Research practice approach

The  research  presented  in  this  thesis  is  focused  on  the  investigation  of  woven  e-­‐textiles  

through   design   led   practice   (Frayling,  1993).   The   empirical   research   conducted   for  this  

whereby   both   form   and   function   are   synchronised   for   combined   design   considered   outcomes.    

1.5.1 The  researcher  

The  ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌ͛Ɛ  background  in  woven  textile  design,  acquired  over  a  number  of  years   through   undergraduate,   postgraduate,   professional   practice   and   academic   experience   has   been   essential   to   structure   and   execute   this   research.   The   expertise   of   the   researcher  in  woven  textiles  allows  for  her  to  undertake  a  dual  position  in  this  research   project   ʹ   i.e.   as   designer   and   researcher.   Furthermore,   the   researcher's   personal   interest   in   technological   and   innovative   textiles,   which   has   been   a   consistent   theme   present   in   her   previous   work,   has   also   been   an   additional   motivation   to   pursue   this   research.   The   researcher   was   able   to   apply   in-­‐depth   woven   expertise   of   textile   construction   and   combine   this   with   the   research   investigation.   However,   electronics   were  less  familiar  to  the  researcher  until  embarking  on  this  research  project;  thus,  the   researcher's  knowledge  of  electronics  developed  reflectively  (section  3.4.6)  throughout   the   course   of   this   research.   On   reflection,   this   basic   level   of   electronics   knowledge   enabled  the  researcher  to  take  a  novel  approach  to  designing  e-­‐textiles.  

As  the  researcher  is  an  expert  weaver,  the  mechanics  of  woven  structures  and  weaving   construction   was   more   instinctive   than   that   of   electronics.   Basic   electronics   were   studied   to   initiate   circuit   formation,   inputs,   outputs,   variables,   and   so   forth,   to   gain   a   deeper   understanding.   This   was   achieved   by   learning   basic   practical   and   theoretical   electronics   through   taught   demonstrations,   books,   websites   and   expert   advice.   The   basic   electronics   knowledge   was   applied   to   some   initial   e-­‐textile   pilot   samples   and   technical   tests.   Building   electronics   knowledge   helped   to   establish   where   common   parallels  fell  between  the  two  subjects.  Analysis  and  reflective  learning  from  these  initial   e-­‐textiles  progressively  built  electronics  knowledge  throughout  this  research  project.      

1.5.2 Craft,  design  and  technology  

This  research  differs  to  previous  work  in  the  field,  as  it  pursued  synthesis  of  electronic   circuit   design   principles   with   in-­‐depth   woven   textile   construction   through   design   led   methods.  An  empirical  methodical  approach  similar  to  technical  material  development  

has  been  used  to  develop  the  woven  process,  by  focusing  on  functional  objectives  and   trialling  techniques  that  best  achieve  the  set  aim.  Simultaneously,  a  creative  exploration   of  form  design  and  craft  led  woven  techniques  to  develop  the  same  technical  objective   are  investigated.  These  utilise  the  woven  structure  to  produce  integrated  e-­‐textiles.  As   Harold   Nelson   and   Erik   Stolterman   suggest,   both   the   material   of   design   and   the   craft   involved   in   the   production   methods   are   interconnected   processes.   ͞The   fact   that   we  

distinguish  between  the  act  of  creativity  and  more  pragmatic  or  concrete  activities  does   not   mean   they   are   separated   in   the   design   process͟   (Nelson   and   Stolterman,   2012  

p.174).   It   is   this   combined   approach   that   is   applied   to   this   PhD   research,   and   is   what   Nelson   and   Stolterman   refer   to   as   a   ͚tertium   ƋƵŝĚ͛   when   becoming   a   designer.   The   teritum  quid  is  described  as  the  ͚third  way͛  amongst  traditional  subjects  of  science  and   the   arts   (Figure   1.4   1.4),   i.e.   ͞This   nascent   contextual   tradition   forms   a   container,   a  

protector,  for  design  learning  and  eventual  design  praxis.  It  forms  the  crucible  that  holds   the  superheated  liquid  form  of  inquiry  at  the  centre  of  design  learning  as  well  as  design   praxis͟   (Ibid.   p.225).   Similarly,   Ken   Friedman   also   suggests   design   is   first   a   process,  

where   insights   developed   from   these   processes   create   design   knowledge   (Friedman,   2000);  thus  ͞Those  who  create  knowledge  through  research  have  a  different  and  richer  

relationship   to   their   subject   field   than   those   who   simply   teach   knowledge   that   others   create͟  (Ibid.  p19).    

Figure  1.4  Tertium  quid  the,  third  way  (Nelson  and  Stolterman,  2012  p.226)  

The  researcher  applied  expert  weaving  knowledge  and  reflective  practice  to  develop  the   woven  e-­‐textiles  in  this  research;  this  expert  knowledge  is  unique  to  the  discipline  and   enables   its   advanced   progression   (Bye,   2010   p.3).   Although   woven   knowledge   and  

practice  stems  from  craft  subjects,  the  researcher  applied  this  through  design  processes   combined   with   electronics.   ͞The   creative   processes   now   found   in   textiles   defy   the  

historical   divisions   and   definitions   applied   to   it͟   (Gale   and   Kaur,   2002   p.31),   in   that  

modern   textile   design   processes   are   often   combined   with   IT,   digital   tools,   cross   discipline   collaborations   and   other   processes.   Thus,   in   relation   to   this   research   the   design   process   combines   woven   craft   knowledge   with   electronics   to   enable   new   outputs.  However,  it  cannot  be  overlooked  that  craft  does  underpin  the  textiles  design   process,  as  the  practice  of  textile  design  requires  a  hands-­‐on  making  approach  stemmed   from  craft  skills  (Ibid.  p31).    

Sandra  Wilson  suggests  craft  practice  should  be  credited  separately  to  design  practice,   to  preserve  the  core  principles  of  craft  and  allow  a  deeper  understanding  of  its  values   (Wilson,  2004).  However,  if  craft  practice  is  seen  as  a  set  of  specialist  skills  connected  to   an   individual   via   making   processes,   there   will   always   be   an   association   with   craft   skills   and  materials,  regardless  of  this  being  related  to  technology.  Craft  skills  are  required  to   enable   technology   to   progress   in   areas   such   as   e-­‐textiles,   where   the  maker/   designer/   researcher   is   tangibly   connected   with   a   process.   This   reconfiguration   of   craft   with   technology   and   how   they   connect   can   be   an   enabler   for   progressive   design   (Rosner,   2012;  Scali,  Shillito  and  Wright,  2002).      

David  Pye  defines  craft  differently  to  workmanship,  in  that  the  actions  and  skills  applied   when  crafting  is  ͚ǁŽƌŬŵĂŶƐŚŝƉ͛,  and  can  be  present  in  any  made  application  (Pye,  1980).   He  further  suggests  workmanship  cannot  be  expressed,  as  ͞What  you  see,  and  nearly  all  

that   you   can   see,   in   a   man-­‐made   environment,   is   design   expressed   and   amplified   in   terms   of   ǁŽƌŬŵĂŶƐŚŝƉ͙͘   Design   is   what   can   be   expressed   in   working   drawings   and   a   written  specification͟  (Ibid.  p.3).  Pye  firmly  states  workmanship  is  design,  where  the  two  

subjects  are  closely  interconnected  for  final  outcomes  (Pye,  1978  p.79).  The  relationship   between  a  design  and  the  workmanship  to  realise  the  final  outcome,  is  a  result  of  the   ŵĂŬĞƌ͛Ɛ   discretion   and   decisions   actioned   during   the   making   process.   Similarly,   Glenn   Adamson   states   craft   is   a   process,   and   ͙͞ŽŶůLJ   exists   in   motion.   It   is   a   way   of   doing  

things,   not   a   classification   of   objects,   institutions,   or   people.   It   is   also   multiple:   an   amalgamation   of   interrelated   core   principles,   which   are   put   into   relation   with   one   another   through   the   overarching   idea   of   ͚ĐƌĂĨƚ͛͟   (Adamson,   2007   p.4).   This   process   is  

and  lateral  (creative)  thinking,  which  is  also  connected  to  feeling  (Penfold,  1988  p.133).   In  relation  to  the  e-­‐textile  research  practice  approach,  weaving  craft  skills  are  applied  by   the  researcher.  The  application  of  these  skills  with  electronics  through  design  processes   result  in  the  woven  e-­‐textiles  presented  in  this  thesis.      

Design  led  investigations  of  woven  e-­‐textiles  can  enable  realisation  of  alternative  woven   outputs  that  may  not  be  considered  through  purely  technical  materials  or  creative  craft   routes  alone.    

The   researcher͛Ɛ   previous   woven   textile   design   working   methods   were   reflected   upon   and  framed  this  approach  into  a  model.  This  design  process  model  helped  position  the   ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌ͛Ɛ   existing   design   process.   The   ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĞƌ͛Ɛ   previous   woven   textile   design   process  was  then  combined  with  electronics  for  this  e-­‐textile  research.  This  framed  the   woven   e-­‐textiles   design   process,   and   synthesises   a   technical   materials   approach   and   creative   craft   methods   to   address   both   form   and   function.   This   is   unlike   conventional   textile   design   processes   that   are   typically   related   to   implicit   thinking   and   tacit   knowledge   through   explorative   design   approaches,   where   there   is   limited   research   of   existing   textile   design   process   (Bye,   2010;   Gale   and   Kaur,   2002;   Studd,   2002).   Underpinning  design  methods  such  as  tacit  knowledge,  implicit  thinking  and  others  are   discussed   in   chapter   3.   The   e-­‐textile   design   process   model   was   applied   through   reflective  practice  to  develop  the  e-­‐textiles  in  this  project.