Strings of experiments: looking at the design process as a set of socio-technical experiments

In this paper I show how the classical notion of an experiment can be used as a metaphor to describe and guide the design process. I present socio-technical experiments as a type of experiments that emphasis both the sociological and the technical part of a design. I argue that focusing on socio-technical experiments can greatly benefit in addressing three core identified challenges.The socio-technical challenge focus on how to design with a combined technical and social view, the multidisciplinary challenge is about how to structure design processes in multidisciplinary teams and the translating challenge addresses how to design for a context that is going to change with the introduction of the new design.Further more boundary zones are presented as an extension of the term boundary objects that address how different design representation are handed over and used between different professions within the design team.

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