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Framing Wicked Problems Using CoDesign and a Hybrid Design Toolset

Braun, Erika L.

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2016, Master of Fine Arts, Ohio State University, Industrial, Interior Visual Communication Design.
Design is not simply an outcome, but a process of problem solving. The current transitional process for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the challenges faced by their healthcare providers and parents is a wicked problem that needs to be addressed. Wicked problems are not good or bad, but are often made up of multiple stakeholders and an indeterminate end-state. Design problems are often wicked; there is no definitive formula or an existing solution. Trained and practiced in reshaping complexity and ambiguity through Design Thinking to give form to new ideas that do not yet exist, Designers have the capacity to expand their role from simply `makers’ of artifacts to `makers’ of sense, building new tools and integrating new ways of problem solving to assist with framing wicked problems. The objective of this body of research is to investigate a hybrid CoDesign approach (using digital and non-digital Design Thinking tools), and the expanding role of the Designer and stakeholders in tackling wicked problems through an exploratory autism case study. The role of the Designer in addressing wicked problems and the use of technology for collective sensemaking in the Design process were investigated through the development of a digital prototype in parallel with an exploratory Participatory Action Research (PAR) case study centered on issues surrounding transitional care and support for adults with autism and their families. A diverse group of stakeholders was brought together to participate in an iterative CoDesign process aimed at building shared understanding, stimulating new ways of thinking, and reframing the wicked problem to create new resolutions for the Center for Autism Services and Transition (C.A.S.T.), a clinic for adults with autism connected to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The outcomes of the case study and findings from the development and testing of the digital prototype support the value of sensemaking and reframing, and the significance of diversity, inclusivity and immersion in PAR to engender intangible outcomes as well as design concepts that can be carried into the next stages of Design development. Additionally, the findings support the contribution potential of people on the autism spectrum in CoDesign roles and the significance of a Designer’s skillset in facilitating collaborative sessions around a multi-faceted problem and creating the tools and seeing/maker spaces through which a collective team of Designers and CoDesigners can frame problems and innovate. The case study promotes the benefit of a hybrid PAR framework that incorporates face-to-face interaction, physical toolsets for shared/critical making, and technology applications to engender new forms of engagement and to nurture each expert’s ability to meaningfully contribute to creating true value in a wicked problem. When Design is no longer perceived as only an aesthetic outcome, but instead as a valuable asset for tackling complexity, Designers will be able to see themselves, and be seen by others, as framers, new types of form givers in the front-end of the Design process – extending their value and reach to tackle more pressing issues in society.
Elizabeth B.-N. Sanders, Ph.D., (Advisor)
Alan Price (Committee Member)
David Staley, Ph.D., (Committee Member)
Elliot Bendoly, Ph.D., (Committee Member)
507 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Braun, E. L. (2016). Framing Wicked Problems Using CoDesign and a Hybrid Design Toolset [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461202906

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Braun, Erika. Framing Wicked Problems Using CoDesign and a Hybrid Design Toolset. 2016. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461202906.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Braun, Erika. "Framing Wicked Problems Using CoDesign and a Hybrid Design Toolset." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461202906

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)