Zurich University of the Arts | Master of Arts in Design | Lecturer for Design Research, Ethnography and Sociological Theories of Identity
My Websites
www.francismueller.ch (personal website)
https://www.facebook.com/francis.muller.52 (FB profile)
http://master.design.zhdk.ch (MA Design at Zurich University of Arts)
www.nzz.ch (newspaper I write for)
www.swissfuture.ch (think tank for future studies I work for)
My focus on Design
I follow a phenomenological approach towards Design Research: We classify things in our daily life because of their esthetical appearance: We know what a smart phone, a credit card, a key or a beer can is for. This meaning is these things not inherent, but it’s ascribed in social processes. I consider Ethnography as a constructive method to decode things in daily life. Ethnography in this sense, is not a representation of daily life, but it is a construction itself; descriptions are “tales of the field” (John van Maanen).
My motivation to take part in the International Design School 2013
As Design has a cultural dimension and at the same time the potential to change and diffuse cultures, it is very inspiring to work in intercultural teams: as we will do in ISDD with lecturers and students from China, India and Switzerland. I am sure, we will learn about the others – and also about ourselves.
My Favourite Design Item
Books contain a lot of information; we must separate the important from the not important. It’s a binary code. This pencil visualizes this separation. As an “old school” print book reader this pencil is existential for me.
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