Where does Scandinavian user-centered design come from? (PhD
Project)
The theme for my ongoing dissertation work is to trace the early
roots of Scandinavian user-centered design, through an idea-focused
analysis of 20th century texts that have been influential in
shaping the Swedish practices and discourse on the design and the
use of everyday things.
The early 20th century ideas and practices that were influential
in forming the Swedish design discourse came to be highly present
not only in the industrial design profession, as it emerged in
Sweden, but also in state policy and goverment intitiatives aiming
to reform everytday life in different ways. There was a societal
consensus that things, homes and everyday practices were crucial
elements in building a modern society with thoroughly modern
citizens. In early Swedish design discourse, there were strong
connections between aesthetics and ethics: 'Good taste' and 'good
design' were perceived as important to understand, and to practice,
both in everyday life and in state policies. The attempt of my
dissertation is to investigate ideas and methods that today are an
integral part of a 'Scandinavian user centered design', and discuss
how these still carry with them norms, values and practices linked
to the specific historical contexts that these once emerged
in.
My supervisors are Johan Redström, UID, and Kjetil Fallan,
University of Oslo.
Areas of interest
Design history, design theory, material and visual culture
studies, semiotics.
Publications
