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Atlas of Weak Signals

Info

FACULTY: Jana Tothill, Roger Guilemany

CALENDAR: 09-10 → 15-10

TRACK: Reflection

Introduction

The “Atlas of Weak Signals” seminar, along with the relative cards we received, is designed to prompt reflection on the resources, interests, and tools we’ve encountered in our past experiences and here in Barcelona. The aim is to address these reflections into tangible Design Interventions.

Weak Signals and Design Space

Weak signals are an early indicator of change, a small inflection that has the potential to evolve into something more influential. Weak Signals can help in identifying our own Design Space: a navigational tool in the design practice to ground directions.

Collective Exercise

Collective Exercise

Personal AoWS

Identifying my Personal AoWs Part 1

The process that led to the identification of my personal Weak Signals was one of de-constructing. Since the cards proved to be very stimulating, using a multi-step methodology turned fundamental to synthesize just a few key concepts. For this reason, I first decided to lay all the cards on the table, analyzing them individually. Often, it was necessary to delve deeper into the meaning of some in order to understand them more accurately. Therefore, I proceeded by gradually flipping over the cards that was less relevant for my vision.

Identifying my Personal AoWs Part 2

Card by card, I was able to first identify the 2 Weak Signals, then move on to the 3 Areas of Opportunity, and finally, the 2 Random Triggers. Through this operation, I’ve come to realize how these few cards were able to encapsulate a significant part of my ethos, and how their combination could generate a multitude of ideas.

Personal AoWs Click here to navigate the AoWS.

New Suggestions

Suggestions for the Deck

From the considerations that emerged, I identified two new suggestions for the deck: “Technology at non-humans service” is an invitation to de-anthropocentric design in which machines coexist with the whole biosphere. “Biodesign”, on the other hand, is a stimulus for interdisciplinary design aimed at crossing the boundary between design and natural sciences.

Multiscalar Personal Design Space

Multiscalar Personal Design Space

The creation of a Design Space starts in definying the multiscalar consciusness of ourselves. How do we relate to the wide and complex network that defines our values and our design practice?

To orientate in between this interconnections, elements in the Design Space are subdivided in:

  • CONCEPTS & THEMES: Weak Signals
  • STATE OF THE ART: References, case studies and people.
  • INFRASTRUCTURE & EXTENDED WORKSPACE: What elements do I dispose in order to develop my design interventions?
  • MATERIALS & RESOURCES
  • TECHNOLOGIES & METHODOLOGIES
  • AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY: Possible complementary contexts for design interventions.

Click here to navigate the Multiscalar Personal Design Space.

Design Space

The Design Space is a visual collection of projects, references, case studies, materials, used to define ideas and create links.

The key roles of a Design Space are:

  • SITUATING: understand the surroundings and allowing links within to arise.
  • ORGANIZATIONAL: reducing complexity, trying to make sense and see which connections arise.
  • NARRATIVE: understand your own narrative.
  • PERFORMATIVE or PARTICIPATIVE: performative as giving feedback to oneself and participative as combining design spaces.
  • INSPIRATIONAL

The goal is to translate this abstract Weak Signals into actual emergent realities.

Design Space

Once having outlined a global overview of my personal design practice, it’s now crucial to refine and organize these principles to define an integrated visualization. This approach aims to interlink each principle, allowing for a seamless flow and a quick, intuitive grasp of the various thematic connections. Now the Design Space is also enriched with case studies and concepts, that might soon evolve in Design Interventions.

Click here to navigate my Design Space.

Reflections

I’ve found the in-depth analysis of our background and the identification of potential applications extremely helpful in defining our future project ideas: interacting with the cards as well as sharing our ideas have proven to be very stimulating. Additionally, regularly updating our Design Space and observing its evolution is a thrilling exercise that helps keep our ideas focused and dynamic.