Short answer
Designers should explore methods to incorporate the perspectives and agency of non-human entities, like plants, into their design processes to create more holistic and ecologically aware solutions.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Figshare (2020)
- Method
- Participatory Speculative Design and Multispecies Ethnography
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Design practice can be expanded to actively include the agency of non-human entities, such as plants, to foster deeper ecological understanding and create more inclusive design outcomes. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Figshare. Using Participatory speculative design and multispecies ethnography, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should explore methods to incorporate the perspectives and agency of non-human entities, like plants, into their design processes to create more holistic and ecologically aware solutions.
Designing for Multispecies Collaboration: Integrating Plant Agency into Design Processes
Design practice can be expanded to actively include the agency of non-human entities, such as plants, to foster deeper ecological understanding and create more inclusive design outcomes.
Figshare · 2020
Key Findings
- 01Design can reveal the social lives and agency of plants.
- 02Human and plant worlds are deeply intertwined and co-created.
- 03Speculative and multispecies design offers a framework for encountering plant life.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should explore methods to incorporate the perspectives and agency of non-human entities, like plants, into their design processes to create more holistic and ecologically aware solutions.
How to apply
When designing products or systems that interact with natural environments, consider how plants or other organisms might be active participants rather than passive elements.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design project can involve or represent non-human elements.
- 02Explore speculative design methods to imagine future collaborations with nature.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Innovative approach to multispecies design.
- +Strong theoretical grounding in participatory and speculative design.
Limitations
It can be challenging to definitively measure or interpret 'plant agency' in a way that is universally accepted.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be improved by using standardized methods for observing and recording plant responses. Validity is challenged by the subjective interpretation of 'agency'.
Think critically
To what extent can we truly understand or represent the 'agency' of non-human entities, and what are the ethical considerations when designing based on these interpretations?
Design Principles
"Embrace multispecies co-creation by actively seeking and integrating the agency of non-human actors into the design process."
Traditional design often overlooks the contributions of non-human actors. By recognizing and integrating the agency of plants, designers can develop more ecologically sensitive and innovative solutions that acknowledge the complex interdependencies within our environment.
What This Means for Your Design
This research shows that designers can work *with* plants, not just design *for* them, by letting plants have a say in the design. This helps us understand our environment better.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of user research beyond human users, or when exploring innovative design methodologies.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research by Gatto (2020) explores the integration of plant agency into design processes, arguing that design can facilitate multispecies encounters and foster a deeper understanding of ecological interdependencies. The study employed participatory speculative design and multispecies ethnography to investigate how plants can act as active agents in design, shifting the focus from human-centric to collaborative creation.
Source
Figshare
Design as multispecies encounter: on plant participation and agency in and through speculative design
journal · 2020
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about designing for multispecies collaboration: integrating plant agency into design processes?
- Designers should explore methods to incorporate the perspectives and agency of non-human entities, like plants, into their design processes to create more holistic and ecologically aware solutions. Evidence: Figshare (2020).
- Why does "Designing for Multispecies Collaboration: Integrating Plant Agency into Design Processes" matter for design?
- Traditional design often overlooks the contributions of non-human actors. By recognizing and integrating the agency of plants, designers can develop more ecologically sensitive and innovative solutions that acknowledge the complex interdependencies within our environment.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should explore methods to incorporate the perspectives and agency of non-human entities, like plants, into their design processes to create more holistic and ecologically aware solutions.
- What were the main findings?
- Design can reveal the social lives and agency of plants.. Human and plant worlds are deeply intertwined and co-created.. Speculative and multispecies design offers a framework for encountering plant life.
- What research method was used?
- Participatory Speculative Design and Multispecies Ethnography.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Figshare.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing products or systems that interact with natural environments, consider how plants or other organisms might be active participants rather than passive elements.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's focus on specific hyperaccumulating plants and contaminated landscapes may limit generalizability to all plant species or environments.