Digitalization meets improvisation: Developing a personal way of dealing with the rising digital presence in design

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master_Horsanali_Nur_2019.pdf (60.35 MB)

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School of Arts, Design and Architecture | Master's thesis
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P1 OPINNÄYTTEET D 2019 Horsanali
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Authors

Date

2019

Department

Department of Design
Muotoilun laitos

Major/Subject

Mcode

Degree programme

Product and Spatial Design

Language

en

Pages

129

Series

Abstract

As design and production practices are becoming more digitalized, designers are expected to adapt to the changing circumstances straight away. From the perspective of young designers who appreciate working hands-on, these changes may pose challenges and therefore finding ways to tackle them are needed. This thesis addresses the pointed out matter and arises from the effort of a young designer striving to position herself within the digitalization of the product design field. In this open-ended process where research, production, and personal experiences are intertwined, I enter into a self-dialog that enables me to question the ambiguous meaning of digitalization and my own standpoint. Through this, I acknowledge that it is needed to maintain an open but critical manner towards the changes in the field in order to perceive alternative approaches. Rather than fearing or ignoring digitalization, designers should find means of dealing with it. In my case, handling digitalization becomes possible through exploring a new dialog between a designer and an unfamiliar digital machine, 3D clay printer. This computer-based yet imperfect medium presents an ideal ground to investigate the designer’s position between digital and hands-on since the process involved both of these aspects. Along the way, as I recognize that the machine has an agency of its own, I accept it as my partner who I improvise along. Exploring improvisation as a tool for adapting to changing situations, embracing mistakes and spontaneity, leads me to overcome the unfamiliar process I enter. Through this practice-led research, I explore how to be open towards digitalization and it becomes apparent that not every prejudice of mine was truthful. I discuss that the level and quality of approaching changes in design can be personal. For instance, in my empirical study, the bridge I find between digitalization and improvisation enables me to find a means of working hands-on within a digital process. This thesis highlights that developing a personal approach retaining the connection to the designer’s own way of working is fundamental for dealing with the rising digital presence in design.

Description

Supervisor

Mäkelä, Maarit

Thesis advisor

Mäkelä, Maarit

Keywords

digitalization, improvisation, 3D printing, practice-led research, design exploration, product design

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-201906163822

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[master] Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu / ARTS