CRAZY IDEAS? :
PRESENTING 'CRITICAL ARTEFACTS' TO STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE PRODUCT IDEAS

‘Critical design’ as proposed by Dunne & Raby (2001) offers an alternative role for design practice counter to its traditional affirmative function. This and other forms of so-called ‘critical practice’ are developing themes in design and human computer interaction (HCI). I begin by presenting a contextual review of ‘critical practice’ in these areas, which variously encourage critical reflection on design practice, the products of design practice and the research process itself. I then introduce the idea of ‘critical artefacts’ that are the products of ‘critical design’.

The application of new technologies, changes in personal capabilities and impairments, and hazardous or emergency environments can create situations outside stakeholders' experience. I outline the difficulties stakeholders have in responding usefully to such unfamiliar situations and the limitations of direct questioning techniques in appreciating their needs. I suggest that presenting stakeholders with ‘critical artefacts’ enables them to engage with unfamiliar situations, allowing a rich understanding of the context to be elicited, which then informs the generation of innovative new product ideas based on real stakeholder needs.

Evidence from two series of experimental workshops are described to support this principle, noting the problems and opportunities encountered: firstly exploring novel forms of products for digital family photograph collections; and secondly exploring the design of domestic environments to enable living at home for longer and improved quality of life in later life.

The paper concludes with an outline of further research that will develop generalisable methods to exploit this principle.

References:
DUNNE, Anthony and RABY, Fiona (2001). Design noir: The secret life of electronic objects. 1st ed., Birkhäuser.