Design Research/1
Many years ago, I studied anthropology with John Collier, Jr. John spent much of his life in two ethnic communities. He grew up with his family in the American Indian communities of New Mexico and Arizona. Later, he worked as an anthropologist in the fishing communities of Nova Scotia, where he helped to develop the research method of visual anthropology. John’s work was oriented toward creating positive change. He used to say that the problem of social change involves a simple paradox. We can’t change one aspect of an organization or society until we change everything, and we can never change everything — we’ve got to start with one thing.
This is true, yet it is not beyond solution. We can and must start somewhere by finding appropriate points for vital intervention. We create consensus through action, and we do so in part by making theory action.
Theory has at least two meanings for design research. One is a scientific theory of what things are and how things work. The other is an ethical or philosophical theory of desired states: a design outcome. A design research agenda for sustainability requires both.
Bookmarks about Anthropology says, on September 28th, 2008 at 5:45 pm: