Design and Society: Social Issues in Technological Design

This book discusses concepts of good design from social perspectives grounded in anthropology, sociology and philosophy, the goal being to provide readers with an awareness of social issues to help them in their work as design professionals. Each chapter covers a specific area of good practice in design, explaining and applying a small set of related concepts to a series of case studies, and including a list of additional sources recommended for further study. The book does not assume any specialized, technical background knowledge; it is not a how-to book that offers technical instruction. Yet, it focuses on the assessment of designs, addressing concepts qualitatively (with a small exception for the concept of risk). Based on an established university course on Design and Society at the Centre for Society, Technology, and Values that the author offers for students from a variety of disciplines, the book represents a valuable resource for students in engineering, architecture and industrial design – helping prepare them for careers as design professionals – and for all readers in design-related professions interested in understanding a side of design that they may well never have considered systematically. Because of its broad scope and non-technical presentation style, the book may also appeal to general readers interested in social issues in design and technology.

• Assessment of Design
• Rational Design
• Technotonic and Technostressing Design
• Trust in Design
• Style as Social Signals
• Style as Marketing
• Design Activism
• Spatial Justice
• Design Under Uncertainty
• Bio-inspired Design
• Sustainable Design
• Moral Concepts of Progress

• Centre for Society, Technology and Values, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada

  Cameron Shelley

Policies and ethics