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How to get to know communities and co-design with them?

Article by Massimo Menichinelli (Elisava, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering – UVic-UCC)

Focusing on Communities

Village Hosts represent the meeting of two worlds, urban and rural: whether who run hosting initiative have moved to rural areas from urban ones, or whether they have moved from rural areas to urban areas and then back to rural areas, or because they are hosting guests from urban areas. It is a meeting of two different worlds (but not necessarily that different and far away!), two different types of communities. And increasingly designers and design researchers, formal and informal ones, have been working with communities in an emerging Community-Centered Design approach.

Village Hosts work with communities but could also be considered a community or could be helped in recognizing themselves as part of a community – and this is one of the goals of our work in the OSVH Digital Platform. Platform which, in a community-centered approach, we are developing as open source here: feel free to join the discussion and development about it!

Among the several things to be done when approaching a community, I would like to stress two in this post: getting to know a community and co-designing with it.

How to get to know a community

When working with or within a community, it is always very important first to get to know it – and it’s not always an easy task as it is a living entity! There are also several different types of communities: local communities, communities of practice around a topic, communities around a project, communities around international phenomena… with the OSVH Digital Platform we hope to support all of them, but for now we would like to focus on Village Hosts as a phenomenon, an international community… maybe a movement? This is because platforms work well at (large) scale, so the focus should aim at that (without of course losing the view on the small scale!). We have thus prepared a survey for knowing better all Village Hosts, this will help us to understand them better as a community and how to develop the OSVH Digital Platform for them: please take part in the survey and help us in this!

https://survey.villagehosts.eu/index.php/388974?lang=en

Knowing better who’s part of a grassroot community and what is its nature it is very useful, as bottom-up phenomena never have a formal list, structure, details and data, and it is difficult then to reach and support grassroots social innovators (as we can create new tools, improve the existing ones, promote the community, further develop research and so on). Some years ago, I worked on something similar when  studying the Maker Movement with the Maker’s Inquiry approach, and this survey adopts elements and learns from it, so it is based on established work and might also connect communities (several village hosts are makers or even host makerspaces).

How to co-design with a community

If urban/rural village hosts and urban guests are two different worlds, how design could improve the meeting of these two worlds? This can be explored in several ways, and now we focused on: How could Village Hosts co-design initiatives with local rural communities?

During the Activity 2.2. Co-designing & Co-creation of the Pilot Training from Elisava we presented the OSVH Co-Design Toolbox for Village Hosts, a toolbox for introducing co-design processes in rural areas within social innovation hosting initiatives. It is organized into two parts: in the first part, you can directly co-design a village hosting initiative by focusing on a) the village (its resources, limitations, possibilities) and b) the hosting initiative (its activities, resources, …). Furthermore, the second part adds several more tools for organizing the whole co-design process with all stakeholders, by defining the process with phases that include several activities. The second part was created in order to create a collaboration with all stakeholders of the local community that lasts longer than a workshop, the typical context where such co-design toolboxes are used. With this toolbox thus you can think, discuss and develop a Village Hosting initiative and the collaborative process for defining it. Canvases do not replace an in-depth and detailed design process but are very good for quickly communicating and discussing it with all actors involved.

During the training we used the first version (v1.0, you can dowload it here). The immediate feedback of the participants was positive and suggested improvements (for example, including an example of application), so we took note of their comments and improved it, fixed some errors, added a full example, and now we have a second version available (v1.5, you can download it here)!

Such toolbox was not developed from scratch, but it is based on years of research, for example on my doctoral research about supporting collaborative processes and platforms in the Maker Movement and the Horizon 2020 SISCODE project, to which I participated years ago. SISCODE worked on making Fab Labs, Living Labs and Science Museums as co-creation labs for opening the development of science policies to citizens. Within SISCODE, one of the things I worked at was a toolbox for enabling this, the SISCODE Toolbox for Co-Creation Journeys, and as it was released as open source under a Creative Commons license, we further extended it and adopted it to the context of Village Hosts with the OSVH Co-Design Toolbox for Village Hosts. Both share the same approach: reusing and integrating existing tools and providing long lasting toolboxes that further advance how design can work collaboratively with communities.

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Could design competencies contribute to a happier society?

By Aija Freimane, PhD, Design Researcher and Lecture at TU Dublin School of Art and Design, Ireland; Director of Board, NGO “Creative Partnership”, Latvia.

Design as a practice has been developing since early 19th century in tandem with the industrial revolution. Before that, vernacular design as crafted solutions or use of material, was a prevailing practice to create products for daily life. Since the 1990’s design activities such as service and social design, system and process design, and lately even design for happiness, have emerged.

Design in the 21st century is neither the subject nor object; rather, it is a method for defining why one or other solution or design intervention is needed, who the beneficiary will be and how to resolve the defined challenge for the most sustainable, socially responsible and innovative result[1]. In the material world, quality and the use of products and services impact our sense of happiness and satisfaction; this does not arise as an external stimulus, but rather, as a purposefully favoured experience and sense of interpretation, which is the key element of feeling good[2]. The United Nations have stated that happiness is a fundamental human goal. Hence, I propose defining design as a method of moving towards happiness and satisfaction that are end results of a feeling or experience created by positive emotions and memories when products, services or systems[3] are used in line with a social interaction, thus reflecting the saying ‘design makes the world a better place’. We as humans are longing for positive experience, wellbeing and peace, we need convenient, useful and durable products, safe, accessible, perceivable, intelligible and experienceable services[4]. Hence, happy and satisfied societies and customers should be the purpose of design actions and their end results.

Since the 1990’s it has been suggested that the world needs design as “design thinking” to solve local and global economic, social and ecological problems. Over the last two decades design process as crafting and thinking through the material has been purposefully replaced by different software programs. Supportive tools as technologies have enriched and made the design process not only effective, but also depreciated doing by hands as thinking and practices deeply rooted in every culture as an intangible cultural heritage. A post-it design thinking approach has led to a mindset reflecting misconceptions about the world in which designers work and what designers do[5].  Design has shifted from being merely artistic activity to being an activity that ‘makes everything possible’[6]. What design principles and competences can help to facilitate the developments of better solutions or even to re-generate the region?

The McKinsey Global Institute study has said that the demand for manual and physical skills, as well as basic cognitive ones, will decline, but demand for technological, social and emotional, and higher cognitive skills will grow.[7] Furthermore, the World Economic Forum’s Future (WEF) Jobs Report noted that around 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025, as adoption of technology increases. WEF highlighted critical thinking and problem-solving, self-management, active learning, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility to be in high demand in the near future.[8] The journal Forbes has featured 8 skills, that are and will be in high demand: to deal and to embrace ambiguity, curiosity, openness, entrepreneurship and empathy, resilience, ability to envision and foresee, to build and to sustain social capital and primary, secondary and tertiary relationships and to have an ability to make things happen[9].

While design competencies largely correspond to entrepreneurial, life and green competencies, there are certain skills and competencies that are unique to other professions that designers may not necessarily have. However, to design products or services that are safe, designers need an insight into regulations of standards as well to have some level of technical expertise. It is common that designers collaborate with other professions in multidisciplinary teams to find the best possible solutions.

Design competencies could be beneficial to other professions such as business, healthcare, education, and government, among others. They encourage a problem-solving mindset that is focused on empathy, collaboration, and creativity. Design emphasizes understanding the needs and perspectives of people or problem created by man-made environment.

Let’s highlight a number of design approach and competencies that could lead towards happier society via better providing better products and services:

Design is an iterative process that involves multiple rounds of prototyping, testing, and refining to meet the best human-centered, experience-led, outcome.
Unlike other professions that may rely on a linear process, designers are comfortable with uncertainty and embrace the idea of failing fast and learning from mistakes. These days when uncertainty is an inherent part of the design process, it can be both exciting and tough for designers to navigate a range of different challenges and obstacles to arrive at a successful outcome[10].
Design helps people develop problem-solving skills by encouraging them to identify the root cause of a problem, explore multiple solutions, and test and iterate until a viable solution is found. These skills are valuable in many other areas of life, such as business, education, healthcare, and social services.
Designers apply a user or human-centered approach to problem-solving, which means that solutions are developed with the user in mind. In such way designers prioritize the needs and desires of the user when creating solutions. They consider factors such as user experience, usability, and accessibility when designing products, services, or systems. Human-centered approach is transforming towards planet-centered approach by reconsidering resources we are exploring and using for better quality of life.
Designers apply empathy, which means understanding the needs, wants, and motivations of the people for whom the solution is designed. This skill is essential not only in design but also in many other areas of life, such as education, healthcare, and social services.
Design promotes collaboration and teamwork, as today’s complex problems can be solved by encouraging people from different disciplines to work together. This collaboration can lead to more innovative and effective solutions.
Designers are trained to think visually and spatially, using sketches, diagrams, and models to communicate their ideas. This allows them to explore different possibilities and quickly iterate on ideas.
Design is a powerful tool for innovation. By encouraging people to think and find solutions ‘outside the box’, design can lead to new and innovative products, services, and solutions.

Although most of highlighted design principles and competences are evident in other disciplines, the uniqueness lies in how these competencies are developed by design methods. Overall, design competencies are valuable for all people, regardless of their profession or background. By learning these skills, people can become better problem-solvers, innovators, collaborators, and empathetic individuals, leading to a more fulfilling and successful life. However, thinking visually and spatially is specific competence and skill taught trough professional design education.

 

[1] Freimane, Aija, 2020, Identification system of Design’s socio-economic impact towards transformation to a knowledge-intensive economy in Latvia; Art academy of Latvia

[2] Seligman, Martin, 2011, Flourish, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, London

[3] Freimane, Aija, 2020, Perceived Design value. The Socio-economic impact of Design. Rīga: Art Academy of Latvia..

[4] Ibid.

[5] http://www.dubberly.com/articles/why-we-should-stop-describing-design-as-problem-solving.html

[6] https://sheilapontis.com/2016/02/23/new-challenges-of-design-education/

[7] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/defining-the-skills-citizens-will-need-in-the-future-world-of-work

[8] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/top-10-work-skills-of-tomorrow-how-long-it-takes-to-learn-them/

[9] https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/02/14/the-future-of-work-will-demand-these-8-new-skills/?sh=995911422e61

[10] Freimane, Aija, 2023, How do you feel? Emotional wellbeing in distributed learning environment in design studies.”, 2023, Forthcoming publication for the 25th International Conference in Engineering and Product Design Education, 2023.

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Storying of places: genius loci and local ecological knowledge

Article by Casa Netural

In Roman religion, every place inhabited and frequented by humans is characterized by the presence of a supernatural entity: the Genius loci.

The Genius loci, the spirit of the place, brings together all the meanings that can be attributed to a specific location. In more recent times, the term has been taken up by architects and sociologists to refer to the socio-cultural aspects and relationships established between humans and the environment in a bounded space (e.g., a town or village).

In this article we go through two different case studies from southern Italy: the village Grottole with the clay-making tradition re-discovered by the non-profit Wonder Grottole and the village of Stigliano, where a collaboration between local organizations and festival, together with the artist DEM Demonio is Is reviving ancient carnival traditions.

Every place is different in geography, history, and culture; telling stories about local specificities reinforces its identity and creates a sense of belonging. This is true both for the community that inhabits that place, which gathers around shared traditions and customs; and for those who come from outside and somewhat bewildered discover a different way of inhabiting a place.

Stories about how humans have adapted to living in certain environmental contexts are passed down to pass on to future generations specific knowledge for living in the local context. In contemporary terms, one can refer to Local Ecological Knowledge, the knowledge, practices and beliefs about ecological relationships acquired through personal observation and interaction with local ecosystems and shared by local resource users.

In Grottole, in the Matera hills, Local Ecological Knowledge is expressed, for example, through the tradition of clay making. Clay, which historically was taken from the gullies near the Basento River, was abundant and being harvested only from the most superficial layers did not lead to intensive resource exploitation. The same water, needed to work the clay, abounded near the river, and the kilns to bake the clay were fed with dry wood collected during the year in the same area, which was rich in bushes and Mediterranean scrub.

The transmission of this land-related knowledge has been compromised by the industrial revolution and the standardization of production processes and raw materials. So today, even in Grottole, the clay that is used by the last potter is imported from Tuscany and the products he makes are souvenirs to sell to tourists or works of art; having lost the need to use terracotta tools in everyday life. Can one imagine a way to preserve these traditions in the contemporary? Can Grottole clay become part of a quality and sustainable local circular supply chain? Can products be generated that still embody the genius loci but adapt to contemporary use and desire?

The importance of continuing to tell stories related to territories also concerns local culture and folk traditions. In Stigliano, for example, in the mountains of Matera, the AppARTEngo public art festival led artist DEM Demonio to work on bringing to light two ancient carnival masks decades apart.

 

After an in-depth study and discussion with scholar Mimmo Cecere, author of the book “La Spiga e il Caprone – Antiche maschere antropologiche stiglianesi,” the artist initiated a project that involved the local community. During an artist residency, DEM made the masks of the Wheat Ear and the Zimmaro using natural materials. Recovering traditional carnivals and festivals makes it possible to recover a part of traditional culture, which was almost completely abandoned at the end of the last century, and could now bring the Stigliano carnival to be part of the Network of Basilicata Carnivals.

What has been done in Stigliano with DEM’s contribution is only the beginning of a path that, through the rediscovery of the masks of Zimmaro and Spiga, in the artist’s will, wants to lead to a passing of the baton with the new generations, who will carry on the tradition by strengthening the local identity and creating a new attractiveness for the area and that may lead these masks to tour other historical carnivals in Italy and abroad generating bridges and making people rediscover an archaic fascination linked to nature and its cycles.

This activity is not only related to the carnival, but it means to set in motion a whole part of the community, to celebrate a ritual again, to increase their awareness and regain their identity, stimulates the development of new skills for different subjects, brings them to be together in a new way, generates opportunities to connect with other people and creates new models of development starting from a new management of their heritage.

Photographs by: Cristina Carbonara

We thank DEM for telling us about his work.

 

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