Expanding My Methodological Understanding

Exploration of Perspectives

Philosophy

In my simplified understanding, Husserl’s phenomenology explores grasping concepts for design by understanding phenomena through personal experiences. Marleau-Ponty’s idea of the lived body suggests that perception is tied to the body and its senses (1965). I resonate with this notion because everyone has a subjective viewpoint, making complete objectivity elusive through current methods and philosophies that claim to achieve it by detaching from real-life experiences. This, as argued by (Baker, 2021), can result in a lack of consideration for others—a perspective I fully support.

Interacting With the World

Heidegger’s (2010) distinction between ready-to-hand and present-at-hand involves becoming aware of an object when one’s experience is interrupted. Gibson’s ecological perception model highlights the dynamic relationship between an organism and its environment, emphasizing that perception is an active process intertwined with action and the surrounding context. Unlike widely used conceptual models, Gibson’s deliberations provide a more encompassing framework, especially in guiding actions (Chemero, 2018), rather than being limited to specific work-related concepts.

Experience

Both adopt a pragmatic approach, addressing challenges while enhancing personal and social life through cultural exploration of experiential nature. I align with Dewey (2008) as he argues that artistic experiences extend beyond galleries, providing transformative experiences that actively engage people, integrating with the real world rather than remaining in abstract, cognitive-centered realms. Shusterman (2000), focus on aesthetics and art from a practical perspective, resonates with me due to his consideration of the whole body in aesthetic aspects of bodily practices and experiences.

This exploration highlighted the pivotal role of philosophy in shaping designers’ approaches to research and design.

Laban Movement Analysis (LMA)

The system categorises movement into four main efforts, which can be combined in various ways to describe how individuals move. It aids in understanding and communicating different emotions, intentions, or moods through body language and motion.

LMA appears used in projects involving the design of innovative user interfaces (Loke et al., 2005). In their case, they employed the Labanotation system, akin to a music notation system, to record embodied human interactions with a machine. This notation provides insights into the spatial positioning and pace of one’s body.

While LMA is important for improving communication by analyzing how the body expresses itself, its primary emphasis on external perception doesn’t align with the goals of my project. Although it attempts to convey internal intentions, it overlooks valuable bodily information and provides a rigid structure in which individual nuances can be easily missed.

Moving Forward

Drawing from the concepts explored in this and previous blog, in terms of methodology, I aim to delve into the space by adopting a research-through-design approach, emphasising an embodied experience perspective, with a keen focus on attending to bodily sensations.

References

Baker, W.B., 2021. The wakeful body: somatic mindfulness as a path to freedom. Shambhala Publications.

Chemero, A., 2018. An outline of a theory of affordances. In How Shall Affordances Be Refined? (pp. 181-195). Routledge.

Dewey, J., 2008. Art as experience.

Heidegger, M., 2010. Being and time. Suny Press.

Loke, L., Larssen, A.T. and Robertson, T., 2005, November. Labanotation for design of movement-based interaction. In ACM International Conference Proceeding Series (Vol. 123, pp. 113-120).

Merleau-Ponty, M., 1965. Phenomenology of perception. Translated by Colin Smith.Heidegger, M., 2010. Being and time. Suny Press.

Shusterman, R., 2000. Pragmatist aesthetics: Living beauty, rethinking art. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.