This presentation contains the argument for the need of a framework (the Firma Model developed with Terence Fenn) to assist the human centered design process when dealing with problems of great complexity and situated in society. This is a theoretical piece and explains the model in some detail. This presentation was delivered at the Spring UXSF in Tokyo, Japan 2015 hosted by Sociomedia
45. However the entry into the information
age, and more importantly the information
economy, has meant that what was
previously hidden or in the background
has become foregrounded.
46. And the world in general (not just
business) is struggling to come to terms
with this.
48. Pierre Bourdieu
Habitus
…[the] lifestyle, the values, the dispositions and expectation of particular
social groups that are acquired through the activities and experiences of
everyday life…the habitus could be understood as a structure of the mind
characterized by a set of acquired schemata, sensibilities, dispositions and
taste. The particular contents of the habitus are a complex result of
embodying social structures—such as the gender, race, and class
discrimination […] - that are then reproduced through tastes, preferences,
and actions for future embodiment…
53. Information architectures in the Habitus:
• Emerge as self-organising systems
• Orient around areas of knowledge (or topics)
• Provide nodes for exchange and the interpretation of information
• Develop identity over time and facilitate shared practice and
collective learning
• Develop bodies of knowledge and associated storage for this
knowledge over time
• Apply social means of validating new knowledge for inclusion
• Contain values important to the community
• Intersect with other adjacent information architectures
57. And perhaps most importantly, they
present themselves, when well
established, as ‘reality’.
59. Three important points relate to our discussion today:
1. We understand these information architectures semantically
2. We live in a time where these information architectures
interlock with adjacent architectures
3. Such that we are presented by a world of fractured semantics
61. And businesses have their own information architectures
that interlock with other architectures
62. Lastly,
When change, driven from shifts in the use of
information effect our world, we tend to be unprepared.
88. Complexity arises when we adopt a humanistic approach (that
situates design problems in society) and when we start to remove
assumption.
This complexity is an important challenge to address in
contemporary design practice.
90. We lack
…tools to assist in initial problem framing
…‘big picture’ models that appreciate unexpected stakeholders
91. We lack
…tools to assist in initial problem framing
…‘big picture’ models that appreciate unexpected stakeholders
…tools for a broad critique of design
92. We lack
…tools to assist in initial problem framing
…‘big picture’ models that appreciate unexpected stakeholders
…tools for a broad critique of design
…and models to assist in tracing design solutions back to problem framing
93. Without models to assist us with this complexity we are at risk.
1. A faulty framing will result in a faulty solution
2. This can result in lengthy, and costly iteration, as we stumble
blindly for the solution
3. HCD (and UCD) emphasise the user, the business and the
context of use however other stakeholders exist that can impact
framings and solutions
4. Critique without a broad view, suffers the same challenges as
the previous points
106. Areas of concern
Immediate areas of concern
The organisation, users, the marketplace and legacy
Contextual areas of concern
The environment (physical and technological) and society
Paradigmatic areas of concern
Economy, politics, culture and history
107. The user
The business
The marketplace
Legacy
Environment
Society
Politics
Economics
Culture
History
108. IMMEDIATE
AREAS OF
CONCERN
CONTEXTUAL AREAS
OF CONCERN
PARADIGMATIC AREAS
OF CONCERN
TOP DOWN INFLUENCE
WHERE IMMEDIATE AND PARADIGMATIC
FACTORS PLAY OUT I.E. IN THE SPACES WHERE
SOCIETY EXISTS
BOTTOM UP INFLUENCE
114. The model for research
This provides the information architecture of
the problem-ecology:
- Build a relational logic between factors to
‘tell the story’ of the problem
- Acknowledges assumption
- We look for paradox, conflict and
contradiction
116. The model for strategy
This provides the information architecture of
the solution-ecology:
- Why is the problem a problem? And for
whom?
- It is the ‘theory for change’
- It is synthetic, not analytical in nature
- It provides the framing for ideation
119. The model for critique
- Knowing which areas are of concern focuses
where we should look for impact
- Conventional methods for assessing impact
and measuring change can be used in
conjunction
- We seek UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
We interpret reality through the lense of information and this information is architected, with intentionality, from within specific systems of understanding (in this example: geography)
Trompsburg Cross
Quantum physics: things we can prove but cannot explain
Some believe that mathematics is the information architecture that explains everything!
Multiple religions exist, often at odds with each other, but all with their own information architectures (morals, beliefs, symbols, codes, histories…)
The cold war: America’s history vs. Russia’s
There is no single history but within each historical information architecture they are valid
This is the root cause of intolerance
Stars and galaxies are like our multiple information architectures…unimaginably large and interlocking
Sylvain Cottong (A common story)
Design thinking – service design – user experience design
Cure vs solution
Anti retro virals
Education
Well being
Xenophobia: foreigners or SA’n economic challenges
High rate of crime in SA. We have one of the largest disparities between rich and poor in the world
indeterminacy
HCD = human centered design
And perhaps the biggest challenge of all: complexity manifests as very large amounts of data that needs to be organised to be understood.
The three primary aims of the Firma Model are to:
Provide a generic research framework that can be applied to broadly and deeply explore and define problem ecologies
Identify key areas of concern within the problem ecology and thus assist in articulating the design strategy (i.e. how should the areas of concern be changed)
Lastly, provide the basis for critiquing the resultant design solution based on a knowledge of what the problem was and the desired change