Consumers’ eating habits are gradually changing. In the next few decades, this shift will not be solely dictated by individuals’ decisions but by the need to feed an ever-increasing population in the face of global resources’ impoverishment. Novel superfoods rich in nutrients and produced with sustainable methods, including microalgae, maybe a solution. However, their unusual aspect, the palatability, and the lack of knowledge by most people could be obstacles to adoption. This study aims at encouraging the use of microalgae as food, highlighting the importance that design plays in the transition towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Through practice-based design research, characterized by empirical experiments, a survey, an engaging workshop, and the development of a fully-functional open-source product, the authors conceptualize a theoretical framework within which similar product-service systems could thrive. This real-world experimentation is of interest for academics, professionals, makers in the field of design, etc. It suggests that multidisciplinarity, education, and replicability are the keys to addressing this topic and paves the way for further technical and humanistic research.
Historically, the design discipline has been strictly connected to the productive sector. For this reason, past design education was mainly related to the world of arts and crafts and technology. With such a vertical specialization, designers could not deeply grasp the potential repercussions of their design choices. Their commitment was largely tied in with mass-production and unconstrained technological innovation. Increased awareness of the complexity of the world has emerged in the last decades. Designers nowadays are requested to achieve new transversal skills and competencies, to cope with the incumbent metamorphoses of cultures, societies, economies, and natural environments. Thus, a linear monodisciplinary outlook is not anymore adequate in design pedagogy. Educators need to embrace a holistic approach and to activate new collaborations, to train experts capable of configuring and managing complex design activities. This paper analyses the rise of systemic thinking and its reverberations on design studies, with an overview of geographical and temporal contributions. It invites to reflect on the role of present-day designers and on the importance of embedding humanistic and economic values in the design knowledge. Furthermore, it illustrates the directions for a systemic transdisciplinary education in Master's degree programs and Ph.D. courses in Design, aimed at providing the necessary tools to a new and responsible generation of professionals. The awareness of their important and influential roles in society should be inspiring and lead to the creation of innovative entrepreneurial activities.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.