Abstract

As designers increasingly become involved in larger and more complex multidisciplinary collaborations, they find themselves in unprecedented contexts of practice. New tools and methods are needed to support these challenging ways of working. This paper presents an ethnographic study focusing specifically on the role of materials samples in supporting knowledge sharing and mutual understanding in collaborative materials development. Observations are drawn from a case study of a 3.5 years EU H2020-funded multidisciplinary project which aimed to develop circular materials using a novel Design-Driven Materials Innovation (DDMI) methodology. Materials samples are known to be useful boundary objects for supporting the translation of codified scientific language into experiential language, which is essential for designers to understand materials potential. However, this study suggests that within the context of a complex collaboration, materials samples make knowledge available to all participants, and in particular, they appear to mobilise other forms of knowledge such as ‘know-who’, helping participants to understand the roles and capabilities of their fellow collaborators, enabling them to work together more effectively. This paper proposes a general framework identifying four types of materials samples used in the case study project, and their relationship to four forms of knowledge.

摘要

随着设计师越来越多地参与更大，更复杂的多学科合作，他们发现自己处于前所未有的实践环境中。需要新的工具和方法来支持这些具有挑战性的工作方式。本文提供了一项民族志研究，重点研究了材料样本在协作材料开发中支持知识共享和相互理解中的作用。观察结果来自对欧盟H2020资助的3.5年多学科项目的案例研究，该项目旨在使用新颖的设计驱动材料创新（DDMI）方法开发圆形材料。已知材料样本是有用的边界对象，可用于支持将编码的科学语言转换为体验语言，这对于设计师了解材料潜力至关重要。但是，这项研究表明，在复杂的协作范围内，材料样本使所有参与者都可以使用知识，特别是它们似乎动员了其他形式的知识，例如“知道谁”，从而帮助参与者了解角色和角色。合作伙伴的能力，使他们能够更有效地合作。本文提出了一个通用框架，用于确定案例研究项目中使用的四种材料样本以及它们与四种知识形式的关系。帮助参与者了解合作伙伴的角色和能力，使他们能够更有效地合作。本文提出了一个通用框架，用于确定案例研究项目中使用的四种类型的材料样本以及它们与四种知识形式的关系。帮助参与者了解合作伙伴的角色和能力，使他们能够更有效地合作。本文提出了一个通用框架，用于确定案例研究项目中使用的四种类型的材料样本以及它们与四种知识形式的关系。