THEME 5: UNDERSTANDING FUTURES DESIGN TERMS

UNIT 5.2.
BEGINNING WITH SEMANTIC CATEGORIES

AIMS

This unit aims to:

  • introduce you a set of categories used to sort what work words do
  • provide a framework of 12 categories to be able to place futures terms in your design studies 
  • help you to sort terms you meet them by activating these categories

MATERIALS

TABLE OF SEMANTIC CATEGORIES (List only)
250 FUTURES DESIGN WORDS (Words only)

TIME

Half hour

1. INTRODUCTION

We have developed a TABLE OF SEMANTIC CATEGORIES (List only) to help you sort and position terms, words and concepts you may encounter or wish to understand better when working on your design project. These are called semantic categories to refer to the work words do and the meanings they may convey and communicate.

This list of categories is designed to help you work on a given design project. A design project can be:
1. simply about DESIGN as a future sharing activity
2. focused on making an artifact or a process in the near future
3. working with more speculative and far off, remote future settings and scenarios.

For each of these you will need to work with words to help describe, label, annotate, explain, interpret and communicate your thoughts, design work and its presentation.

2. STUDYING THE TABLE OF SEMANTIC CATEGORIES

ACTIVITY #1: CONSIDERING THE SEMANTIC CATEGORIES

1. Read the TABLE OF SEMANTIC CATEGORIES (List only)

2. A short description is given for each category. In your own words, write a brief description for each category.

ACTIVITY #2: NAMING ITEMS IN SEMANTIC CATEGORIES

1. On the TABLE OF SEMANTIC CATEGORIES (List only) circle 3 categories that interest you or you wish to try to clarify.

2. For each category you circled, note as many words as you can that you think relate to it (5 is ok).

3. MAKING SENSE OF MY TERMS

ACTIVITY #3: COMPARING YOUR ITEMS WITH A CATEGORY LISTING

1. Read the list of terms in the same categories you have listed.

2. What terms do you have in common with what is listed?

3. What other words are included in the category listing?

4. Go back to the TABLE OF SEMANTIC CATEGORIES (List with words) and re-read the description (in italics) of the categories you have listed.

5. Go back to the list of words and see how many you can identify with a ‘futures view’ (possibilities, alternatives, scenarios, novelty, nar or far off).

6. Maybe there are some that you might consider in your project. Circle them.

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SEE MORE

Readings

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Tools

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Projects

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Research

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Modules

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CONTRIBUTE TO THIS UNIT!

Future Education and Literacy for Designers (FUEL4Design) is an open project.
You are invited to contribute by presenting your own use of this UNIT as well as share feedback on this resource.

WHAT

An addition or comment to a UNIT or the use of an ESSENTIAL you see as appropriate.

WHY

Making a contribution will help connect the LEXICON to other work, innovations, settings and persons.

WHERE

Your contribution can be related to the content of the LEXICON, to the work you do or that of others.

HOW

Send your suggestions, cases, courses, projects and additions to: contactus@fuel4design.org