This research develops a rationale for using provocative conceptual designs to foster the innovation of human-centred product ideas -a `critical artefact methodology'.
This research employed similar tactics to Action Research (Swann 2002): cycles of action (using critical artefact methods in design projects) and reflection on that action (including a contextual review of existing theories and practices), which produced action (product ideas) as well as research (a proposed critical artefact methodology).
In two projects, I used sets of workshops where stakeholders' engaged with my critical artefacts to develop my understanding of their needs. Living Rooms (designing the home for `tomorrow's older people) suggested how my methods might be improved then taken account of in Digital Mementos (designing novel mementos for increasingly digital lifestyles), including selecting productive participants - stakeholders in-tune with the possibilities of novel situations, such as von Hippel's \"lead users\" (1986).
Within participatory design and co-design I position critical artefact methods as using stakeholder participation to inform design activity rather than as co-creation. In reference to Ehn and Kyng's mock-ups (1991) and Gaver's cultural probes (1999) exemplars, I show that critical artefacts do not fit the description of `prototypes' (suggestive of design direction or destination) and that my critical artefact methodology depends upon a progression from presenting stakeholders with critical artefacts (that provoke critical reflection) towards more `prototypical' artefacts expressing relevant needs (for evaluation).
I suggest that critical design (Dunne 1999) and related design practices have similar characteristics and operation to Critical Theory: a view that the status quo (generally affirmed by design) somehow `oppresses' society; that `enlightenment' of the factors underlying this `emancipates' society and is facilitated by a reading of critiques (alternative proposals such as critical artefacts).
In my critical artefact methodology the designer develops their understanding by designing artefacts to `process' stakeholders' engagement with previous artefacts -I use Polanyi's notion of \"indwelling\" (1966) to support this method of empathic knowledge sharing. Designer's and stakeholders' co-reading of critical artefacts means that this understanding can be of future or latent stakeholders needs; it enables them to explore alternative needs, wants/desires, practices and products by broadening their understanding of what is possible.
The contributions of this research are a critical artefact methodology supported by critical artefact methods; a more instrumental use of critical artefacts than other critical design practices; and (in Digital Mementos' outputs) exemplar findings demonstrating the value of a critical artefact methodology's application. Whilst this thesis presents a `point in time' in my methodology's development, I intend that it provide designers with insights into similar techniques within their own professional practice.
","abstract_html":"<p>This research develops a rationale for using provocative conceptual designs to foster the innovation of human-centred product ideas -a `critical artefact methodology'.</p> <p>This research employed similar tactics to Action Research (Swann 2002): cycles of action (using critical artefact methods in design projects) and reflection on that action (including a contextual review of existing theories and practices), which produced action (product ideas) as well as research (a proposed critical artefact methodology).</p> <p>In two projects, I used sets of workshops where stakeholders' engaged with my critical artefacts to develop my understanding of their needs. <i>Living Rooms</i> (designing the home for `tomorrow's older people) suggested how my methods might be improved then taken account of in <i>Digital Mementos</i> (designing novel mementos for increasingly digital lifestyles), including selecting productive participants - stakeholders in-tune with the possibilities of novel situations, such as von Hippel's "lead users" (1986).</p> <p>Within participatory design and co-design I position critical artefact methods as using stakeholder participation to <i>inform</i> design activity rather than as co-creation. In reference to Ehn and Kyng's mock-ups (1991) and Gaver's cultural probes (1999) exemplars, I show that critical artefacts do not fit the description of `prototypes' (suggestive of design direction or destination) and that my critical artefact methodology depends upon a progression from presenting stakeholders with critical artefacts (that provoke critical reflection) towards more `prototypical' artefacts expressing relevant needs (for evaluation).</p> <p>I suggest that critical design (Dunne 1999) and related design practices have similar characteristics and operation to Critical Theory: a view that the status quo (generally affirmed by design) somehow `oppresses' society; that `enlightenment' of the factors underlying this `emancipates' society and is facilitated by a <i>reading</i> of critiques (alternative proposals such as critical artefacts).</p> <p>In my critical artefact methodology the designer develops their understanding by designing artefacts to `process' stakeholders' engagement with previous artefacts -I use Polanyi's notion of "indwelling" (1966) to support this method of empathic knowledge sharing. Designer's and stakeholders' <i>co-reading</i> of critical artefacts means that this understanding can be of future or latent stakeholders needs; it enables them to explore alternative needs, wants/desires, practices and products by broadening their understanding of what is possible.</p> <p>The contributions of this research are a critical artefact methodology supported by critical artefact methods; a more instrumental use of critical artefacts than other critical design practices; and (in <i>Digital Mementos'</i> outputs) exemplar findings demonstrating the value of a critical artefact methodology's application. Whilst this thesis presents a `point in time' in my methodology's development, I intend that it provide designers with insights into similar techniques within their own professional practice.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bowen, Simon John"],"institution":"Sheffield Hallam University","degree_name":"phd","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Rust, Chris"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-03","date_published":"2009-03","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:31:03Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Rust, Chris"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bowen, Simon John"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2009-03"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2009-03"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Not Specified"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["Sheffield Hallam University"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["https://shura.shu.ac.uk/3216/"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["phd"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://shura.shu.ac.uk/3216/1/Bowen500465.zip","https://shura.shu.ac.uk/3216/2/10694257.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This research develops a rationale for using provocative conceptual designs to foster the innovation of human-centred product ideas -a `critical artefact methodology'.
This research employed similar tactics to Action Research (Swann 2002): cycles of action (using critical artefact methods in design projects) and reflection on that action (including a contextual review of existing theories and practices), which produced action (product ideas) as well as research (a proposed critical artefact methodology).
In two projects, I used sets of workshops where stakeholders' engaged with my critical artefacts to develop my understanding of their needs. Living Rooms (designing the home for `tomorrow's older people) suggested how my methods might be improved then taken account of in Digital Mementos (designing novel mementos for increasingly digital lifestyles), including selecting productive participants - stakeholders in-tune with the possibilities of novel situations, such as von Hippel's \"lead users\" (1986).
Within participatory design and co-design I position critical artefact methods as using stakeholder participation to inform design activity rather than as co-creation. In reference to Ehn and Kyng's mock-ups (1991) and Gaver's cultural probes (1999) exemplars, I show that critical artefacts do not fit the description of `prototypes' (suggestive of design direction or destination) and that my critical artefact methodology depends upon a progression from presenting stakeholders with critical artefacts (that provoke critical reflection) towards more `prototypical' artefacts expressing relevant needs (for evaluation).
I suggest that critical design (Dunne 1999) and related design practices have similar characteristics and operation to Critical Theory: a view that the status quo (generally affirmed by design) somehow `oppresses' society; that `enlightenment' of the factors underlying this `emancipates' society and is facilitated by a reading of critiques (alternative proposals such as critical artefacts).
In my critical artefact methodology the designer develops their understanding by designing artefacts to `process' stakeholders' engagement with previous artefacts -I use Polanyi's notion of \"indwelling\" (1966) to support this method of empathic knowledge sharing. Designer's and stakeholders' co-reading of critical artefacts means that this understanding can be of future or latent stakeholders needs; it enables them to explore alternative needs, wants/desires, practices and products by broadening their understanding of what is possible.
The contributions of this research are a critical artefact methodology supported by critical artefact methods; a more instrumental use of critical artefacts than other critical design practices; and (in Digital Mementos' outputs) exemplar findings demonstrating the value of a critical artefact methodology's application. Whilst this thesis presents a `point in time' in my methodology's development, I intend that it provide designers with insights into similar techniques within their own professional practice.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/zip","application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A critical artefact methodology : using provocative conceptual designs to foster human-centred innovation."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Rust, Chris"],"dc:creator":["Bowen, Simon John"],"dc:date":["2009-03"],"dc:date.issued":["2009-03"],"dc:description.abstract":["This research develops a rationale for using provocative conceptual designs to foster the innovation of human-centred product ideas -a `critical artefact methodology'.
This research employed similar tactics to Action Research (Swann 2002): cycles of action (using critical artefact methods in design projects) and reflection on that action (including a contextual review of existing theories and practices), which produced action (product ideas) as well as research (a proposed critical artefact methodology).
In two projects, I used sets of workshops where stakeholders' engaged with my critical artefacts to develop my understanding of their needs. Living Rooms (designing the home for `tomorrow's older people) suggested how my methods might be improved then taken account of in Digital Mementos (designing novel mementos for increasingly digital lifestyles), including selecting productive participants - stakeholders in-tune with the possibilities of novel situations, such as von Hippel's \"lead users\" (1986).
Within participatory design and co-design I position critical artefact methods as using stakeholder participation to inform design activity rather than as co-creation. In reference to Ehn and Kyng's mock-ups (1991) and Gaver's cultural probes (1999) exemplars, I show that critical artefacts do not fit the description of `prototypes' (suggestive of design direction or destination) and that my critical artefact methodology depends upon a progression from presenting stakeholders with critical artefacts (that provoke critical reflection) towards more `prototypical' artefacts expressing relevant needs (for evaluation).
I suggest that critical design (Dunne 1999) and related design practices have similar characteristics and operation to Critical Theory: a view that the status quo (generally affirmed by design) somehow `oppresses' society; that `enlightenment' of the factors underlying this `emancipates' society and is facilitated by a reading of critiques (alternative proposals such as critical artefacts).
In my critical artefact methodology the designer develops their understanding by designing artefacts to `process' stakeholders' engagement with previous artefacts -I use Polanyi's notion of \"indwelling\" (1966) to support this method of empathic knowledge sharing. Designer's and stakeholders' co-reading of critical artefacts means that this understanding can be of future or latent stakeholders needs; it enables them to explore alternative needs, wants/desires, practices and products by broadening their understanding of what is possible.
The contributions of this research are a critical artefact methodology supported by critical artefact methods; a more instrumental use of critical artefacts than other critical design practices; and (in Digital Mementos' outputs) exemplar findings demonstrating the value of a critical artefact methodology's application. Whilst this thesis presents a `point in time' in my methodology's development, I intend that it provide designers with insights into similar techniques within their own professional practice.
"],"dc:format":["application/zip","application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://shura.shu.ac.uk/3216/1/Bowen500465.zip","https://shura.shu.ac.uk/3216/2/10694257.pdf"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["Not Specified"],"dc:publisher.institution":["Sheffield Hallam University"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["https://shura.shu.ac.uk/3216/"],"dc:title":["A critical artefact methodology : using provocative conceptual designs to foster human-centred innovation."],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["phd"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:31:03Z"}