Assignment Instructions/ Description
History and Theory of DesignResearch Paper 1: Analysis – Improving Design
Learning Outcomes• Demonstrate an understanding of why designed products have succeeded and/or failed, and how they may beimproved.• Demonstrate the ability to synthesize knowledge across historicalframeworks addressing the social responsibility of productdesign.• Demonstrate the ability to perform cross-disciplinary research in order to establish convincing arguments on positions relating to the globalization of productdesign.
The qualities of design objects – form, ornament, production methods, workshop conditions, consumption, issues of public taste, technology, globalization, sustainability, inclusivity, etc. – have preoccupied a variety of individuals and groups since the industrial revolution.
Research Topic: Dan Norman, a world-renowned designer who is best known for his books on design. Dan Norman has tried to change or improve design in some way in relation to social responsibility and global issues. Research and write a 1250-word formal academic paper driven by a thesis and argument exploring Dan Norman’s ideas, successes, failures, and legacy. You may want to consider the following questions in selecting you topic and conducting your research:
• What problems did they address? What were their goals? What were they trying toachieve?• What solutions did they propose? How did they think design should be? How did they think things should look? How should things be made? How did they propose to move design from its contemporary state to their ideal state? How would thatwork?• Were they able to enact their solutions? Why? Whynot?• Were their proposed solutions successful? Why? Whynot?• Did they design or make things? If so, is there a relationship between their designs and their ideas? How do their designs reflect their ideas? Do their designs show the limits of theirideas?• Did others follow up on their ideas? What is theirlegacy?• Do you agree with their goals or like the things theydesigned?
All papers must include proper footnotes and bibliography in appropriate Chicago/Humanities format (see guides on BeachBoard).
If using images, each image must have a caption indicating name or title (e.g. iPhone), responsible parties (i.e. maker/designer etc.) and date.
All papers must be Word.
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