Scandinavian Design--From Arts and Crafts to IKEA Lessons and Problems for System Designers: A Slide Show

Abstract

The presentation will consist of a series of slides showing examples from furniture design, house plans, land use, and interior design. Examples from Scandinavian design are not shown as paradigm cases but rather as examples of the way other designers have faced a series of economic. social, aesthetic and ethical issues. Several key issues will be traced through the photographic examples setting the stage for discussion about issues which confront computer system developers today. The key issues addressed include: 1) while architectural and interior designers have often explicitly addressed social issues they have done so as the gate keepers of design, rather than as participants in the design process. how can participation enhance the design environment for computer system users; 2) the movement to mass produced. less costly environmental design has often resulted in reduced choice for consumers, can this problem be avoided in participatory design of computer systems. and 3) the movement to off-the-shelf system cocponents versus custom designed systems. parallels similar developments in architectural and interior design. how can this movement be made more participatory and less restricting.