Emergence and the Ecology of Design February 1, 2007

Design Ecology

and Emergence

An Interactive Discussion

WITH DR. ROBERT K. Logan
Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity and
Department of Physics, University of Toronto


AND GREG VAN ALSTYNE
Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity and
Faculty of Design, Ontario College of Art and Design


Abstract: Innovative design is shown to be an emergent phenomenon in which the designer operates in design ecology. The design ecology is also shown to be a complex system that comprises the elements outlined in Table 1 below.


The designer becomes the instrument or catalyst that interacts with the elements of the design ecology in order to generate an innovative and emergent design. The design process within design ecology may be understood using the concept and vocabulary of biomimetics. Examples from industrial design, environmental design, graphic design, illustration, advertising and material arts are presented.


It is hope that more examples will emerge from the discussion following the formal presentation. Although the focus of this event is the design process all members of the OCAD and the greater Toronto community are welcome. For a full text of the presentation email:
Bob Logan at logan@physics.utoronto.ca or
Greg Van Alstyne at gvanalstyne@faculty.ocad.ca



Table 1. The components of the design ecology:
1. current and past products and services of the culture (the technosphere),

2. the organization’s engineering resources,

3. the needs, desires and expectations of potential users,

4. the organization’s marketing resources,

5. the organization’s financial resources,

6. its management skills and its ability to collaborate,

7. the dynamics of the marketplace, and

8. the price of the product or service.

UPDATE: ROOM 300 AT 52 MCCAUL STREET