Designing change by living change

As design for sustainability extends beyond its origins in engineering, and therefore production, increasing attention has been put on the roles technologies and designed artifacts play in mitigating or exacerbating consumption-related impacts. However, there is a prevalence of efforts in user-centered and behavior-based design lacking the systemic perspectives necessary to appropriately address the social nature of consumption. In response, interest has grown for applying theories of social practice to design processes in order to address the socio-technical dynamics behind consumption. This paper introduces a methodology for ‘practice-oriented design’ using collaborative processes of discursive analysis and experimentation in everyday life. A pilot study conducted for the EU Living Lab project, using a case on bathing, demonstrates early exploration work.

► We introduce a methodology for practice-oriented design. ► A case study on bathing demonstrates early exploration work. ► Stages include collaborative discursive analysis and experiments in practice. ► Studying mechanisms of change in practices is valuable for sustainable design. ► Identifying leverage points is a promising strategy for design intervention.