Category: Design comment
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Navigating Learning at the OU: Neurodivergence
This blog post documents my experience of being a neurodivergent student at The Open University. Navigating Learning at the OU: Neurodivergence Studying at The Open University has been a pretty big deal for me, especially since I’m neurodivergent with ADHD and Autism. When I decided to take this step to join U101 and become a…
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Desire-based Design as a Transformative Practice in Humanitarian Design Projects
In the last few years, I have been working on several action-based research projects in the Global South focused on designing with marginalised communities in low-resource settings. In these contexts, designing frugal innovations is crucial to alleviating big and small problems that affect individuals and groups. However, questions about people’s agency and how to foster…
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Reflections on our face to face design meet-ups this year
We have been delighted to be able to run a number of informal face to face meet ups at various venues across the country this autumn. It has been wonderful to meet with students as well as their partners, children and grandchildren! It has been a joy to meet such enthusiastic students and to see…
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Geographies of Disruption
The concept of disruptive innovation entered the mainstream some 30 years ago (Bower and Christensen, 1995) and has gained considerable traction in response to strategic and ethical imperatives. Strategically, profit seeking firms often work to find the next disruptive innovation and create new “winner takes all” scenarios. Equally, organisations seeking public benefit often frame disruption…
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Dark foundations for heavenly architecture
My research has always focused on the interactions between the arts, design, science and philosophy, particularly in the later 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition to teaching on the level one design module, U101, I am fortunate to teach on A111 where students examine the impact of the arrival in Europe of artefacts from…
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National Engineering Day event for OU students
On 13th November 2024, the School of Engineering & Innovation hosted on online event for Open University students to celebrate National Engineering Day. This year’s theme of national engineering day was ‘Role Models’, and the event was organised by the School’s Women in Design and Engineering group. The aim of the event was to share…
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The Computer Desk Revolutionised
Before starting my BDes Design Internship, I was tasked with writing about my favourite design object. The Computer Desk Revolutionised In the world of modern design and creation, one object has always stood out to me. Daily, I find myself amazed at the functionality, form, and utility of an object designed by carpenter Herwig Danzer…
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Designing communities for belonging
For years, I’ve been exploring ways to design with and for communities at the Open University (OU). A recent event showcasing student community projects highlighted a growing interest among staff and students in building and supporting these initiatives. Being part of a community or communities instils a sense of belonging. Belonging, a sense of connectedness…
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Design for Planet Festival 2024
This article was written on 15th November 2024 On 6th November, I had the privilege of attending the Design Council’s Design for Planet Festival 2024 in Manchester, where designers, studios, and businesses came together with the aim of working towards a net-zero future. The event was opened by inspiring leaders including Andy Burnham, Mayor of…
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Touching just makes sense: A New META Dimension of touch to enrich the user experience.
The Tactile Transformation of Digital Design (Lisa Bowers) For some time now, I have been designing experiences for users to extend and augment their senses within the realm of digital design. As designers, our focus often lies on visual aesthetics and intuitive interactions with products, services systems or place. However, there’s a powerful sense that…