Considering the vast panorama of interpretations and definitions regarding tools used in the design practice, we outlined this manifesto to create an identikit of the design tools that are created within the Design community of Politecnico di Milano. The manifesto serves as an alphabet for supporting the collection and organisation of the already existing design tools produced by out community, and for the creation of new ones.
Do you have a Design Tool @POLIMI?
The in-progress manifesto
First drafted by our team, as researchers and design professionals, the manifesto is intended to be a living document fed by the wider Design community at Politecnico di Milano.
Everybody is welcome to contribute to achieve its completion.
We seek your input to make it grow.
DesignTools@POLIMI manifesto
Pillar #1
A Design Tool @POLIMI
… is an artifact used as a mean to an end, which is employed through a designed set of instructions.
E.g. It could be a deck of cards with its guidelines designed to collect insights, it could be a digital platform with a walkthrough designed to spark new ideas …
… is replicable and therefore could be employed by others.
E.g. It could be used not just by those who designed it.
… must have a significant degree of novelty either in its design and/or in its application
E.g. It could be an already existing design tool used with a novel set of instructions or aimed at achieving a different purpose.
… can be a singular element or a combination of more elements organised in a toolkit.
E.g. It could be singular canvas or a set of them useful to generate new insights or to detail a project.
Pillar #2
A Design Tool @POLIMI
… is designed by members of the Polimi Design Department and School.
E.g. It could be designed by a researcher, a professor, a designer.
… is conceived to support the design practice.
E.g. It could support designers in the development of any design project (i. e. products, services, strategies, interiors, etc…) both inside and outside the academia (i.e local communities, companies, institutions, etc …).
… may be designed to support the design education.
E.g. It could support researchers, professors and designers in training the design practice, both inside and outside the academia (i.e local communities, companies, institutions, …).
… could be addressed to both professional designers and/or non-designers..
E.g. It could be designed to be used by a team of professional designers, or by a specific cluster of stakeholders (i.e. teachers, managers, etc..).
Pillar #3
A Design Tool @POLIMI
… could be tangible.
E.g. It could be constituted by physical elements, such as a game-board or a deck of cards.
… could be intangible.
E.g. It could be constituted by computational or conceptual elements, such as a digital platform or a model.
… could mix tangible and intangible elements.
E.g. Il could be constituted by a deck of cards that interacts with a digital platform.
Pillar #4
A Design Tool @POLIMI
… is designed to reach a specific objective.
E.g. It could be designed to help people in express their own idea about a topic.
… is designed for a specific field.
E.g. It could be designed to help teachers in express their own idea about the evolution of education.
… could be re-employed in a new field, different from the one it was designed for.
E.g. A design tool that supports students to generate ideas on a new product, could be re-employed to help managers to generate ideas on a new strategy.
… could be re-employed to reach novel objectives, different from the one it was designed for.
E.g. A design tool that support designers to explore a new field, could be re-employed to help them to generate ideas.
… aims at generating a positive impact either on the design process, its outputs and/or the users.
E.g. enhancing cognitive and/or design abilities, generating new knowledge or stimulating inquires.
Do you have a Design Tool @POLIMI?
Join the collective
Candidate your tool to be featured in this website
About
DesignTools@POLIMI is a collaborative project launched within MiniFARB funds of the Department of Design. The aim of the research is to create a taxonomy to define, collect and enhance the Design Tools developed by the Department and the School of Design.
Contact us at designtoolspolimi@gmail.com
Silvia Gramegna, Carmen Bruno, Francesca Mattioli, Vanessa Monna, Martina Rossi, Ilaria Vitali.