Sustainability, design & academia - talk at CS Breakfast 28.3.2014

Aalto University ARTS
Helsinki, Finland
SUSTAINABILITY, DESIGN
AND ACADEMIA
3/28/14 CS Breakfast talk 2014 | Tatu Marttila: SUSTAINABILITY, DESIGN AND ACADEMIA
Tatu Marttila (M.A. Industrial Design)
Teacher, researcher, doctoral candidate
Aalto University ARTS, Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki, Finland
Why are we here?
Why design and sustainability?
Why design in academia?
Why sustainability in academia?

Helsinki, Finland
Starting points…
Every action can be perceived to be driven by person’s philosophical
perspectives and approach of what can be known and what can be
done with it.
Philosophy addresses ontology – what is? how it is?... and
epistemology – what can be known or done?
Perceptions on sustainability and design depend on the above.

Helsinki, Finland
SUSTAINABILITY.

Helsinki, Finland
Sustainability – what it means?
The word sustainability is derived from the Latin sustinere (tenere, to
hold; sus, up). Sustain can mean “maintain", "support", or "endure”.
In ecology, sustainability defines how biological systems endure time
and remain productive and diverse. For us – according to
anthropocentric view – it defines how human systems endure.
In being a definitive concept for systemic endurance, sustainability links
to the sub-parts of human-biological system – for example the social,
cultural and economic domains.

Helsinki, Finland
What sustainability – weak or strong?
Three pillars of sustainability Three pillars of sustainability – Nested
within the ecological dimension
VS.

Helsinki, Finland
Whose sustainability?
The history of contemporary economics can be traced back to early
forms of merchant capitalism practiced in Western Europe during the
Middle Ages, but only the recent industrialized mass production has led
to the contemporary models of consumption.
The current economic model bases itself on capital and returns on
investments, benefitting the wealthiest. Combined with the currently still
on-going imperative of economic growth it has led to ecological crisis,
hitting hardest the poorest of societies.
1% vs. 99%

Helsinki, Finland
Sustainable development
Before the end of 20 century, mass production and consumption in a
fossil-oil fueled throw-away society had led to an overshoot in both
pollution and in resource use. Sustainable development was coined to
answer these notions. It calls for “maintainable” or “endurable”
development.
The concept - as Brundtland Commission it defined (1987) - has a
strong anthropocentric approach: “[it] is development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their[s]”.
Calls for sustainable planning and design! But for what & who?

Helsinki, Finland
DESIGN.

Helsinki, Finland
Design – what and how?
The etymology of “design” as a word, from around 16th century
architecture: *De-sign* – to mark out, plan or designate. Planning
includes iteration.
Objects of design action as “design things": things that become
domesticated with certain (design) methods… But they are still
things and defined in culture and society, and community.
For design action what counts is what is perceived to exist and how,
and what can be known or done with it.
While problems can have designed solutions, also problems
themselves are defined – and designed. Who decides on problems?
Design as problem solving activity, or as problem creation activity?

Helsinki, Finland
Design – who and for whom?
Design action is linked to power: who has a say? Contemporary design
challenges are often complex and require mediation between several
concepts, contexts and interests. Accordingly, contemporary design
action should be based on a broader view, created in collaboration
between several experts and laypeople.
"Design thinking" and reflection (problem-driven, solution oriented) can
help such collaborative process by creating new integrations of signs,
things, actions and environment.
We all design but not all of us are professional designers – with a
higher level of responsibility of design action. In the brief history of
industrial design, designers have done their part by not questioning the
context or even the practices of work.

Helsinki, Finland
Sustainable design in the making
Problems of sustainable development are complex in a sense that they
have no definite right/wrong-solutions. Research and testing within a
real-life problem context is needed, calling for expanded, systemic and
collaboratively mediated, and design practice informed perspective.
Hence, action for sustainability should have have a systemic and trans-
scientific, but design-driven character.
Still, contemporary consumer-centered design is unable to produce
more sustainable solutions as long as it works along the current
economic imperatives. Development in the decision-making systems is
needed.
Thus, design action is shifting its focus from crafts or industry to
management of knowledge and actions in larger organizations and
society.

Helsinki, Finland
ACADEMIA.

Helsinki, Finland
Academia – what’s it worth?
Academia means the “environment or community concerned with the
pursuit of research, education, and scholarship”, or “a society or
institution of distinguished scholars and artists or scientists that aims to
promote and maintain standards in its particular field”.
Contemporary challenges of sustainable design call for new types of
knowledge and learning: inter-professional collaboration developing
towards transdisciplinary dialogues, to induce collective knowledge
creation.
Different communities, backgrounds and personal types (education,
profession, experiences and history) at interplay… Inter-professional
potential? What about impact outside academe?

Helsinki, Finland
Academia – an emerging third role
Traditionally the two roles for academia has been in producing the
highest level of knowledge and the highest level of education. In the
beginning of 21st century also a third role was brought in attention:
societal impact. As if the two first were failing in this respect…
What about learning outside academia or corporate research for
knowledge creation? Academia – further and further away from real
practice?
Sustainable design could be perceived as one prime candidate to
create developments in (and new) connections between academia
(knowledge mediation and education) and society.

Helsinki, Finland
MY RESEARCH.

Helsinki, Finland
Sustainability, Design and Academia
– the interplay
Creative Sustainability as a case example of “inter-professional design
education for sustainability”.
Emerging questions of interest:
• What cultural/historical aspects have affected the development of such
programme, and how has this contributed to the pedagogic/managerial
approach taken further in it?
• How is this approach represented the planning and running of the courses
and their contents, or in planning programme activities?
• How is this approach represented in the students perceptions of the
programme, and of their future professional possibilities?
•How does this contribute to sustainability?

Helsinki, Finland
Theory: What is happening here?

Helsinki, Finland
Researching Creative Sustainability
Creative Sustainability (CS) is a
multidisciplinary MA program that
initiated in fall 2010 in Aalto University.
All CS students attend to common
introduction courses (6-10 total ECTS).
These students also attend to complete
modules (up to 20 ECTS) that are
engaging students from several study
programs in real-life cases and in
transdisciplinary teamwork.
Creative Sustainability
Master’s Program

Helsinki, Finland
Creative Sustainability
– the context of activities
The pedagogical approach is based on “integrating teaching and
research, problem-based learning, blended learning and strong
connection to practical outcomes” >> constructive and open approach
with rather open roles for teacher/tutor/student.
Vague topical areas such as design and sustainability with a lot of
independent elements like participating departments with existing
courses >> open, shared, but fragmented “problem space”.
Several degree programmes collaborating >> more challenges in
management and coordination of common contents and topical
elements.

Helsinki, Finland
Research materials:
Interviews:
• Interviews 1 (x4) – CS initiators
(2010)
• Interviews 2 (x6) – Teachers on
shared courses (2011-2012)
• Interviews 3 (x6) – Student
interviews (2013)
• Interview 4 – CS manager (2014)
Additional material:
• Field notes (2010-2013)
• Student questionnaires (x4) (2010-
2012)
• Learning diaries from shared
courses (x4) (2012-2013)
• Student feedback on shared
courses (x4) (2011-2013)
• Student feedback on CS (2012-
2013)
Supporting material:
• Planning documents
• Course materials
• Program activities

Helsinki, Finland
Research process:
The research utilizes mixed methods of analysis with a rather
heterogenous set of data and interviews. Although some additional
material is assessed quantitatively, the main focus is on qualitative
assessment of the interview material.
The particular focal areas for the analysis grow from the theoretical
study and initial findings. These are then put under inquiry in the three
sets of interviews. Some supportive material is used to illustrate
findings.

Helsinki, Finland
Example focal area:
“Inter-professional design”
Initial areas of interest identified from earlier research and literature,
and from background material around case.
Structuring the first set of interviews:
•Identifying areas of interest (AoI), and units of analysis (UoA)
•Focus areas: sustainability; management; instruments;
Specific interest: “What issues play a role in inter-professional design
activity and in setting education for it?“

Helsinki, Finland
Interview set 1: CS initiators
Four semi-structured interviews with “initiators” (2010)
Emerging themes:
• Primary: Novelty in CS; Communication; Outside links;
• Secondary: Disciplinary expertise; Shared expertise; Self-promotion;
Developing the inquiry:
• Redefining constructs and areas of interest (AoI)
• Developing units of analysis (UoA)
• Iterated focus areas: context; communication; processes; history

Helsinki, Finland
Interview set 2: CS teachers
Six semi-structured interviews with “teachers” (2011-13)
Emerging themes:
• Primary: Student backgrounds; Team roles; Types of people;
• Secondary: Problem-driven; No dichotomies; Negotiation;
Developing the inquiry:
• Iterated focus areas: flow of learning, support, feedback
Supporting material and examples:
• Identifying examples and other supportive data

Helsinki, Finland
Supporting data: CS student feedback
Used as/for validating and testing hypotheses emerging from themes
and issues emerging…
Examples of emerging contradictions (Marttila, 2012):
1) Instruments (tools; language; activities)
2) Outcomes (definitions of problem, setting & goals; shared
understanding)
3) Management (during courses; between schools; within teams)
>> Towards the identification of conflicts (and solutions)…
4/2/2014 2DoD Summer School 2013 | TRANSDISCIPLINARY PLATFORMS: Inter-professional Design Education for Sustainability
Marttila, T. (2012) "Between a Problem Context and a
Problem Setting: Twofold reflection in inter-professional
design collaboration for sustainability." In: Proceedings
of DRS 2012.

Helsinki, Finland
Proceeding towards findings:
The earlier exemplifies the process towards creating better
understanding of the phenomenon. Emerging “conflicts & “solutions”
rise through cross-referencing interview material from different sets.
Along the way new focal areas are introduced: inter-professional design
and sustainability; flow of learning, support, feedback; emerging
professionalism, social networks…
The work leads into suggestions for improvement and development of
such education and such program: for example open management,
communication of disciplinary roles, self-reflection of personal
background.

Helsinki, Finland
CONCLUSIONS.

Helsinki, Finland
Design education for sustainability
Instrumental approach to sustainable design is not enough. The
question is not only on sustainability, but how we mediate knowledge
creation collaboratively. It is not only about inter-professional abilities,
but about language and how to relate epistemologies – parts of the life-
views based on cultural, personal and disciplinary backgrounds. And it
is not only about design process, but about developing knowledge
creation, decision-making and participation.
To promote sustainability, also education must embrace and build upon
similar aspects.

Helsinki, Finland
Design platforms for sustainability
The challenge of sustainability is to design a new way of being. Design
practice, education, economic activity and interaction within the social
have to be addressed as a whole.
One aim of sustainable design should therefore be to create the
supportive platforms that enable better awareness, more informed
collaboration and more genuine interaction, with a wide public audience
and several stakeholder groups, co-aligned under novel directions. CS
can be perceived as one example.
The potential to sustainability provided by the (design) academia is thus
dictated in the extent to which education can answer to this
aforementioned call.

Helsinki, Finland
THANK.YOU!

Sustainability, design & academia - talk at CS Breakfast 28.3.2014

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