Mend & Map: designing a toolkit for mapping thinking in the act of mending
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Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Bachelor's thesis
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Author
Date
2022
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Bachelor's Programme in Design
Language
en
Pages
81 + 7
Series
Abstract
Making is a process of bringing things into being while constantly learning about the materials, the tools, and the processes the maker uses. In recent times, research has acknowledged making as an ongoing process where knowledge is simultaneously generated and embedded in engaging with materials. This notion of making thus encourages an active, reflective mode of participating in knowledge generation, one based on contact with things. With this notion of making, this research is situated in a mending project, explored as an example of making as currently defined. Mending is a skilled activity of repair that one can apply to sustain or prolong the life of a garment. Mending or repairing requires engagement with the material and specific tools, all in service of returning an object to its former stage or creatively transforming it. Mending, as in making, brings forth the knowledge embedded in practical experiences, which often remains unnoticed and unarticulated: tacit. Based on a theoretical framework, this thesis explores the idea of making, via mending, as a process of thinking, one that is generative of knowledge. The research aims to explore the thinking involved in the act, questioning that a plethora of interconnected, situated knowledge evolves and surfaces as one mends. Subsequently, the research question that this thesis seeks to explore is, “How can we bring about the knowledge embedded in a mending process?”. The research method includes collaborative workshops with users, aiming to learn from their experiences by unearthing, and helping them articulate, thoughts while mending their garments. The workshops were designed to externalize the thinking of participants on post-its, temporarily separating thinking from the making and making it explicit for investigation. Following the data analysis by grouping and creating anecdotes from the post-its, the key topics in the thinking of participants were extracted, which resemble different aspects of mending, material, and garment. Ultimately, these topics were used to design the concept of a “Mend & Map” toolkit that facilitates the mapping of thinking while mending. The cards correspond to aspects of tools, techniques, use, origin, and material, grounding the mapping in the craft experience of mending. They are to be used as another material to play and interact with while mending. The users can select and weave the thinking process using the designed cards while mending the garment. After returning the digital prototype of the “Mend & Map” toolkit to workshop participants, interviews were conducted where the designer/researcher asked questions related to the user experience. Conclusions, informed by content analysis of the interviews, elaborate on the knowledge from the (mapped) mending process, mending perceived in the thinking-in-mending experience, and usage and improvements for the toolkit to be included in the act of mending. Overall, this project contributes to design research by indicating the role of design in attempting to map the ‘thinking’ in making, in other words, subjective knowledge of individuals.Description
Supervisor
Person, OscarThesis advisor
Sayed, NehaKeywords
thinking in making, mending, collaborative workshops, toolkit design, knowledge, mapping
