Dear Sudhir

There are many levels at which one can practice design. In my paper
titled "Levels of Design intervention in a Complex Global Scenario"
presented in Brazil in 1998 I have shown at least four distinct levels
at which designers are asked to work, or at which they choose to work.
The paper is on my web archive at
<http://homepage.mac.com/FileSharing1.html> in the folder papers on
design. The levels that I had proposed are 1. the Tactical level
(skills and sensibility of the designer is used), 2. The Elaborative
Level (market practices and needs of particular industry or trade
channel are used to generate variety), 3, the Innovative level (long
term R&D investments lead to owned IPR and major patents) and 4. The
Strategic Level (opens up new industries and creates discontinuities in
the marketplace and makes old industries or products obsolete, this is
vision led design) At this level, economics and politics are close
partners to design visualisation and action in the field and designers
and users of design (not necessarily designers) need to manage these
complexities if success is to be achieved.

Victor Margolin in his book "Politics of the Artificial: Essays on
Design and Design Studies" takes these ideas further to map the
emerging mega role of design that well includes politics and economics
and social anthropology as part of design strategy and action. Design
schools are shying away from dealing with this phenomenon directly and
still hang on to the the traditional tools and disciplines which have
long lost their significance in the world of real action, leaving the
professionals to cope as best they can when the are confronted with the
reality of this massive change and churn in the industry. Or they have,
across the world, abandoned traditional tools that are still effective
to mistakenly pursue an exclusive digital and theory led strategy, at
the cost of the practical and analogue methods and tools, which too is
a prescription for disaster.

I believe our own work in the area of developing bamboo as a
sustainable rural development resource using design strategies and
innovation as the key drivers are full of examples of the complex
interplay of economics and politics of action in the field. Take a
look at our recent efforts in Katlamara, Tripura for the potential of
design innovation for rapid rural development. The Katlamara strategy
and a picture story of the recent training initiatives which is now on
my website and any designer or entrepreneur interested in partnering
our efforts to make it a success is welcome to get in touch and we can
explore possibilities together or theuy can go directly to Katlamara,
and our slogan is "Kat;lamara Chalo!!". See these sites:
Katlamara Strategy:
<http://homepage.mac.com/ranjanmp/Katlamara_Chalo_2005/Personal46.html>
Katlamara picture story:
<http://homepage.mac.com/ranjanmp/Katlamara_Chalo_2005/
PhotoAlbum44.html>

The economics of Katlamara are amazing and so are the politics!! any
takers?

I look forward to other examples from colleagues on the list.

With warm regards

M P Ranjan
from my office at NID
13 June 2005 at 12.35 am IST


On 12-Jun-05, at 9:25 PM, Sudhir Sharma wrote:

> just some random thoughts i thought i will put up here for your
> furthering.
>
> Design as problem solution, thats what we believe. means we firts
> need to understand the
> problem, well even before that the first step perhaps would be to
> recognise the
> problem..or regnise the fact- there is a problem...
>
> there are many ways of recognising the problem, infact designers
> would use many ways to
> get to this insight ( many times very apparant problems need defining
> too)...there are
> many jokes on american management consultants who charge huge amounts
> to show the
> problem to the client.
>
> I think this is where a value system for designers comes into play-
> truth and honesty.
> designers need to be honest and true when recognising and setting to
> correct this
> problem.
>
> consider a case where there are other considerations which start
> weighing on this
> truth...and if designers refuse to see the problem as they see
> it....they may then fbricate a
> problem to solve....
>
> that is what politicians do.
> Do not recognise the right problem, solving the right problem may
> shake the system
> (though that is what is needed).
> Create problems that can be solved by them, and they could get credit
> points.
>
> The truth value for designers is very essential for our profession,
> our society and our
> country to move ahead. This can be extremely painful.
>
> There would be enumerable cases where many of us have lost projects,
> clients, friends by
> speaking the truth (professionally). There are many cases where many
> of us would count
> being brutually honest the turning point for projects.
>
> I invite you to put in cases where you have lost and gained by being
> true and honest...lets
> celebrate being designers.
>
> Do we see designers turning politicians?
> Come on..lets speak
>
>
> sudhir
> 1983-89 NID
> elephant Design
> pune