Implementation of Typology Criteria for Design Knowledge Reflecting Design Diversification

Abstract

As the design-related knowledge base grows to remain abreast of technological and scientific advancements, ‘Design Knowledge’ has emerged as a new genre of pragmatic design. Criteria need to be determined to establish a typology as a knowledge-based system supporting education, literature, and industrial organizations. To this end, this study establishes criteria for design knowledge typology while considering design diversification by applying existing topological criteria to the classification of books, industries, and academic disciplines along with new views of design theorists. A matrix analysis was conducted to test the applicability of the design knowledge language data by checking them against extracted and defined criteria. We found it impossible to consistently typify contemporary design concepts with single-attribute criteria; the multiple-criteria classification method is much more effective. Further, contemporary design language has evolved from object-based to concept-based terms. Our study lays the groundwork for a useful typology for a design study schema.

Keywords:

• design knowledge
• philosophy of design
• knowledge organization
• typology criteria
• industrial design

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all design researchers and the committee of the Design Department at Seoul National University for their participation and research support. I am especially grateful to Prof. Yongmog Park (Seoul National University) for providing advice and insight. The original idea for this study came from my PhD dissertation at Seoul National University, carried out from 2011 to 2017. I am also grateful to my committee members for their patience and support in overcoming numerous obstacles, and to Prof. Krzysztof Wodiczko (Harvard GSD) and Prof. Federico Casalegno (MIT) for broadening my perspective for contemporary design issues during 2011 to 2013. Thanks to the public domain group at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and to Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Supplemental Data

Appendices 1, 2 and 3 are available as online supplemental data at https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2021.1906085.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hayoun Won

Hayoun Won is Lecturer in Industrial Design Department at Seoul National University. Her research interests include design practice and theory, design development for future. URL: www.hayounwon.com Email: [email protected]

YeongMog Park

YeongMog Park is Professor in Industrial Design Department at Seoul National University. His research interests include in user interface, user-centred design, design development and design theory.