The literature in this group is based on, the then current work, on categorization and taxonomy of objects by Eleanor Rosch and her associates. Later I found Wittgenstein’s work on intuitive human categorization. This literature provided an alternate framework for Product Semantics, more appropriate than the popularly used Semiotic theories. It also brought about a fresh point of view in studying object culture. I extended my search to include linguistics (Work of George Lakoff). Increasingly, I found that cognitive psychology; philosophy and linguistics had articulated ideas that had extensive implications on design theories, but were not part of the discourse in design. Most of my writings on ‘Product Semantics’ and ‘Objects and Culture’ have their roots in this rich resource. I have also included my lecture videos (or links to them) as part of The Product Semantics Course elsewhere on this website. This visual material and lecture support might be useful for student readers.
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As mentioned before, I was always interested in how designers solve problems and take decisions. I have been initially studying and writing about the role of early sketching in developing ideas. Initially I treated mental imagery as a driving force in idea sketching. I always treated sketching as a unique element in design thinking that gave designers a distinct advantage in spatial problem solving. It was ten years later in mid-nineties that I became interested in how designers visualize and use mental imagery independent of sketching. Motivation came initially from the book Mind’s Eye by Robert Sommer and later from work of Stephen Kosslyn, Ronald Finke, all from field of cognitive psychology. I started studying how designers function when they are blindfolded. Their design abilities worked effortlessly even without the faculty of sight. It was amazing to observe that the more I increased the level of difficulties for them, the more they fought back with new strategies. I realized how they cleverly used body to support their thinking process.
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I had a ringside view of the way globalization and the idea of borderless economy hit the developing world. It was never a ‘win-win’ situation, it was made out to be, but more of ‘win some loose some’. I was shocked by the idea that the world would share a publist expression of modernity that is forced by the dominant culture. It was seen as a threat to the urban cultures in these countries. My initial writings were critical of this. People in the developing world wanted the technological advances, but would have prefer to do without their influences on local cultures. It took some time to understand how and why only some aspects of culture are affected. I saw globalization through the lens of product semantics and continued to use the framework developed earlier to understand cultural identity.
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I have been teaching sketching to product design students for several years. I was convinced that sketching plays an important role in the creative process, and that the art school style of sketching is not the way sketching should be learnt in product design. This prompted me to continuously experiment with different techniques while conducting the course and compile this work as papers. The approach is based on converting the act of sketching into an auto-pilot mode, which requires little attention and cognitive resource.Subsequently, I also developed a 30 session modular course on sketching for designers. (http://www.dsource.in/course/freehand_sketching/index.html)
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Exposure to information theory indicated how it could provide a theoretical framework to the intuitive design decisions. It has influenced not only my early writings, but the way I developed form ideas and way I presented them. This group deals with the role that information theory played in cognitive psychology studies. Needless to say that my early writings like Structure of Form and Vernacular Concept of Order were about understanding and using information theory while dealing with visual decisions. Chronologically, these were my first attempts in writing research papers.
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Unlike the other material on the site, the papers in this section is not research material per se, they are my views based on experiences of teaching design for several years.
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