DESIGN & SCIENCE:WHY?
The context for scientific research is changing
Recent developments have put additional pressures on the scientific community. These challenges include:
- Increased Complexity: scientific challenges of today are far more complex and require more effective knowledge sharing and integration across disciplines
- Speed and Growth of Information: paradoxically, the growth and speed of new information makes it harder to reach the frontiers of knowledge and has led to more specialization and silo-ing
- Avoidance of Risk: systematic barriers within the practice of science may be promoting too much caution versus risk-taking, which leave gaps in novel approaches that could address grand challenges
- Fewer Resources and Support: constraints in federal government funding is forcing the scientific community to do more and innovate more with fewer resources and less support
New approaches to the way we undertake scientific challenges can help lead to better and more robust research outcomes and amplify the value of public investments that support research.
Our project seeks to address a large gap in realizing the power of bridging design thinking together with science to address complex research problems. Design practices have been introduced and have successfully led to changes in innovation practices in technology, engineering, and medical and healthcare services and delivery.
In this project, we ask the question: what is the role of design upstream of engineering and applied science? Specifically, what is the role of design in scientific research (basic and translational)?
A key barrier is the lack of understanding and awareness by many scientists about what the design disciplines have to offer, both in theory and practice, and how design methods and tools can be relevant to science. (One of our projects addresses this gap - see workshop at Stanford d.school (link here)).
This work aims to bridge this gap through transfer of design principals and behaviors (i.e. Design Thinking) to science practice and to introduce design research methods that are translated in a way that's appropriate for scientific research context.
