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New ways of transportation – DesignCamp 2010

by Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen

Introduction Dear students, Dear judges, Dear colleagues, Dear companies: Welcome to the final day of DesignCamp 2010. A camp which has participants from all over the world. A camp where Kolding School of Design in collaboration with our business partners has asked the question: How might we create a “sexier” public transportation? We have asked the question because we at Kolding School of Design focus on sustainable transportation and are concerned with the fact that the transport sector is responsible for 40% of total CO2 emissions. One of the most sustainable ways of transporting people is by means of public transportation powered by for instance wind or solar energy. However, the problem is that public transportation is not very popular. How might we solve this problem?

The students have spent the past two weeks coming up with answers to this question, and we are all excited to learn more about their suggested solutions.

Let me share some of the background for the camp and why design is so vital in solving the climate issues of the world.

Report from the Danish Commission on Climate Change A few weeks ago, the Danish Commission on Climate Change presented a report showing that Denmark could be fossil-free by 2025. Already, we have the knowledge and the techniques needed to complete the eco-friendly transition. A transition that can even lead to economic growth.

So, why don’t we just go ahead and do it? It makes complete sense to try and ensure our own survival and that of future generations. (pp: Billede af model – som er mere end for tynd)

The problem is that to us people, leading a meaningful life is more important than surviving. There are plenty of examples of people choosing to die because it gives them a stronger sense of meaning than choosing to live. For instance, in Denmark

we see far too many young women starving themselves – despite the fact that there is plenty of food and the fact that they know that their excessive diet might kill them. Man is not a rational being. Man is controlled by lust, by emotions, by the irrational. Therefore, man cannot be convinced by rational arguments alone. We cannot moralise our way to a sustainable future.

Of course, in some countries, the state is able to force through eco-friendly solutions. However, this won’t work in a country like Denmark – our democratic tradition is far too long.

There is only one solution: To seduce the citizens to wanting what is best for the Planet. Or in other words: We must transform technique into technology. We must add “logos” – that is, meaning and direction to technique. We must transport technique into our cultural universe so that it can be interpreted and becomes accessible to the users, for instance the city’s inhabitants. Cultural players and designers can help facilitate this process. They have the skill to translate the technical solutions into a language that the user is able to understand. That speaks to their hearts and the subconscious; not just their brains.

Let me put it differently: Rather than focus on fear, we should focus on joy. Rather than require product and services to be efficient, we should require product and services to be effective – to work. Rather than moralise, we should apply the Judo technique – that is, take advantage of the positive energy of citizens and users.

Rather than demand reductions and savings, we should encourage improvement of quality. Rather than minimise, we should maximise.

DesignCamp 2010 DesignCamp 2010 is an example of this kind of mindset. In relation to our etrans project we have discovered that most people associate the private car with ultimate freedom. The car represents an expansion of the private space. When you’re in your car, you can be exactly as you are. You can do exactly what you want. Recently, I overheard a driver saying that he uses his car for praying. Because he doesn’t have the time to go to church.

If we want more people using public transportation, we must try and compensate them for the lack of freedom associated with not driving their own car. How might we solve this problem?

We have chosen an approach and a working method where we have invited companies, experts and students from all over the world to contribute. We have done so because we realise that complex problems must be solved in crossdisciplinary teams. We also know that cultural diversity supports innovation.

On the very first day, Mette Mikkelsen said that listening to the many stories from the whole world of how you act when you’re riding the train or the bus had been very inspirational. In one place, it is common practice that when you enter the back of the bus, you send your ticket fare all the way up through the bus to the driver who then sends back a ticket and returns the change. A way of purchasing tickets that strengthens the sense of community and encourages conversation on the bus.

And an idea that might work in Denmark and other countries where we have become so caught up in individualism that we have forgotten the importance of spending time together.

It is also our hope that the DesignCamp can help show the business community the quality of design; what design can do. Design isn’t just designing products and services. Design is also designing a mood, a perception or the way a given situation is experienced.

Vision and ambition In the next few years, Kolding School of Design’s ambition is to become an even stronger collaborating partner to the business community; this involves showing that design can indeed improve bottom line figures. But we also want to contribute to a development that is responsible when it comes to the environment and future generations. Design is about making products and processes accessible and meaningful. And it’s hard to do something meaningful if it deprives future generations of the possibility to lead lives that match the lives of present generations in terms of quality.

Thank you to all our many collaborating partners. Thank you to sponsors and not least thank you to IDEO for facilitating the work. We look forward to many years of future collaboration!