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Experiencing The More-Than-Human Through Human Augmentation, Botao 'Amber' Hu, Danlin Huang Jun 2026

Experiencing The More-Than-Human Through Human Augmentation, Botao 'Amber' Hu, Danlin Huang

DRS Biennial Conference Series

The recent more-than-human turn in design calls for attentiveness to nonhuman beings. Yet—as Thomas Nagel's famous "What is it like to be a bat?" thought experiment highlights—human experience is constrained by our own sensorium and an irreducible gap in phenomenal access to nonhuman Umwelten. Grounded in eco-phenomenology and eco-somatics, this paper proposes Experiencing the More-than-Human through Human Augmentation (MtHtHA, or ">HtH+"), a design approach that repurposes human augmentation technologies—typically aimed at enhancing human capabilities for human optimization—to create temporary, embodied, first-person experiences that modulate the human sensorium to approximate nonhuman sensory experiences, cultivating ecological awareness, empathy, and care across …

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Reimagining Cultural Heritage: Designing Game Jams As Learning Spaces, Kim Holflod, Eva Eriksson Jun 2026

Reimagining Cultural Heritage: Designing Game Jams As Learning Spaces, Kim Holflod, Eva Eriksson

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Game jams have increasingly been adopted as innovative learning approaches to explore and address complex cultural and societal challenges across formal (e.g., university) and informal (e.g., GLAM) educational contexts. However, there remains a lack of pedagogical models and materials that align learning goals, activities, and assessments constructively for such events. Based on an analysis of four cultural game jams (2024-2025) involving 168 young people (aged 14-32) held in an art museum, this paper proposes a pedagogical design model grounded in systematisation and adaptability as core design principles. The model promotes hybrid and inclusive participation that connects young people, museum professionals, …

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Reconciling Values In Multidisciplinary Design Teams Through Structured Dialogue, Yijia An, Marina Bos-De Vos, Yihua Wang Jun 2026

Reconciling Values In Multidisciplinary Design Teams Through Structured Dialogue, Yijia An, Marina Bos-De Vos, Yihua Wang

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Value has been conceptualized differently across disciplines, while the negotiation of values is inherent to design collaboration. In many multidisciplinary design projects, professionals struggle to articulate or align values due to disciplinary differences, limited value awareness, and imbalanced value prioritisation, which can lead to communication difficulties or even collaboration failure. Reconciling diverse values and underlying motivations is therefore essential. This paper explores how structured dialogue can help participants in multidisciplinary design teams work towards value reconciliation. Using a qualitative approach, six structured value dialogues involving twenty participants were conducted, followed by twenty post-dialogue interviews to capture participants’ reflections. The findings …

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Deconstructing The Designer-Genai Interaction In The Design Process: A Framework For Surfacing Micro-Dynamics And Agency, Fabio Antonio Figoli, Francesca Mattioli, Lucia Rampino Jun 2026

Deconstructing The Designer-Genai Interaction In The Design Process: A Framework For Surfacing Micro-Dynamics And Agency, Fabio Antonio Figoli, Francesca Mattioli, Lucia Rampino

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper presents the Imagery Modes framework for analysing the designer–genAI interaction, complementing established metaphor-based accounts. Developed through Constructivist Grounded Theory and structured using Activity Theory, the framework focuses on the micro-dynamics of a single input–output exchange. It identifies four sequential sub-actions—crafting, processing, generating, and evaluating—that trace the relations between subjects (designer, genAI) and instruments (input, output). Central to the framework is the concept of “output imagery”, defined as the clarity with which the designer envisions the expected output prior to the interaction. Three modes of interaction are identified: Before, During, and After Imagery. The findings highlight the fluid and …

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Naming And Resisting The System Of Fatphobia In Design By A Fat, Queer Designer And Educator, Brooke Hull Jun 2026

Naming And Resisting The System Of Fatphobia In Design By A Fat, Queer Designer And Educator, Brooke Hull

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Within this paper, a white, fat, queer, trans nonbinary designer and educator uses a critical autoethnographic approach to examine the ways in which they have centered fat bodies. This is done through examination of two experiences: a design project creating fat letterforms and a pedagogical activity discussing bias in AI where they say fat in the classroom. By examining each narrative using a defined procedure, the author analyzes how fatphobia and other systems have negatively influenced the inclusion of fat bodies within design. Their analysis thus produces specific takeaways of how to name and resist this system. Using this approach …

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Decoding Physicality In Human–Artifact Interaction: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis, Xiaoshan Wang, Long Liu* Jun 2026

Decoding Physicality In Human–Artifact Interaction: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis, Xiaoshan Wang, Long Liu*

DRS Biennial Conference Series

As interaction design increasingly bridges the digital and physical realms, exemplified by tangible and embodied interaction, a clear understanding of "physicality" is critical. However, the concept remains ambiguous within the interaction between humans and artifacts, lacking a systematic understanding to guide research and practice. This research applies Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis, guided by three etymological meanings of "physical", to conduct a hybrid thematic analysis of literature from interaction, ergonomics, and design. The findings suggest that physicality is understood through a structured framework of five core attributes: material substantiality, perceptibility, two-way interaction, embodied correlation, and affordance. This preliminary framework elucidates the …

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Changing Skills Of Industrial Designers In The Age Of Genai: A Systematic And Practice Based Study, Aybike Eser, Yener Altiparmakogullari Jun 2026

Changing Skills Of Industrial Designers In The Age Of Genai: A Systematic And Practice Based Study, Aybike Eser, Yener Altiparmakogullari

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This study explores the changing skills of industrial designers in the age of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). It combines a systematic literature review covering 2020–2025 with a practice based investigation involving six designers who actively use GenAI in their design processes. Focusing on both novice and expert designers, the study examines how GenAI influences skill development through the lenses of upskilling, reskilling, and deskilling. The findings show that while GenAI enhances creativity, idea generation, and visualization, it also brings challenges such as increased cognitive load, information reliability issues, and a decline in production awareness. Differences between novice and expert designers …

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Reframing Design Activism Through Affirmative, Relational And Pluriversal Practices, Rusaila Bazlamit Jun 2026

Reframing Design Activism Through Affirmative, Relational And Pluriversal Practices, Rusaila Bazlamit

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper challenges how contemporary design activism has been defined and practised. While Western frameworks have framed activism through countering narrative, raising awareness and social change, this paper proposes a move from a position of countering toward a position of affirming. By looking at the history and current practices of design activism and examining the deficit of the “unheard” paradigm, this paper highlights the limitations of oppositional logics that centre critique over creation. This paper then explores alternative understandings grounded in decolonial, Indigenous epistemologies, and the voices of the global majority. Through examples and case studies, the paper illustrates how …

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Scaffolding Transition Pathways: Integrating Ses Resilience As A Dialogic Tool For Community-Based Co-Design, Jiarong Hu, Angus Donald Campbell, Gabriela Baron Jun 2026

Scaffolding Transition Pathways: Integrating Ses Resilience As A Dialogic Tool For Community-Based Co-Design, Jiarong Hu, Angus Donald Campbell, Gabriela Baron

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper addresses a challenge for Transition Design (TD): how to make long-term, systemic frameworks tangible and actionable in small-scale, community-led practice. We introduce and evaluate the preliminary results of a methodological framework that scaffolds TD backcasting with seven principles of Social-Ecological Systems (SES) resilience for urban gardens. Grounded in a community garden case study in Shanghai, we analyse data from semi-structured interviews and a co-design workshop to evaluate this method in practice. Our findings reveal that this method functions as a dialogic tool, enabling participants to diagnose systemic issues, negotiate trade-offs, and co-create near-term actions with a longer-term vision. …

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The Fuzzy Front-End Of Transformation: An Inquiry Protocol For Intervention Design, Niti Bhan, Piia Rytilahti Jun 2026

The Fuzzy Front-End Of Transformation: An Inquiry Protocol For Intervention Design, Niti Bhan, Piia Rytilahti

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Donella Meadows’ concept of leverage points - places in complex systems where small shifts may lead to fundamental changes in the system as a whole - is gaining attention for developing a 'leverage points perspective' on systems transformation. Distinguishing a 'system of interest' as well as identifying 'where' and 'how' to intervene for 'whom' are all matters of practical relevance which remain to be properly addressed. We contribute an inquiry protocol to identify opportunities for design actions aiming to trigger transformation in complex human systems. Our system of interest for empirical study is the informal trade ecosystem at the borderlands …

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Embedding Design Capability In Growth-Oriented Smes In China: A Multiple-Case Study, Shiyi Li Jun 2026

Embedding Design Capability In Growth-Oriented Smes In China: A Multiple-Case Study, Shiyi Li

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This multi-case study of seven Chinese growth-oriented manufacturing SMEs explores how design capability is integrated and stably embedded within organizational innovation systems. Through analysing the dynamic process of sensing-seizing-reconfiguring and integrating the RPV framework, four stable embedding patterns are identified: Supporting, Rooted, Cognitive, and Instrumental. Findings reveal that embedding patterns are jointly determined by value creation logic, value chain position, resource conditions, and managerial cognition. Design capability embedding is not a linear maturity process but depends on continuous dynamic adaptation and organizational adjustment. Market validation feedback loops linking design investment to business outcomes play a crucial role in sustaining embedding …

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From Compliance Adoption To Co-Design: An Exploratory Study Of Older Adults’ Engagement With Technology, Lay Xuan Estherine Goh, Cees De Bont Jun 2026

From Compliance Adoption To Co-Design: An Exploratory Study Of Older Adults’ Engagement With Technology, Lay Xuan Estherine Goh, Cees De Bont

DRS Biennial Conference Series

The growing presence of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) offers new opportunities for older adults, yet raises concerns around the digital divide, trust, and social inclusion. This exploratory study examines how older adults perceive and engage with technology through a community-based approach. Data were collected from 106 participants using a mixed-methods design that combined the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to assess adoption factors with narrative storytelling to capture contextual experiences. By centring participants’ voices, the study identifies emotional, social, and contextual factors shaping technology engagement. Findings highlight the importance of relational trust, social learning networks, perceived ease of use, …

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What Can't Be Confessed: The Structural Absence Of Value Accountability In Design Culture, Michael Dunbar, Liam Fennessy, Chris Speed Jun 2026

What Can't Be Confessed: The Structural Absence Of Value Accountability In Design Culture, Michael Dunbar, Liam Fennessy, Chris Speed

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Design culture has proliferated aspirational value frameworks, from manifestos championing social justice to ethics toolkits, yet lacks meaningful accountability infrastructure when values are violated or conflict. This paper examines a transgressive design research intervention: a mobile confessional booth at a city Design Week in 2025 that invited designers to anonymously confess professional compromises and ethical failures. The 125 confessions revealed patterns of deflection (blaming systems over individual agency), superficiality (focusing on technical mistakes rather than methodological rigour leading to ethical violations), and conspicuous absence of admissions regarding exploitation, greenwashing, or designing harm. Unlike medicine, law, or journalism, design has implemented …

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Does Taboo Constrain Self-Knowledge?: A Design-Led Inquiry Into The Intimate Health Of Older Women, Renata Rocha, Ayşe Özge Ağça, Teresa Almeida Jun 2026

Does Taboo Constrain Self-Knowledge?: A Design-Led Inquiry Into The Intimate Health Of Older Women, Renata Rocha, Ayşe Özge Ağça, Teresa Almeida

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Intimate health deals with highly personal functions and experiences related to sexuality, reproduction, and vulnerability. In this paper, we enquire into the private nature and sociocultural constructs of these experiences in relation to self-knowledge. We introduce a design workshop with three women aged 65+ in Portugal, where we investigated intimate care practices throughout the lifecourse. Our findings show that participatory methods can open dialogue and reveal tacit knowledge, and that lifelong learning is critical for healthy ageing. We reflect on our practice in relation to design considerations for designing with taboo and offer future directions for designing for and with …

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Perception-Based Design: An Approach For Engineering Sustainable Biobased Materials, Manu Thundathil, Ali Reza Nazmi, Bahareh Shahri, Nick Emerson, Jörg Müssig, Tim Huber Jun 2026

Perception-Based Design: An Approach For Engineering Sustainable Biobased Materials, Manu Thundathil, Ali Reza Nazmi, Bahareh Shahri, Nick Emerson, Jörg Müssig, Tim Huber

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Biobased composites, which are sustainable materials ideally poised to replace fossil-based raw materials, paradoxically are struggling to gain market acceptance. This underperformance is attributed to poor demand and acceptance of biobased composites, driven by technical and perceptual challenges. However, most research on biobased composites focuses on addressing technical challenges and fails to incorporate perceptual qualities into the material development process. By understanding the role of material characteristics (colour, patterns, texture, roughness) in shaping these qualities, we propose that novel biobased composites could be developed to meet specific consumer product needs. A prediction model for generating the desired material perception could …

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Ai-Enhanced Chinese Style Furniture Design: Integrating Cnn Cultural Recognition With Latent Diffusion Generation, Yupeng Jiang, Jiayong Zheng, Bingchen Gou, Jie Song, Jianing Kang, Zhaoxian Ren, Ying Liu, Lingwei Lyu, Junyan Lin, Suyao Wei, Weilan An Jun 2026

Ai-Enhanced Chinese Style Furniture Design: Integrating Cnn Cultural Recognition With Latent Diffusion Generation, Yupeng Jiang, Jiayong Zheng, Bingchen Gou, Jie Song, Jianing Kang, Zhaoxian Ren, Ying Liu, Lingwei Lyu, Junyan Lin, Suyao Wei, Weilan An

DRS Biennial Conference Series

In the wave of artificial intelligence development, employing computer technology to advance the innovative design of Chinese-style furniture and optimize the intelligent development of cultural products is crucial for revitalizing the industry and strengthening cultural confidence. This study identifies issues of homogenization and cultural dilution in intelligent furniture design and proposes an intelligent design model based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and a latent diffusion model (LDM). CNNs are used to recognize cultural features in Chinese-style furniture, while the LDM generates design schemes, rapidly producing Chinese chairs that meet contemporary aesthetic preferences while retaining traditional cultural attributes. The study enhances …

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Drawn To Think: A Step Toward Decolonising Design Visualcy, Ellen O'Gorman Jun 2026

Drawn To Think: A Step Toward Decolonising Design Visualcy, Ellen O'Gorman

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Design students often hesitate to use drawing as a thinking tool, wary of expectations for figurative outcomes and the evaluative traditions that shape the status quo in product design. This study draws on object-oriented ontology (OOO) and vibrant materialism to explore how a drawing tool—specifically the pencil— might act as an agent in rethinking the pedagogy of semiogenic design visualcy. The study proposes micro-camera activities that capture the pencil’s perspective to produce a radically altered visual and auditory encounter with drawing. Tracing the pencil’s entanglements reveals drawing not simply as representation but relation. The line becomes both a mark and …

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Longing For: Designing Activities To Break The Taboo Of Female Sexuality In Care Homes, Yoni Lefévre, Niels Hendriks, Heather Wilkinson, Andrea Wilkinson, Arno G. Verhoeven Jun 2026

Longing For: Designing Activities To Break The Taboo Of Female Sexuality In Care Homes, Yoni Lefévre, Niels Hendriks, Heather Wilkinson, Andrea Wilkinson, Arno G. Verhoeven

DRS Biennial Conference Series

An effort to co-explore later life sexuality with older adults, this study critically reflects on a series of intentionally designed activities to discuss intimacy and sexual pleasure in a care context. Five activities were organised in a Belgian care home, involving four to six female residents, that gradually introduced a more explicit language about sexual health. The results highlight that: 1) taboos are difficult to discuss, therefore storytelling is crucial, 2) feeling vulnerable is confronting, but also enables genuine connections, and 3) co-exploring taboos through playfulness, while enabling self-expression. This paper provides a more in-depth understanding of designing collective dialogues …

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Optimizing Design Processes Through Data Intelligence Under Resource Constraints: A Qualitative Interview Study In Industry, Aoyi Shen, Jinyu Gu, Yang Yin, Xiyuan Zhang, Yan Dong, Yuchen Hong, Aitian Fan, Boyi Lian, Hao Fan, Chunlei Chai Jun 2026

Optimizing Design Processes Through Data Intelligence Under Resource Constraints: A Qualitative Interview Study In Industry, Aoyi Shen, Jinyu Gu, Yang Yin, Xiyuan Zhang, Yan Dong, Yuchen Hong, Aitian Fan, Boyi Lian, Hao Fan, Chunlei Chai

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Enterprises operating under resource constraints often struggle to maintain efficient and innovative design practices. Data intelligence (DI) offers new opportunities to overcome design challenges and process optimization. However, research on how DI is practically integrated into real-world design workflows under such constraints remains limited. To address this gap, qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 industry designers from 14 companies. Using grounded theory, the interview data were coded to examine how DI supports the optimization of existing design processes and to identify its key intervention points and values. The study further investigates how DI interacts with design practices from multiple perspectives, …

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Learning Through Alternatives: Fostering Reflection Through Design Interventions, Nooshin Ziashahabi, Seyed-Abbas Yazdanfar, Ahmad Ekhlassi Jun 2026

Learning Through Alternatives: Fostering Reflection Through Design Interventions, Nooshin Ziashahabi, Seyed-Abbas Yazdanfar, Ahmad Ekhlassi

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper investigates how structured pedagogical interventions can foster reflective Learning within design studios. Conducted as an action-based case study with fifteen interior design students, the research integrated principles of Research through Design (RtD) and Action Design Research (ADR) to link educational practice with reflective inquiry. Four iterative interventions, including model making, circulation mapping, vertical connection, and inside–outside exploration, were designed to disrupt habitual thinking and enhance metacognitive awareness. Data from observations, interviews, and evaluations were analyzed through a three-layer framework capturing behavioral, cognitive, and self-regulatory dimensions of reflection. Findings show that reflection did not arise directly from the interventions …

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Why Is The Artwork No Longer Enough? Phygital Narratives As An Interplay Between The Real And The Digital, Alessandra Miano Jun 2026

Why Is The Artwork No Longer Enough? Phygital Narratives As An Interplay Between The Real And The Digital, Alessandra Miano

DRS Biennial Conference Series

The cross-cutting introduction of digital technologies into museum infrastructure activates a process of reinterpretation of digital languages within the museum narrative framework. From this perspective, the spread of phygital phenomena, such as contextual interaction between physical and digital worlds, is recontextualised within the field of cultural heritage and museums, revealing narrative and experiential potential in the capacity to express the evocative component of the spaces and artworks on display, through digital and interactive abilities. The contamination between physical space and digital layer is constructed starting from the stories to be told, orchestrated by the body gestures of visitors. The paper …

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Designing For Being Mindful: A Non-Instrumental Turn To Mindfulness Technology, Xiaozhuang Gao, Beverley Hood, Denitsa Petrova Jun 2026

Designing For Being Mindful: A Non-Instrumental Turn To Mindfulness Technology, Xiaozhuang Gao, Beverley Hood, Denitsa Petrova

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Mindfulness technology in Human–Computer Interaction research predominantly remains grounded in behaviourist and cognitivist paradigms. Such instrumental design logic emphasises goal achievement and behavioural compliance, conflicting with the core ideals of mindfulness—non-striving, non-judging, and acceptance. Drawing on phenomenological, pragmatist, and embodied perspectives, this paper proposes a non-instrumental approach to mindfulness technology grounded in aesthetic experience. It also introduces a theoretical framework consisting of four experiential dimensions: somatic, temporal, atmospheric and material to reposition mindfulness technology as a medium of experience rather than a means to an end. Through design practice, this paper explores two early interaction prototypes to generate insights about …

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Along The Line Of Emotional Support: Reimagining Ai Companions For Young Adults’ Wellbeing, Giulia Jiangxian Zhu, Xue Pei, Andrea Gaggioli Jun 2026

Along The Line Of Emotional Support: Reimagining Ai Companions For Young Adults’ Wellbeing, Giulia Jiangxian Zhu, Xue Pei, Andrea Gaggioli

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Young adults increasingly face emotional stress, uncertainty, and a lack of accessible, non-judgmental support. While AI technologies are emerging as potential companions, many adopt anthropomorphic and chat-based models that risk emotional overdependence, blurred boundaries, and false intimacy. This research explores how AI systems might be reimagined to foster authentic and ethical forms of companionship that support young adults’ wellbeing. Grounded in Positive Technology and its focus on promoting human flourishing, this research adopts a research-through-design approach, integrating semi-structured interviews, co-design sessions, hands-on prototyping, and user feedback. The resulting prototype, ALONG is a calm, embodied AI companion designed to encourage personal …

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Practicing Prototyping Within Transition Design: Materials, Competences And Meanings, Maria Vitaller Del Olmo Jun 2026

Practicing Prototyping Within Transition Design: Materials, Competences And Meanings, Maria Vitaller Del Olmo

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Recent research highlights the potential of prototyping for promoting sustainable transitions. However, scholars argue that it is essential to modify, and possibly redefine, the conventional use of prototyping to address complex system transformations. This paper enhances the understanding of prototyping within Transition Design for sustainability. Drawing on Social Practice Theory and practice-oriented design, we conceive prototyping as a design practice and define it through three key components: materials, competencies, and meanings. This perspective shifts the emphasis from individual prototyping artefacts to a more comprehensive, contextual understanding of the practice, aligning with the systemic nature of transitions. The empirical findings derive …

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Practical Ways Of Staying With The Trouble: Enacting Posthuman Ethics Through Design Practice, Marta Ferreira, Ana Henriques, Angelika Strohmayer, Valentina Nisi Jun 2026

Practical Ways Of Staying With The Trouble: Enacting Posthuman Ethics Through Design Practice, Marta Ferreira, Ana Henriques, Angelika Strohmayer, Valentina Nisi

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper explores how posthuman design researchers operationalise the values inherent to their research as an everyday practice of care, messiness, and partiality. Drawing on five in-depth interviews and employing diffractive analysis through posthuman and feminist care ethics lenses, the study highlights how practitioners enact plural, situated, and reflexive approaches to method. The findings distil theoretical commitments into actionable suggestions and everyday ethics, underscoring the significance of relational accountability in design research. Implications are discussed for legitimising care-centred methods, reframing design research, and supporting systemic change. In foregrounding posthuman approaches and ethics as ongoing attunement, this research offers practical strategies …

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Reused Earthenware In The Wall: Learning From Vernacular Dwellings As A Source Of Tacit Knowledge For Material Circularity, Hale Gonul, Esin Hasgul Jun 2026

Reused Earthenware In The Wall: Learning From Vernacular Dwellings As A Source Of Tacit Knowledge For Material Circularity, Hale Gonul, Esin Hasgul

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper seeks to explore the material transitions in vernacular dwellings to explore how local knowledge can inform future construction practices rooted in material circularity. Behramkale village in northwestern Türkiye harbours traditional dwellings where reused earthenware from pots to roof tiles are integrated into masonry for durability and ornamentation. This unique and site-specific construction technique reflects the resourcefulness of local craftsmanship. Under the methodology titled “tracing the earthenware,” the study maps the distribution and uses of these elements throughout the village, interpreting them not as passive remnants but as active agents which can help envision future pathways for material circularity, …

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How Epistemic Uncertainty Tolerance Affects Creative Idea Generation In Design, Sue During, Michael Mose Biskjaer, Elger Abrahamse, Alwin De Rooij Jun 2026

How Epistemic Uncertainty Tolerance Affects Creative Idea Generation In Design, Sue During, Michael Mose Biskjaer, Elger Abrahamse, Alwin De Rooij

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Creativity in collaborative design unfolds under conditions of unspecific and ambiguous information. While such epistemic uncertainty is inherent to many design projects, its impact on creativity is underexplored. This study investigated how epistemic uncertainty induced through problem briefings affects creativity during idea generation, and how tolerance for epistemic uncertainty moderates this relationship. A between-subjects experiment with 67 student participants collaborating in 18 groups tested idea generation under high versus low epistemic uncertainty conditions. The results showed a dual pathway effect: high epistemic uncertainty, compared to low epistemic uncertainty, increased idea originality, but decreased idea usefulness. Average group tolerance for uncertainty …

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Strategic Design In Business Organizations: An Approach For Design Management, Business Strategy, And Design Strategy, G. Mauricio Mejía Jun 2026

Strategic Design In Business Organizations: An Approach For Design Management, Business Strategy, And Design Strategy, G. Mauricio Mejía

DRS Biennial Conference Series

The term “strategic design” gained popularity over the last three decades. It originated in the 1990s, when design management scholars began studying the strategic value of design within business organizations. In the 2000s, terms such as design thinking and user-centered design gained traction, expanding the scope of design work and who was considered a designer. In professional networks, strategic design has been emerging as some professionals claim to be strategic designers or discuss related practices. This exploratory paper aims to identify definitions, roles, and skills associated with strategic design in the context of business organizations. A scoping of the literature …

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Decoding The Visual Language Of Embroidery: Making, Knowing, And Recontextualising, Minshu Chen Jun 2026

Decoding The Visual Language Of Embroidery: Making, Knowing, And Recontextualising, Minshu Chen

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper positions textile-making as a way of understanding the world through embodied engagement with materials, processes and relationships. Drawing on Xiang embroidery traditions and the Chinese philosophical concept of Qi-Yun (vital force and resonant rhythm). Through participatory workshops with local communities in Hunan, China, it explores how tacit knowledge emerges in a specific context through inner perception, observation, collaboration and dialogue surrounding material interaction and the accumulation of experience. A triangular methodology is developed to analyse multiple standpoints (traditional practitioners, technical collaborators and spectators) and articulate how different standpoints participate in meaning-making within textile practice. This approach theorises embroidery …

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Evaluating Creative Efficacy In Human-Ai Design Convergence: An Experimental Study Of Support Modes, Yuying Pei, Ling Fan* Jun 2026

Evaluating Creative Efficacy In Human-Ai Design Convergence: An Experimental Study Of Support Modes, Yuying Pei, Ling Fan*

DRS Biennial Conference Series

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has demonstrated significant potential in the divergent phases of design, its role in the convergent phase (solution selection) is less understood. This study investigates how different AI-assisted selection modes impact a designer's creative efficacy. We conducted an experiment (N=40) with graduate design students, who used four distinct AI support modes—(1) Textual Description, (2) Pros/Cons Comparison, (3) AI Scoring, and (4) Direct Recommendation—to select a final design from a set of concepts. Efficacy was measured using behavioral data (selection time, choice), user satisfaction (QUIS), cognitive load (NASA-TLX), and technology acceptance (TAM). Results show that the AI Scoring …

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