It could be argued that the focus of traditional academic research is on the past and the present in terms of understanding the world around us. Conversely, it could be argued in design research that the focus is on the future and how complex our world is becoming and what we believe the world should be.
The Research and Innovation subject (DSGN6029) deals with unravelling complexity and forms an important part of the Master of Design and Master of Digital Transformation & Creative Intelligence for Torrens University Australia.
In this video, Don Norman highlights how design has become the aesthetic development and production of the many beautiful things that we surround ourselves with and use. However, we are not so much designing as continually refining. When designers are now asked to look beyond environments or ‘things’ and consider new systems, their training lets them down. More and more, they have to know not only about design, people and technology, but also about the social technological systems we encounter.