Outside of the producer consumer economy exist the ecology of communities of experts working with communities in need. Characterized by the absence of interest from the private sector (Industry) and the potential for profit, the poor, wasted (Bauman) and the remote become the focus of agencies capable of partnering with and activating communities towards social change. Referred to as the Third Sector, these agencies work with communities of the unserved. The researchers are currently partnering with agencies, in Australia and overseas, that seek new technical and social formulations to enhance resilience within local and micro communities.
One Third sector partnership focuses upon new patent orientated, Solar Energy based technologies for water purification, lighting and processing equipment (for income generation enterprises). A key focus of this third sector organisation is upon remote, poor, and non-literate women. The second, partnership focus is upon the development of a social formulation that supports forensic patients adjusting to community living. The challenge in this area of work is the changing social climate, and an intolerance of deviance, which has seen a progressive withdrawal of funding. The third partnership focus is upon a social formulation that supports people at the end of treatment, to transition from treatment to self-care.
Field of Research: Product Design, Product Service System Design
Mode of Research: Technical and material research, Prototyping and Testing, Patent Application, CoDesign
Key Methods: Practice Based Research
Theoretical Frameworks (ref Modes of research link):
FOR Code(s): 120305, 111708, 120499
Relevant literature (max 4):
Design Revolution: 100 Products That Empower People by Emily Pilloton and Allan Chochinov
Rippling: How Social Entrepreneurs Spread Innovation Throughout the World by Beverly Schwartz (and Bill Drayton)
The Penal Voluntary Sector (Routledge Frontiers of Criminal Justice) by Philippa Tomczak
Relevance
There are two key aspirations of industrial design graduates that have received a strong boost in the contemporary period; one, is the development of patent worthy technical innovation, enabled by sophisticated micro prototyping technologies, and two, is the support for commercialization and startup creation for new products. This project offers students a specific context for technology and social artefact development, and deployment. The form of the third sector in the contemporary period is unique and has demonstrated the capacity to attract researchers and include them into social entrepreneurship ventures.
This project is appropriate for an HDR student, initially PhDs and later Masters, as it offers a singular narrow and deep research program. In addition the project offers access to very specific communities, and the research program would involve a collaborative relationship between researchers and community members.
These Third Sector partnerships have served to provide field visits, studios and projects for UG students, and intensive projects for Honours students. The partners however have not received due benefit, and impact, as the UG projects are short, exploratory and not readily commercialize.
Tying HDR research to Patent creation, and to the startup ecology offers the potential for the HDR student to get a stronger and sustainable outcome.
Stealing is Sharing is Caring, Juliette Anich (2016).
All together and at Once the Practice: Towards a Pedagogy of Implication for Australian Industrial Design, Liam Fennessy (2016).
Serial Individualities: A Practice at the Junction of Special Occasion Micro-Design and Sustainability, Georgia McCorkill (2015).
Framework for Re-Visioning Design in Iraq, Qassim Saad (2013).