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Research interests and projects

In my PhD research, I developed an approach of working in an innovation project and simultaneously studying that project. Since then, I have been conducting similar 'reflexive practice' research in other human-centred design or co-design projects.

The fragility of human-centred design

I am interested in the ways in which participants in innovation projects handle power and agency (politics) and freedom and responsibility (ethics), and in cooperation and shared understanding, and in creativity and 'design thinking'.

I draw from philosophy to reflect on projects in which I work:

  • In my PhD research I drew concepts from 20th centurey French ('post-modern') philosophers Levinas and Derrida to critically discuss human-centred design practices.
  • I used ideas from pragmatist philosopher Dewey (Co-design and Pragmatism and Slow Innovation) to discuss co-design as a process of joint inquiry and imagination.
  • I am currently drawing from virtue ethics, a tradition that goes back to Aristotle, to discuss virtues in participatory design, like cooperation, curiosity and creativity.

In the last couple of years, I have been working in two large, international research and innovation project in which we are keen to find out how online services can help people to experience togetherness and to socialize: TA2 and WeCare.

Academic roles:

  • Scientific Program Commitee of the 13th CHI Nederland Conference, Leiden, 11 June 2009.
  • Co-editor of Proceedings of the 13th CHI Nederland Conference, Leiden, 11 June 2009.
  • Co-organizier of workshop on 'Co-Design' at MobileHCI 2008, Amsterdam, 2 Sept 2008.
  • Organizer of workhop on 'User involvement' at 12th CHI Nederland Conference, Eindhoven, 2007.
  • Invited lectures at Industrial Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology.
  • Invited lectures at Human Technology at The Hague University of Applied Science.
  • Peer reviews for CHI Conferences and for Techne and International Journal of Design.

If you have similar interests, please feel invited to contact me at: marc.steen-AT-tno.nl

Last updated: 21 December 2011.