The focus of design is changing rapidly, as new products are increasingly connected to each other and to the rest of the world. This means that the focus of the designer is less and less on the creation of tangible artifacts, and increasingly on the development of complex interco
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The focus of design is changing rapidly, as new products are increasingly connected to each other and to the rest of the world. This means that the focus of the designer is less and less on the creation of tangible artifacts, and increasingly on the development of complex interconnected systems. These systems should preferably not only be “new and improved”, but also be “new to improve” society. To support this ambitious vision, a new multilevel design model is discussed that may provide insight in the mutual relationship between new products and the socio-technical and societal contexts in which these products function. This model is tested in two experiments: “Autonomous Elderly”, which links the development of an assisted living center to the Guide Me, a personal tracking system, and “Youth in Motion”, which links the development of a Sports Promotion Field Lab to the development of the Make Me Move, an interactive play floor.
