteristics of sports branding. Please post your own response
by Friday, March 31at 10:00 am, and respond to at least two other students’ responses by Sunday,
April 2 at 10:00 pm.
Recent controversies about sports branding focus on ethnicity. The Washington Redskins team is just
one example of the larger controversy, but it receives the most public attention due to the name itself
being defined as derogatory or insulting in modern dictionaries, and the prominence of the team
representing the nation’s capital. Should sports team branding designers use ethnic references
(Fighting Irish, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Braves, etc.)? Why? Why not? What are some of the
complexities of this issue? (Limit your response to 150 words.)
The issue of sports branding is very complex in that everyone interprets the meaning of a team name
differently. In terms of the Redskins, the team and the owner of the team found the name to be
harmless while many others found it extremely derogatory. Sports branding can be positive though. The
name of a sport team could always represent something from that town or state's community that many
people identify with. In opposition to that, something that much of the town positively identifies with
could offend others. In addition, as times change people’s acceptance of issues also change. This was the
main problem with the Redskins. While
the name and actions of the team were
not considered offensive by most of the
community when it was first created,
most of the community found it offensive
later once they knew more about how it
affected native Americans. Therefore,
sports branding should not be used in
order to avoid present or future
controversy.http://cartoonsmix.com/cartoons/native-
american-sports-teams-cartoons.html

21. Response to Bathroom Bill
Please post your own response by Friday, April 7 at 10:00 am, and respond to at least one other
student’s response by Sunday, April 9 at 10:00 pm.
Last year, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed into law a bill that repealed local LGBT anti-
discrimination laws, and required people to use the bathroom that corresponded with the biological
gender written on their birth certificates. This prompted massive backlash. McCrory stated, “You
know, we all have to make adjustments in life. And we’ve had the proper etiquette situation for
decades in our country, and all of a sudden through political correctness we’re throwing away basic
etiquette.” Just this past Thursday, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill to repeal the
law while placing a moratorium on nondiscrimination measures.
Should people be required to use the bathroom that corresponds with the biological gender written
on their birth certificate? State why AND state why not. In other words, to receive full credit for this
question, you need to present an argument for both sides of the issue. As a designer, how would you
solve this gender dilemma? Use the SEE-IT method to respond to this question. (Limit your response
to less than 250 words.)
(Other students in your group can comment on which of your two arguments is the most convincing
and why.)
I believe that people should be able to use the
bathroom that they identify with because if they
cannot, they will never truly feel accepted in the
gender that they identify with. In addition, trans
and non-binary people are entitled to the same
rights as everyone else. If someone is recognized
in every other aspect of their life as the gender
they identify with then they should be able to use
the corresponding bathroom just like anyone else in that gender. I do understand the concerns though.
There is a risk that if people are allowed to use the bathroom of their choice then someone with bad
intent could use the bathroom of the opposite gender just to hurt the people in there. In addition, there
are people who do not believe that it is possible to become a gender that you are not born with and
therefore are not accepting of trans/non-binary people. I believe that the concern of non-acceptance
can be mitigated by the fact that only 0.3 percent of the US is transgender. Therefore, there is a very
small chance of ever using the bathroom with a transgender person in the room. Also, there has been
no evidence to show that people would pretend to be other genders just to hurt people. In my opinion,
if someone was going to go in to the bathroom and do something illegal then they would go in to the
bathroom of their choice anyway whether it is legal for them to be there or not. I think that it should be
a universal law that everyone should use the bathroom that they identify with. I also think that non-
binary bathrooms should be an option for people that don't feel comfortable using either bathroom.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/49532565899
3352374/

22. Response to "Visualizing Gender" Chapter
Please post your own response by Friday, April 7 at 10:00 am, and respond to at least one other
student’s response by Sunday, April 9 at 10:00 pm.
In their chapter “Communicating Gender,” Maya Ganesh and Gabi Sobliye discuss two primary visual
advocacy approaches: 1) get the idea, and 2) stories in data. Find a new example of either of the two
visual advocacy approaches to gender issues, and post it in this thread. Cite the source.
First, identify the approach. Then explain how the designer uses the approach to communicate a
gender issue. Is the approach effective in this example? Why or why not? How could this graphic be
improved? (Limit your response to 200 words.)
My example for get the idea shows the gender
pay inequality. The photo shows a male and
female breaking a dollar and the male getting the
bigger half. Both the male and female are
dressed in very similar clothes, showing that they
probably work the same job. The photo clearly
brings attention to the fact that men are getting
higher pay for the same amount of work. I think
this is effective because it communicates the issue
clearly and encourages people to find out more
about the gender pay inequality. While this design is very effective, I think it could be improved by
making it a bit clearer that the women and man are doing the same type of work and there is still a pay
gap. Maybe a way to fix this would be to add job titles above the woman and man's head.
http://interactives.dallasnews.com/2016/pay-gap/

23. Response to Hidden Ways
Author Steven Flusty categorized five types of disciplinary architecture that perpetuate what he calls
urban spatial injustice: 1) stealthy, 2) slippery, 3) crusty, 4) prickly, and 5) jittery. Go out into the city
of Buffalo, and find/photograph two examples from the list of five. Identify what type of space you’ve
photographed and why it might discriminate against a specific population. Identify the location where
you took the photographs, and make certain that you are in at least one of the two photographs.
My first example is one of the entrances to Minnesota Linear Park in Buffalo. The park entrance that I
entered from was not marked and was surrounded by more expensive houses than the rest of University
Heights. The only entrance sign to the park was actually located inside
the trail leading to the park as pictured below. This is an example of
stealthy space because the park is extremely hard to find without using
a map and there is no clear entrance sign visible from the road. This
discriminates against people without technology to help them find the
park and against the poor for not making it visible from their houses.
The second image depicts the only seating within the park system. The
only place within the park to sit is rocks. This is an
example of prickly space because it does not allow
comfort to people that want to sit for any extended
period of time.This discriminates against the
disabled, the older population, children, and the
homeless. All these populations would have the
need to sit for long periods of time while within the
park and the lack of comfortable seating does not
allow this. This only allows more physically fit or
well-off individuals to enjoy the park.
Photos by Diana Franzone and Rachael Gold

24. Response to People Like Us
After almost two decades of public assistance, Tammy Crabtree took herself and her family off the
welfare rolls. But her job cleaning bathrooms at a local Burger King barely paid the bills. Crabtree
wanted to do better and hopes to go to college and become a teacher.
Imagine this scenario. You are a designer who works at the well-known firm, iPD (Integrated Planning
and Design). You work on a team with planners, urban designers, policy designers, architects, and
social designers. You have been tasked to develop/design a way for Tammy Crabtree and her family
(and others with situations similar to Tammy’s) to move themselves out of poverty. What will your
team do to help Tammy and her family achieve their goals? What approach will your team take to
address this difficult problem?
One of the biggest problems that I saw in Tammy's life was that she had to walk for multiple miles to get
to work. This takes time that she could be either working more hours or staying home and bonding with
her children. This also might allow her to attend college online since she would have more time. Online
college is generally cheaper than an on-campus community college or four-year university. If she were
able to work and attend school she would be able to get a much higher paying job after graduation,
most likely. To fix this problem, my
team would design a transportation
system that brings people from
Tammy's area into the city where the
jobs are. This transportation system
could be implemented as a city bus
system that goes all around the town
and reaches the outskirts, like
Tammy's area, as well. This would
allow her to have the time she needs
to advance her life.
http://education.wm.edu/centers/hope/reso
urces/highered/index.php

25. Response to Carroll Article: “(Re)forming Regent Park: When Policy Does Not Equal Practice” The
development of Regent Park is phased, and there are several more phases to the project. What
actions could be taken to ensure more social integration for the older people living in the ‘new and
improved’ Regent Park?
Originally Regent Park segregated its apartment buildings by age. They would have only-senior buildings
or put seniors on the top floor of the building. This separated many older citizens of the community
from their friends and family and made it extremely hard for them to get around. Additionally, laundry
facilities were placed on the bottom floor of senior buildings. This becomes an issue for seniors that
have trouble climbing stairs. To redesign Regent Park, I would first implement a laundry service into all
senior buildings. All seniors that cannot get down to the laundry room would be allowed to have
someone do it for them. Maybe this could be younger people in the community that want to make some
extra money. This would also allow for the seniors to interact with younger people in the community. I
also think that a bus stop should be placed near much closer to the senior apartments so it encourages
them to leave their apartments more often. Maybe implementing shops into the complex would help as
well for people with limited mobility. This
way older people could buy groceries,
clothes, and necessities without having
to strain their bodies. In addition, the
shops could be for the whole community
which would allow younger and older
people to socialize. Lastly, fitness is
extremely important for older individuals
and a fitness center should be placed
very close to the senior apartments to
encourage them to exercise.
http://globalnews.ca/news/243057/backgrou
nd-torontos-regent-park/

26. Response to Enriquez TED Talk: “What Will Humans Look Like in 100 Years?”
For this question, we will focus on Juan Enriquez’ Life Two civilization, which alters fundamental
aspects of the body. We are living longer than ever before in human history. Enriquez argues that,
because of advances in bio-medical technology, the possibility of living to 120 years of age and
beyond is quite possible for many of us in this D+D class. Assuming that his assertion is accurate, how
do you think extended life spans will change our societies and built environments? What new issues
might designers face because of extended life spans?
Juan Enriquez talks about the necessity of human evolution. He relates this to our need to explore other
solar systems and other planets. He says that if we want to venture outside of the Earth's atmosphere
the body will have to be modified. This might actually cause a human to be unable to live on Earth and
they might have to live on this different planet. In the near future though body modifications will only
extend life spans, just as the pacemaker has. Overall, extended lifespans increase the population and
especially increase the population of seniors. With older bodies usually comes physical disabilities. To
account for this, designers will probably have to make all buildings and walkways more handicap
accessible. It will be essential to have a
ramp or elevator accompany every
staircase. In addition, a growing
population would create a need for more
housing. Designers will most likely have
to design more apartment buildings
rather than houses to preserve space for
the natural environment. The country will
most likely develop more cities rather
than suburbs or rural living environments
since cities are more compact and
preserve space for nature outside of them. Also, designers
will have to designers will have to accommodate for an
increased need for transportation. This could either mean designing more roadways or creating a better
public transportation system. A good solution might be creating an elaborate underground system that
runs like subways but can run all over the country. This underground system might allow space for more
housing above ground.
https://www.reference.com/science/fastest-
moving-planet-solar-system-
57c8748833befeb4

27. Response to PPT, Smithsonian, and Roy
The two most frequently mentioned models of disability are the ‘social’ and the ‘medical’ models. The
medical model of disability views disability as a medical ‘problem’ that belongs to the disabled
individual. The social model of disability, in contrast, draws on the idea that it is society that disables
people, through designing everything to meet the needs of the majority of people who are not
disabled. There is a recognition within the social model that there is a great deal that society can do to
reduce, and ultimately remove, some of these disabling barriers, and that this task is the
responsibility of society, rather than the disabled person.
In the Smithsonian online exhibition, the story about the superhero hand, and Elise Roy’s TED Talk,
you saw examples of ways to engage disability that use the social model rather than the medical
model. In the Disability and Design PowerPoint, you were introduced to the concept of Universal
Design (UD) (sometimes called inclusive design, design-for-all, or human-centered design). Certainly,
UD embraces the social model of disability. In this same PowerPoint, you saw positive and negative
examples of each of the seven principles of universal design.
For the Module 12 Thread 1, please select one of the
seven universal design principles, and post
photographs that show both a positive and a negative
example of the principle. Then address the following
question: How do your examples empower or
disempower various people? Describe the specific
features of the positive example and the specific
features of the negative example. Discuss ways that
the positive example could be even further improved.
The pictures I chose represent "Equitable Use". The first
photo shows a handicap button mounted on a wall. This is a
bad example of equitable use because it limits who can use it.
Someone in a wheelchair with limited movement might not be
able to move forward enough to press the button. This would
mean that a disabled person would need to rely on other people
to just get through a door. The picture on the shows a stand
with a handicap button mounted on it. Since this is not mounted
on a wall someone in a wheelchair might have less trouble
positioning themselves to reach the button. This allows people
with disabilities and without disabilities to use the button with
similar ease. One thing I would change about the positive
example is expand on handicap doors and allow people to
open a handicap door with an app. This would allow
people to have both options and open up use to even more individuals.
http://larco.com/
http://www.careprodx.com/categories/door-
openers/bollards/

28. Response to Survey, FIXED, and Stelarc
Our 2017 Design-A-Baby survey yielded the following characteristics as indicated by a majority of you:
Sex: Male (47%)
Hair Color: Dark Brown (22%)
Hair Texture: Wavy (33%)
Eye Color: Blue (26%)
Race: Caucasian (36%)
Height: 5’-10” to 6’-1” (45%)
IQ: 131-140 (20%)
Memory: Excellent (43%)
Athletic Ability: Excellent (43%)
Weight: Average (79%)
Disease Carrier: None (85%)
Beauty: Somewhat attractive (46%)
Empathy: Very empathetic (38%)
Creativity: Very creative (37%)
Sounds like an all-around lovely person!
Currently, we have the technology for you to
choose many of the survey characteristics in
your future child, and this ability to choose
poses some ethical questions. Of course, we all
want the best for our own child. However, as
we move into a more collective situation, we
need to consider how the consequences of
majority choices for children might change who
we are as a species.
In the film trailer FIXED, you were introduced to
the dilemma of living in a culture in which the
“science-fiction of human enhancement” has become
almost a way of life, from prenatal genetic screening
to bionic body parts. In the video, “A Man with Three Ears” you are introduced to an artist who is
using current technology to move humans beyond their current abilities. Last week, Juan Enriquez
https://royalsociety.org/topics-
policy/projects/human-enhancement/

29. asked us if it is ethical to evolve the human body. All of these videos suggest that the concept of
disability ‘as we know it’ could cease to exist in the future.
This leads us to this week’s discussion question:
What lessons do you think we should learn from history when thinking about emerging enhancement
technologies and reproductive technologies? What are some of the possible consequences (both
positive and negative) of being able to design our bodies and the bodies of our children? What ethical
quandaries do these technologies pose?
Over the past few decades, scientific improvements have extended the length of human life and quality
of life. This trend is set to continue as medicine and technology improves. Due to longer lives, the Earth
is very quickly becoming overcrowded. While it is important to address overcrowding, technology
and medicine are not going to stagnate to decrease life expectancy. From overcrowding and
guns, cars, etc. I think that we should learn that technology can be useful but also harmful at the same
time. Gins are an example of this. Guns can be extremely useful for protection but other people use
guns purely to hurt others. This is the same caution we must use with enhancement technology. Even
though it may be possible to create a perfect child, that also creates limitations. If everyone is apt to
becoming a doctor or an engineer, who will be a janitor or a mechanic? This would also create high
competition for jobs and people might have to work in jobs that they are overqualified for. I think the
ethical quandary is that many people think it is morally wrong based on religion to create an unnatural
child. This would leave some people feeling isolated. In addition, people would constantly be modifying
their bodies in order to get higher and higher up in society.

30. Thread 1: Response to Titicut Follies
The state of Massachusetts tried to ban the 1967 documentary Titicut Follies, arguing that director
Frederick Wiseman had violated the patients’ rights by not getting written permission to film them.
The case went to court, and Wiseman argued that he had consent from their legal guardian, the
institution. After a judge ruled in favor of the state, the legal appeals carried on for several years: in
1969, Massachusetts allowed the film to be shown to doctors, lawyers, and health care professionals;
in 1991, a superior court judge ruled it could be released for the “general public,” as privacy concerns
were no longer at issue, so many years later.
Should Wiseman have been allowed to film the residents of Bridgewater Massachusetts Correctional
Facility? Why or why not? How might this film be of value to designers (communication designers,
product, designers, architects, interior designers, planners, landscape designers, systems designers,
and/or social designers)? In other words, what might they gain from this film that they could use in
their work?
Based on constitutional right, I don't believe that the film should have been made without the patient's
consent. This brings up the issue though that some of the patients are unable of providing consent.
While I do believe this breaks the patient's rights I think it is important for the public to experience how
people are treated in mental institutions. The film was not released to the public until 1991 yet I think it
would have been most helpful in the time that it was filmed. The public has great power to change an
institution. If the public was against the treatment of the patients in the mental institutions, they could
petition congress to make changes in the
treatment of the patients. Many patients were
subject to abuse, unclean conditions, and bare
rooms made of concrete. The institution
resembled more of a jail than anything else. In
addition, if this film were seen by designers,
such as architects they could work to improve
conditions by designing rooms and facilities that
addressed the needs of patients. This includes
non-concrete rooms and rooms that contain
windows and homely furnishing. Designers
could also fight back against institutions that
ask for rooms to be designed with bad conditions
since they would know how the design actually
affected the patients.
https://nypdecider.files.wordpress.co
m/2014/10/titicut-follies.png

31. Thread 2: Response to PPT, The Architecture of Autism, Public Space
Prelude: Wolf Wolfensberger's seminal work "The Origin and Nature of Our Institutional Models"
posited that society characterizes people with intellectual disabilities as sub-human and burdens of
charity, He argued that this dehumanization, and the segregated institutions that result from it,
ignored the potential productive contributions that all people can make to society. He pushed for a
shift in policy and practice that recognized the human needs of those with intellectual challenges and
provided the same basic human rights as for the rest of the population.
The Scenario: Imagine that you and your four children live in Amherst, New York in a $650,000 home
at the end of a cul-de-sac on the edge of a ten acre woods. The town has purchased a one acre lot
three houses away from yours, and plans to build a group home for ten intellectually challenged
adults.
As a resident of the neighborhood, would you support or oppose this proposal and why?
You've learned additional information about the residents of the proposed group home in your
neighborhood. In 2013, three of the ten intended residents exhibited challenging behaviors including
screaming, public masturbation, repetitive rocking, and echolalia (elective incontinence). However,
these behaviors have not occurred since then.
How would this change your opinion about the construction of the group home in your
neighborhood?
The residents in your neighborhood voted (14-3) to reject the town of Amherst’s proposal to build a
group home in the neighborhood. Town officials agreed that the home would not be built in your
neighborhood if you and your neighbors could develop a workable alternative.
What are some possible solutions that would allow the residents of the home to be provided with
“the same basic human rights as the rest of the
population”?
The topic of a group home is a bit hard to assess
with the number of factor that go into creating
it. First off, while I believe it could be disruptive
in some situations, I also think that it would be
beneficial to the people in the group home. In
addition, I believe it is a fundamental right that
law-abiding citizens be able to choose where
they live. To convince the other residents that
the group home should be put in the
community, I would state that only three of the
residents have exhibited disruptive behavior and have
since behaved better. I think that a living environment
where these people would be integrated into the community would allow them to learn to exhibit more
acceptable behaviors. In order for this to work, I believe that everyone in the group home would have to
be treated as normal citizens of the community. If people in the community specifically try to avoid
http://alcoholpolicypanel.org/wp-
content/uploads/2014/03/communit
y.jpg

32. them then this might trigger disruptive behavior due to the isolation. I think building a group home
would also teach members of the community, first-hand, about mental illness. Especially with kids in the
neighborhood this is important. These kids will grow up being more accepting of mental conditions than
the previous generations that did not have exposure. If I cannot convince the other residents to allow
the group home to be built, I would suggest that the town talk to other neighborhoods and attempt to
find a more accepting neighborhood. I believe that the group home must be built around a
neighborhood to avoid isolation of the residents.
Thread 1: Response to The Connection Between Religion and Urban Planning by David Engwicht
In his article, David Engwicht discusses the fact that religions (of all types) have played major roles in
the development of our cities. Today, places of worship are primary components of almost all urban
centers. Author Lorne Daniel writes “From their often active role in supporting people who live in city
centers to their iconic influence on design and use of space, religious structures tell us a lot about our
history, our current needs, and where we might be headed in the future. This is an aspect of our urban
future that planners and urbanists should attend to.”
Identify a place of worship with which you are somewhat familiar. (If you are not familiar with any
places of worship, do a bit of research on one in your own city or town.) Show a photograph of this
religious structure. (You may use photographs from the web.) What roles has this place served in the
development of your city/town? How has it influenced the design of the area around it? How has its
role changed over time? What roles could this place of worship play in the future development of
your city/town?
During high school I had a friend who was very involved with
her church, The Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church.
While I was not religious and I belonged to a different religion
technically, I still helped out with volunteer events at her
church sometimes. The church is very involved with helping
the poor and has a food pantry that they encourage members
to donate to on a regular basis. By helping the poor with food,
it has allowed them to focus on keeping their houses in good
shape and tending to their own health. This has allowed the
area to be warm looking and mostly free from crime. Over
time, the church also developed a community garden in which
people can take a plot and grow their own food. This has
also encouraged people to grow gardens in their own homes.
This church will continue to help poor in the future and
hopefully encourage more people to grow gardens.
http://www.pvmethodistny.org/Chur
ch/Welcome.html

33. Thread 2: Response to Prospects for the Future of Diversity and Design
Consider the quote in your syllabus from educator Michael J. Shannon: “Design, as vision in action--
the intersection of understanding and creation--is a universal human capability that can play a
fundamental role in social evolution, in the process that transforms resources, energy, and
information to make our world.”
At the beginning of this course, we discussed the idea that we are all designers regardless of our
profession or field of study. We’ve asked some big questions along the way, and the conclusion
section of our textbook raises additional issues that require input from people who might not consider
themselves to be part of the formalized design professions.
Think about your own major and/or future profession. What is the biggest challenge, problem, or
question that your field needs to tackle right now? What do you plan to do to address this challenge,
problem, or question either as part of your studies or professional life?
I am majoring in Aerospace Engineering and Math with an intent to work in the Aerospace field in the
future. Considering the Aerospace field is huge, it's hard to pin down what the biggest problem is. The
aerospace field incorporates jets, planes, drones, spacecraft, satellites and many more. I personally think
that a problem that applies to everything in the field is finding long lasting materials to withstand
atmospheric changes, heat, and high pressure. Currently, there has only been one rocket that has been
able to be relaunched since the materials usually
are unable to withstand more than one launch. In
addition, the first supersonic jet, the Concorde had
a very short lifespan due to a lack of strong
enough materials. In my current classes, I have not
gone into depth about how to solve the materials
problem but I plan to take a materials class in my
junior year. I plan to use the knowledge gained in
that class and work with other people to find a
solution once I am in the field.http://www.topaviationsites.net/new
s/wp-content/gallery/the-boeing-
787-
dreamliner/boeing_787_dreamliner_
3.jpg