A4 Assignment

Discovering my Design Ethos

Step 1. Brainstorm, draw, journal, write, question. What matters to me?

My shoulds and musts:

Logos (Logic of my behavior is driven by):

• Frugality
• Time
• Science
• Word of mouth
• Status

Pathos (What emotions move me and what I want to arouse in others)

• Inspired, creative
• Trusted
• Loved and cared for
• Strength and confidence
• Valued, respected
• Included
• Playful

Ethos (What ethos do I have or want to have?)

Have:

• Of an artist
• Of a student leader
• Of a violin performer: knowledgeable of moving people through music
• Of a host and organizer
• Of a student interested in sustainable design

Want

• Of an expert of sustainable living
• Of someone knowledgeable of a broad music and art range
• Of a creative/technical project manager

Examining my people page bio paragraph, these were the values evident in the text and pictures:

• Making people smile
• Being creative
• Solving social issues
• Craftsmanship: Creating things with my own hands and sharing them
• Being active
• Inclusivity, accessibility

Map of who I am as a person, designer, family member, student, friend, sister, significant other, cousin…and what matters to me:

Step 2: Analyzing my actions and professed values

Project A1

Make an impact on my Carbon Footprint: Where I can reduce my carbon footprint to reduce it by 50% by year 2030:

• Learning to be uncomfortable sometimes, actively tracking how much is spent on new stuff for mindful consumerism.
• Making a large investigative effort to live in a more sustainable location and energy-efficient shelter. Prevent car purchase (i.e. living biking-distance to work, close to local grocery stores and communal centers).
• Following a new plant-centered/focused way of being. Embracing biophilia, enhancing awareness

Difference between status quo and proposed future state:

• Personal responsibility to be an activist and educate on futuring/design intelligence
• Growing your own food is fulfilling.
• Minimalist lifestyles are virtuous.
• Focus on individual awareness, and being okay with hard realities as a means to improve.
• Focus on changing character, making new habits into an aware and conscious lifestyle

Project A2

The Circular Home: Circular home energy system that returns renewable energy using home-waste

• Focuses on the worldview of being more aware, in-tune, and mindful with our carbon presence
• The Circular Home idea enages user participation
• Provides incentive for sorting garbage
• Community-wide initiative for renewable energy
• Adaptive innovation center

Difference between status quo and proposed future state:

• Responsibility to be an activist and educate on futuring/design intelligence.
• Can be more educated on and make better use of household waste?

Project A3

The ReDesign project is a mindset changing, campus-wide Make-A-Thon competition that challenges students to re-design something that they were going to throw out.

• Focuses on the worldview of being more aware, in-tune, and mindful with our carbon presence
• The Redesign Competition engages user participation
• Sustaining the Sustainability Project
• Values: Educational Opportunity, Inclusivity, Interdisciplinary Teamwork

Difference between status quo and proposed future state:

• Enables students and faculty together push forward sustainability initiatives
• Value of sustainability pushes innovation
• Goal to excel in more fields of sustainability
• “Be aware, be present”
• Importance of Accessibility: Share the future

Values that were reflected from my projects that line up with my self-written mattering map, and those that are most pertinent to that growth and change to a future version of my CLA:

Of a community:

To share my experiences and skills

Have shared values with the people

As a designer:

Craftsmanship

Independence

Engage with fresh perspectives

Work with others

Community and comradery

Being part of big change

Create memorable experiences

Always learning and growing

Ethos through Actions My Design Ethos:

Through the ongoing conversation of discovering and establishing our design ethos, I have seen how important for designers to reflect on their respective practices and work towards building an ethos for practicing design. And more importantly, staying true to it.

Goals as a designer, ethos through action:

• Work to bring a community together with shared values
• Work in mattering maps of others to improve design outcomes
• Continue to grow and broaden perspective by doing work and engaging with others
• The change starts with me, setting an example for others through grace and confidence.