Applying Pattern Awareness to Human Centered Design and Systems Thinking

Abstract

Pattern Awareness in nature is innate in every human and cultures around the world have employed it to navigate the world around them. Permaculture Design has aggregated and employed many of the most ubiquitous patterns found in natural systems around us, from the universal to individual organisms and taught how to apply these patterns to design. These Patterns are the foundations of systems as the energy flows behind these systems follow these patterns. Teaching students about pattern awareness helps them understand how systems work and flow. There are many fundamental patterns that reflect systems around us, including dendritic patterns, network patterns, concentric patterns and spiral patterns to name a few. Students can see these patterns existing in nature and even within them. Through that visual learning it helps them understand how the products, systems the products exist within and even digital interfaces they design flow through users lives and the world around them, just as in natural systems. Applying Permaculture Principles such as "Design from Patterns to Details (of the Pattern)" also help them understand how to apply this knowledge. Through this process they are able to design more comprehensive products that meet users, producers and business needs. This paper will share educational methods and student results of applying this material in Design Theory and Methods Courses in conjunction with Studio courses.

Keywords: Pattern Awareness, Systems Thinking, Human Centered Design

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005118