1. DIRECTED RESEARCH
Ray Mancini | Prof. Tom Klinkowstein | Tuesday, 6 pm
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

2. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
Most modern speech therapies have flaws,
and no single technique works for everyone
suffering from disfluency.
Can design thinking possibly form the foundation
for a new method of therapy?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

3. HYPOTHESIS
This thesis presents the hypothesis that design methodology may offer a
partial solution to overarching flaws in modern day speech therapies.
In contrast to current stuttering approaches, which often set unrealistic
expectations of perfection or focus on only one area for improvement, design
thinking examines a problem from all sides and promotes experimentation.
A concept like the “T-shaped Designer”, emphasizing strong skill set in
conjunction with larger knowledge base, could offer a robust approach
currently not being utilized in the speech therapy field.
Such research and comparison could bring interdisciplinary insight into
understanding and circumventing the limited verbal communication of
stutterers.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

4. FLAW / DESIGN COMPARISONS
FLAW Expectation of perfection.
DESIGN Mistakes are aesthetically desirable.
FLAW Narrow treatment focus.
DESIGN Look at all aspects of a problem (context, history, environment)
to achieve a successful solution.
FLAW No streamlining/filtering of spoken content.
DESIGN Simplify a larger message to its focused essence.
FLAW Many “one-size-fits-all” approaches.
DESIGN Every problem needs a unique approach.
FLAW Limitations will never allow “normal” communication.
DESIGN Limitations force us to be creative and explore different
techniques to communicate effectively.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

5. INTERDISCIPLINARY INNOVATION
ADRIAN HILL
ARTIST, ART THERAPIST, EDUCATOR (1895-1977)
Discovered the therapeutic benefits of drawing and
painting while recovering from tuberculosis
Coined the term ‘art therapy’
Said the value of art therapy lay in ‘completely
engrossing the mind (as well as the fingers)
Suggested artistic work to his fellow inpatients, who were
documented in 1945 in a book, under the title, “Art
Versus Illness”
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

6. WIDENING ONE’S KNOWLEDGE BASE
TIM BROWN
CEO AND PRESIDENT OF IDEO
Spoke of “T-shaped People, individuals with a deep skill set
in their chosen field, plus a broader range of interdisciplinary
and social skills.
Able to explore insights from many different perspectives
and recognize patterns of behavior.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

7. CONTINUOUS EXPERIMENTATION
MALCOLM FRASER
PHILANTHROPIST, BUSINESSMAN, STUTTERER (1903 - 1994)
Founded the Stuttering Foundation of America using
$10 million of his own money
Authored “Self-Therapy for the Stutterer”, providing
guidance for stutterers to help themselves without
conventional therapy.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

8. OUTLINE
MY STORY
PROBLEM / HYPOTHESIS
SPEECH DISFLUENCY
• Overview
• Types of Available Therapies
• Therapy Shortcomings / Flaws
DESIGN METHODOLOGY
• Overview
• Evolution of design methodologies through history
• Specific design thinkers
• Specific design methodologies
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

9. VALORIZED DESIGNER #1
“The valorized designer should see design for its major potential contribution
to making the quality of life richer and more sustainable.”
My thesis has the potential to alter the lives of many stutterers, including
myself. The final output may be a new and unique addition to the fields of
design AND speech therapy.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

10. VALORIZED DESIGNER #2
“It is important that (designers) see how the ideas they are studying are
changing: where the ideas have come from, how they have changed, and how
they may develop.”
By studying historical and contemporary design methodologies and speech
therapies, I can arrive at a well-informed solution for my thesis.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

11. VALORIZED DESIGNER #3
“The valorized designer will be able to evaluate design as an integral and
integrated part of a particular society.”
My thesis may potentially show how design thinking can aid a very large
group of people afflicted with a severe limitation. This places design in
direct relation to a stuttering community that may not yet be aware of
design’s potential to help them.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

12. RESEARCH SOURCES
SPEECH THERAPY
• National Stuttering Association (NSA)
• Stuttering Foundation of America
• British Stammering Association (BSA)
• Various Therapists
• Specific therapy cases
• My own current experiences and the experiences of others
INNOVATORS IN DESIGN THINKING
• IDEO - Tim Brown, David Kelley
• Roger Martin
DESIGN THEORIES / APPROACHES
1. T-shaped Designers
2. Transition Theory
3. Analytic vs. Intuitive Thinking
4. Other interdisciplinary applications of design thinking
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

13. ADJACENT APPLICATIONS
Besides Speech Therapy, the hypothesis and research presented here could
possibly be applied to other physical or mental disabilities
Tuesday, July 19, 2011