Meaningful Making (27 May 2016)

MeaningfulMakingDr.CliffordChoy

SchoolofDesign,TheHongKongPolytechnicUniversity

[email protected]

27May2016

Outline

• MakingandDesigning• Supportinginfrastructure• DesignforDisadvantaged• Q&A

Making

Making

• Turningideasintotangible/perceivableform

• Materials,Tools,Processes• Notmerelyaboutproductionandfabrication,butalsoinvolvesself-learning,problem-solving,exploration,experimentationandcriticalthinking

• Learn,create,share• Do-it-yourself(DIY)withothers

• Notjustinlocalcommunitiesinolddays,butthroughInternettocollaboratewithpeoplearoundtheworld

• Do-it-yourself(DIY)withtechnology• Notjustwithhandtools,butwithdigitally-enabledtools

Make=DIYwithTechnology

• Onlineplatformsforlearning,sharingandacquiringresources


• Personalanddigitalfabrication



• Materials,components,modules,systems

http://www.engadget .com/2012/03/08/softkin etic-brings-depthsense-range-sensor-to-gdc-hopes-to-put/

MakerMovement

• Growing culture of hands-on making, creating, designing and innovating

• Despite its diversity [in makers’ interests], the movement is unified by a shared commitment to open exploration, intrinsic interests and creative ideas

• When I talk about the maker movement, I make an effort to stay away from the word “inventor” – most people just don’t identify themselves that way. “Maker”, on the other hand, describes each one of us no matter how we live our lives, or what our goals might be.

Peppler, K., Bender, S. (2013) Maker movement spreads innovation one project at a time. Kappan, v95, N3, pp22-27. Retrieved from http://www.kyliepeppler.com/Docs/2013_Peppler_Maker_Movement.pdf

Dougherty, D. (2012). The Maker Movement. Innovations, v7, n3, pp11-14

MakerFaire HongKong2015(28-29Nov2015)

MakerFaire HongKong2015(28-29Nov2015)

FabFest Boston(8-9Aug2015)

MakerFaireHongKong(28-29Nov2015)

Youth in Innovation, San Mateo Innovation Week 2016, 19 May 2016

“making”

TheExperiential Learning Cycle [KolbandKolb,2005]

Kolb, A.,Kolb, D.(2005, May15)TheKolbLearning StyleInventory– Version3.12005 Technical Specifications. Retrieved fromhttp://learningfromexperience.com/media/2010/08/tech_spec_lsi.pdf

Why“Making” isImportant?(1)

• Re-connectustothematerialworld

Crawford,M.(2006).ShopClassasSoulcraft.TheNewAtlantis.Retrieved fromhttp://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/shop-class-as-soulcraft

Skilled manual labor entails a systematic encounter with the material world, precisely the kind of encounter that gives rise to natural science.

This history provides a nice illustration of a point made by Aristotle:

Lack of experience diminishes our power of taking a comprehensive view of the admitted facts. Hence those who dwell in intimate association with nature and its phenomena are more able to lay down principles such as to admit of a wide and coherent development; while those whom devotion to abstract discussions has rendered unobservant of facts are too ready to dogmatize on the basis of a few observations.

Why“Making” isImportant?(2)

• Sustainability• Consumeless,producemore• Locallyproduce,locallyconsume• Self-sustainablecommunityandcity(e.g.FabCity,MakerCity)

• Maintainlocalandglobalviews• Empowerment

• Whatcanbeimagined,canbemade• “…seethepromiseofbeingthemakersofthings,andnotjusttheconsumersofthings”(Obama,2009)

• Daretothinkbig,daretoexploreunknown• “CanwebuildcarsinHK?”“CanwebuildplanesinHK?”“CanwedospaceexplorationinHK?”“CanweturnHKintoaself-sufficientcity?”

Obama,B.(2009).RemarksbythePresidentonthe“EducationtoInnovate”campaign.[Pressrelease].Washington,DC:WhiteHouseOfficeofthePressSecretary.www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-presidenteducation-innovate-campaign

AttributesdevelopedthroughMaking

• Tinkering,hacking• Hands-onapproachinlearningbydoing• ExplorationandExperimentation• Cross-disciplinarity• Learningthroughpeerandcommunity• Collaboration• Skills,craftsmanship,patience• Learningthroughsharingtocommunity• “can-do”mindset• Livewithfailures

http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/faq-for-maker-portfolios

Executive Office of the President, The White House, Washington (2014, June) Building a Nation of Makers: Universities and Colleges in Pledge to Expand Opportunities to Make. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/building_a_nation_of_makers.pdf

MakingandDesigning

WhyPolyU Design?• “Everyonedesignswhodevisescoursesofactionaimedatchangingexistingsituationsintopreferredones.”

• “…design…makesideastangible,it[design]takesabstractthoughtsandinspirationsandmakessomethingconcrete.”

• Designersthinkthroughmaking

• Moremeaningfulifmakingisassociatedwithpeople,notjustmakingforthesakeofmaking

(Herbert Simon,1981,ascitedbyJohnHesket,2009)

(MatHunter,2014)

Heskett, J.(2009).Creating Economic ValuebyDesign.International Journal ofDesign,v3,n1.Retrieved from:http://www.ijdesign.org/ojs/index.php/IJDesign/article/view/477/243Hunter, M(2014)WhatisDesign andWhyitmatters?Retrieved on5May2015fromhttp://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/uk-creative-overview/news-and-views/view-what-is-design-and-why-it-matters

http://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/uk-creative-overview/news-and-views/view-what-is-design-and-why-it-matters

“making”

Analysis-Synthesis Bridge Model (Dubberly and Evenson, 2011)

Dubberly, H., Evenson, S. (2011) Design as Learning - or 'Knowledge Creation' - the SECI Model. Interactions. Jan+Feb 2011, pp 75-79. Retrieved from https://interactions.acm.org/archive/view/january-february-2011/design-as-learning-or-knowledge-creation-the-seci-model1

“making”

https://sheilapontis.wordpress.com/2015/06/04/design-thinking-revised/

“making”

MeaninginMaking

• “Making”shouldbebasedonintrinsicinterests• Howtomakeitmeaningfultostudentswhenmaking?• Howtodeveloptheirabilitiesto“empathize”?

• FourLevelsofMaking:• Makingforself

• Fun,self-use,solveyourownproblem,…• Makingforsomeoneyouarefamiliar

• Foryourbestfriend,foryourparents,…• Makingforothers

• Foryourclassmates,foryourneighbors,…• Makingforsocialgood

• Fordisadvantagedgroup,forlocalcommunity,forsustainability, forchange,….

STEM/STEAM

• KnowledgefromScience,Technology,Engineering,ArtandMathematics(STEAM)tosupportmaking

• Science– e.g.understandingofpropertiesofmaterials• Technology– e.g.availabilityoftools(hardware,software,…)andprocesses• Engineering– e.g.programming,electronics,CAD• Art– e.g.aesthetics,form,shape• Mathematics– e.g.simulations,algorithms

• “Making”providesanengagingwayforindividualtolearnandapplySTEAMknowledge

Howtomake?Whatcanbemade?

Whattomake?Whytomake?

ConceptualstrategytopromoteDesignthruMaking

• Knowingpossibilities withpersonalanddigital fabrication technologies (strengthandlimitations witheach”technology”,whatcanbedonebycombiningmultipleofthose)

• Develop tacitknowledge inusingdifferentmaterials, tools,processes

• Understanding“users”,identifyingopportunities• Evaluate, identifyissuesandimprove

STEM/STEAM

Design

Supportinginfrastructure

InfrastructuretoSupportMaking

• Space,tools,machines• Tinkerspace, Makerspace, Hackerspace, FabLab• Traditional tools• DigitalFabrication lab, techshop• Software (e.g.Blender,GIMP,Rhino, …)

• Materials,kits,platforms• E.g.MaterialResourceCentre(PolyU JCIT5-th floor)

(http://www.sd.polyu.edu.hk/en/j.c.-innovation-tower/material-resource-centre), Strawbees (www.strawbees.com), Arduino

• Learningresources• Blogs, tutorials, discussion forums, youtube, ….• E.g.Instructables, Adafruits, Stackoverflow, …

• Sharingandcollaborativeplatforms• Git,WordPress, Google doc,Google hangout, YouTube, Vimeo,…

• Eventsforsharingofknowledge• Exhibitions, science fair,fun fair,MakerFaire

SupportinginfrastructureSpace,tools,machines,materials

Makerspace,Hackerspace,FabLab

• Aspaceforallpeopletocometoaccesstotools,usuallyunderamembershipsystem,andmayhavemembershipfee

• Organizeworkshops/seminarsforknowledgesharing• Attracttalentsandthosewhoarewillingtolearn• Promotephysicalinteractions,exchangeofknowledgeandideas,collaborations

• Acommunityofpracticeofmakers,whichinturnattractspeoplewhowouldliketogethelpfrommakers(e.g.thoserepresentlocalneeds)

• NOTASPACETOSHOW-OFFEXPENSIVEEQUIPMENTS!!!

Futureward@TatungUniversity,Taipei

CitrusInventionLab@UC Berkeley,Berkeley(1)

CitrusInventionLab@UC Berkeley,Berkeley(2)

JacobsInstituteforDesignInnovation@UCBerkeley,Berkeley

SomeUseCasesforMakerspace/Fab Lab

• Talk,demo,workshop• Differenttypesofprivilegeandabilitiesformembers• Scrapmaterialsforotherstouse• Volunteerswillingtoworkinexchangeforfreeuse• Cometoexploreandhavefun,maybenewcomers,maybemembers• Cometolookforcollaborators• Wanttoprototypeforapotentiallycommercializableproduct• Wanttosharewhattheyhavelearned,and/orhavemade

Fab Labs

• FabLabprogramfromNeilGershenfeld,CentreofBitsandAtoms,MIT

• Since2002• Morethan672registeredworldwide,someinruralareas,asof28May2016• Asmallscaleworkshoptosupportdigitalfabrication• Provideaphysicalhubforpeopletomeet• Provideanonlinehubforpeopletocontributeknowledgeandshareideas

http://www.fabfoundation.org/fab-labs/the-fab-charter/

Labelec, S.A. (2010) International Benchmarking Study on the Functioning of FABLAB – Proposal for a Business Model. Technical Report no 836/10-MT. Metrology Department, EDP. Retrieved from http://www.fablabedp.edp.pt/sites/default/files/uploaded_files/Benchmarking%20report.pdf

https://www.fablabs.io/map

Makerspace/Hackerspace/Fab LabinHK

• Fewprivatelyrun(DimSum Lab,LabbyDimension+,MakerBay),morecoming

• Compareto>200inShenZhen• 2FabLabsinShenZhen

• 0FabLabinHK!!

SupportinginfrastructureEventsforsharingofknowledge

MakerFaire

• Afamily-friendlyfestivalofinvention,creativityandresourcefulness• Formakerstogather,showwhattheyhavemadeandsharewhattheyhavelearned

• Todemonstratewhat ispossible• Toexchangeknowledgeandideas• Toinspire

• Partofsciencefair,partoffunfair• Youcanperform/demonstrate“crazy”things

• NOT“BookFair”,“ComputerFair”,“Animation-ComicandGameFair”inHongKong• NOTatradefairdominatedbytraditionalsalesandmarketing

• NOTaninventionshow,NOTatechnologyexpo• NOTacompetition

MakerFaire

• FirstlaunchinBayArea,USA,in2006• In2014,119independently-producedMiniand14FeaturedMakerFaires aroundtheworld,includingTokyo,Rome,Detroit,OsloandShenzhen

• 215,000peopleattendedthetwoflagshipMakerFaires intheBayAreaandNewYorkin2014

• PromoteSTEAM(Science,Technology,Engineering,Art,Mathematics)education

WhatdoyouexpectinMakerFaire?

• Makersshow-and-telltheirworks/projects• Presentation• Demonstration/Performance• Hands-onactivities• Workshops

MakerFaireHongKong2015(28-29Nov2015)

MakerFaireHongKong2015(28-29Nov2015)

SupportsThreeBroadStagesofMakers

• ZerotoMaker• Arouseinterestofthosewithnoexperienceinmakingtobecomeamaker• InMakerFaire: Throughhands-onactivities,throughworkshops,throughinspiringtalks,throughinspiringworksfromothermakers

• MakertoMaker• Sharingofknowledgebetweenmakers• Collaborateandaccesstoothers’expertise• Worktogetheronsharedplatforms• InMakerFaire: Throughshow-and-telltheirprojects,throughofferinghands-onactivitiesandorganizingworkshops,throughinteractwithvisitorsandothermakers

• MakertoMarket• Somecreationsofmakershavecommercialappealandgetintothemarket• InMakerFaire: Throughpresentingtheirjourneytoothermakers,throughcollectingfeedbacksfromvisitorsontheircreations

Hagel, J. Brown, J,, Kulasooriya, D. (2014) A Movement in the Making. Deloitte University Press. Retrieved from http://dupress.com/articles/a-movement-in-the-making/

SomeFactsonMakerFaireHongKong2015

• www.makerfairehongkong.com

• Morethan200makersparticipated• Morethan170exhibits/activities/workshops/talksshow-cased/delivered• Estimated15,000perdayonaveragevisited

• 4localprimaryschools,8localsecondaryschools,and1internationalschoolparticipated;moreschoolsareinterestedandwilljoinnextyear

• MakerscomefromHK,Taiwan,mainlandChina,Japan,France,Barcelona,UK

• Fromembroiderytorobotics,fromamateur/hobbyiststoprofessionals

Someobservations

• MostHKpeoplehavenoconceptona“fair”duringwhichpeoplesharetheirworksandknowledge

• Generalimpression- “Fair”isaboutsellingthingsonly• Wehavemakerswhoaregoodatcraftsandwouldliketoapplytechnology,butdon’tknowhow.Wehavemakerswhoaregoodintechnology,butdon’tknowhowtheycanbeusedtocreateobjectswhichareusefulandappealing.

• ManyteachershavedifficultiesinunderstandingwhytheyhavetoparticipateinMakerFaire

• Thisisnotacompetition.Whyjoin?Whatbenefits?Whattheymaygain?• Manyteachersdonottalktothoseindifferentdisciplines• Manyteachersdonotknowwhatis“Design”(thoughtthatitisaboutmakingthingsprettier),andhaven’theardof“DesignThinking”

SupportinginfrastructureSharingandcollaborativeplatforms

http://www.protospace.nl/fabmoments/rolbox

http://www.protospace.nl/fabmoments

http://fablab.waag.org/how-to-document

Glossary

DesignforDisadvantaged

60

Projecttitle:“ProjectPositivePlay”- Pleasurable Experience forPromotingPositiveEmotional QualitywithConfidence andSustainableDevelopment ofDisableKids

Hong- 13yearoldboy Fong- 7yearoldgirl

DesignforHumanities

Support

• Fromschooloftargetusers• Speechtherapist• Rehabilitationspecialists• Interviewswithtargetusers• Observationsoftargetusersinschool• Prototyping,evaluationandfeedbacks

• FromPolyUDesign• Ergonomics,limitationsoffunctioning• Physicalcomputing

KeyIssuesandLearning

• Physicaldisabilitieslimittheirabilitytoplay,whichlimittheirabilitytoexploreandhencetolearn

• Existingtoyscannotfulfilltheirneeds• Difficultforthemtoplaywithothers,andwithothermorecapablestudents

• Developtheirabilitiestousetheircontrollerscangreatlyimproveaccessibilitytoinformation,henceplayfulactivitiesshouldhelpthemtodeveloptheseabilities

DesignforVisuallyImpaired

• In2013,supportedbyTheHongKongSocietyfortheBlind(www.hksb.org.hk)

• In2015,supportedbyHongKongNetworkforthePromotionofInclusiveSocietyLtd(http://www.inclusive.org.hk/)

Support

• Fromsupportingorganization• TalksonVisualImpairment• DemonstrationsandInterviews• Observations• Simulations• Prototyping,evaluationsandfeedbacks

• FromPolyUDesign• Designprocess• Experiencemap

KeyIssuesandLearning

• MisconceptiononwhatcanbeachievedbyVIpersonsandhowtheysolvetheirdailyproblemsaffectourabilitytodesign

• iPhoneandothermobiledevices(andinformationtechnology)offergreathelptoVIpersonsinaccessingtoinformation

• Brailleisdifficulttolearn,anddon’texpectallVIpersonscanreadbraille• ManyVIpersonsarenotbornblind,andmoreimportantinHKtoallowthosewhobecomevisuallyimpairedinadulthoodtoadapt

• Theypreferaslittlehelpfromothersaspossible• Howcantheytravelalone?Howcantheyshop?Howcantheytakepublictransport?

Questions

• Canamakerspacewithanappropriatelymixofmakershelptodesignforcertaindisadvantagedgroups?

• Howtoconcentratethoseknowledgeaslearnedfromthespecificcontext?

• Possibletoengagethosewhoarefamiliarwithdisadvantagedgroupsinmakerspace,withmakerstohelpthemsolvetheirproblems?

• Socialinnovation!!!

Questions?

Thanks

Welcomeanysuggestionsemail:[email protected]

Slidesavailablefrom:http://www.slideshare.net/cliffordchoy9/meaningful-making-

27-may-2016