Design Research through simulated social complexity. An agent-based proposal to the construction of design knowledge

Authored by Juan Salamanca, la Rosa Juan de, Gerry Dekersen

Date Published: 2019

DOI: 10.1080/14606925.2019.1594985

Sponsors: No sponsors listed

Platforms: NetLogo

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Based on the premise that human agency is shaped on the interaction with others, and at the same time it is affected by norms, cultural membership, and nonhuman agents with an equal or greater impact on the way humans behave, we introduce a design theoretical framework that looks beyond human-centered models to reveal the interrelationship between artifacts, social models and innovation. We regard norms as cultural models consequence of situated interactions between human and nonhuman agents. Borrowing computational tools from the social sciences used for the study of the networked behavior in artificial social systems we propose the inclusion of Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS) in the design researchers toolbox. Through two examples we illustrate how ABMS serves as a tool for experimenting with models of designed artifacts as it carries the potential of testing the effects of design interventions at the micro and macro level on collective behavioral patterns. We conclude with an invitation to the design community to explore this promising path of research.

Tags

agent-based simulation models artificial societies Design research Norm centered design Emergent organization