Today have access to more data, broader communication networks
and computational power than ever before.
Design requirements are changing, too, as the needs of yesterday are not necessarily the needs
of today and tomorrow.
Consequently existing processes are under increasing risk of becoming irrelevant as other players compete.
Designers need to develop their own high-level tools to support their craft and push new capabilities.
The web has changed how we interact socially ... why doesn't it change how we design? People can now consume content anywhere, get involved and contribute to discussions quickly, easily and asynchronously, why is it then that the design process is still so formal and restricted? With modern interfaces all stakeholders can view, comment and participate in design more fully. This level of interaction can better inform the design process and has the potential to really improve the built outcome. "We are all designers."
We now use algorithms to assist all kinds of complex and creative activities, like curating interesting articles and finding similar media, so why not also design? We believe that design tools should try to understand what the designer is trying to do so they can go beyond what is pre-programmed to help with insight and design assistance.
We believe current processes don't support the multiplicity and comparative nature of what it takes to make a good design. We aim to develop methods which embrace the need to create many and varied options to find better performance as well as for creativity. This is much like evolution, within a world of design memes.
© META Design Lab
Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Rd, Singapore, 487372
T: +65 6499 7454 E: sam_joyce [at] sutd.edu.sg