Archive for 'Papers'

Applying Social Theory to Open Source Design

I have been interested in the idea of “open source design” since my introduction to the field of design, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that the concept itself remains somewhat nebulous in definition. My ideas about open source design are founded in my understanding of open source software and that development model’s applicability [...]

Participatory Design for Third World Wheelchairs

The Whirlwind Wheelchairs project at San Francisco State University, led by wheelchair design pioneer Ralph Hotchkiss, conducts research in wheelchair design specifically targeted towards local manufacture in small factories around the world. Initially conceived as a reaction to the poor quality of wheelchairs produced by Everest and Jennings, a company that held a virtual global [...]

Reinventing the Designer

Globalization is perhaps the most significant modern trend affecting the fundamental role of today’s designer. At the same time, the need for universal design is a major factor that must provide motivation for the contemporary designer to work in new ways. I believe that these two influences will combine in a mutually reinforcing way to [...]