New to Improve – The Mutual Influence between New Products and Societal Change Processes
Concluding, it seems possible to substantiate a logical connection between the various system levels and the potential contribution from the designer. And even when one would conclude that designers have no business at some levels (as seems to be the case at the societal level), even then the proposition can be confirmed because at least now it is clear where the boundaries of the design influence are. The proposition is amended so that it becomes clear that nothing definite can be said, on the basis of the practical experiments, about the role of the designer at the various system levels, but that it certainly seems possible to say something about the potential contribution from the designer at each level. Therefore the amended proposition states:
P-05 (amended): “Design processes take place at various system or aggregation levels. The nature of the system to be developed is different at each of these levels. A logical connection exists between the respective aggregation level, the system to be developed and the potential contribution from the designer during this process.”
8.7
Summary
In chapter 8, the five propositions as they are discussed in chapter 5, are evaluated on the basis of the results from the two practical experiments as presented in chapters 6 and 7. In order to test P-01, the following questions need to be considered: •
A) In how far can the design process indeed be described with the help of the four system levels?
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B) In how far can the design process indeed be organized at each of these levels?
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C) In how far are the steps that are taken at each of these levels indeed comparable?
With regard to question A, it can be established that the various system levels are indeed recognizable in both projects, indicating that the design process can indeed be described with the help of the various design levels. An answer to question B requires one to determine in how far the design process can indeed be organized at the different levels. It became apparent in both projects that this may indeed be the case, although certainly at the higher system levels it is arguable if one can really speak of a “design” (an issue that is further being discussed in chapter 9, in light of the “manipulability of society”). In any case, the expectation is that a more deliberate differentiation on the basis of various system levels can benefit the design or change process at each of these levels. With regard to question C, the question is asked if it is possible to recognize a comparable process at each level. Where the original proposition states that the steps that are taken during the various processes “are comparable” at each system level, this statement may be formulated too certain. However, it appears that it is indeed possible to “describe” these processes in a similar manner. Based on this comments, P-01 is amended:
P-01 (amended): “The design process can be described and organized at various system or aggregation levels. The steps that are taken during this process can be described in a similar manner at each of the various system levels.”
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