PhD journey personal view_conversation in architecture faculty_lisbon

PhD JourneyThe oficial version
Doctoral investigation between :
Cranfield University UK
&
Loughborough University UK
Margarida Monteiro de Barros
Currently @ CEG-IST
Personal view
FACULDADE DE ARQUITECTURA DE LISBOA October, 2014

and this is where everything started
an EPSRC founded project
Design Dialogues 2005-2008
exploring interventions
that demonstrates different
uses of natural & human
capital to allow different
life-styles
transitions in thinking
focuses on the ‘softer side’ - perception -
to understand how a change towards
sustainability thinking can happen
creating sustainability
not reducing
unsustainability
aim
Provoke a radical transition in thinking
toward global levels of sustainability

Setting the context
Foundations
Approach to research
Research view
ExpertsOrganisations
dialogues
Innovation
Data approach
Outcome: SuCo
Position
Emerging questions
Scales of actionEvaluation and Validation
Elements
Journey of this
presentation

PhD Journey: personal perspective
Setting the context
While a product unit’s environment attributes may
increase, with a growing global consumption rate of
products, business and design activity still results in a
net increase in resource use.
(Roy, 2000)
Thefore, individual actions have, in fact, minor impacts on the overall impact
of a product or service (e.g. electricity); changes need to happen at the
level of redesign the systems in which we operate and live in as well as
our pattern of choice as society
Margarida Monteiro de Barros Faculdade de Arquitectura de Lisboa October 2014

Today’s view of
sustainability
making what we do today less bad (Ehrenfeld, 2004: 2)
meet peoples’ real needs (Papanek1971); which require a rethink of
natural and human capital use.

Foundations
Some key points which
build the research journey
Changing perceptions are needed to a system thinking approach to be
engage that incorporates new values capable of apprehending:
the whole as dependent and related to all its parts (Capra, F.
1997:4;5;).
Sustainability and unsustainability are not just two sides of the same coin.
Unsustainability is measurable; it can be managed and incrementally
reduced. Creating sustainability is not the same as reducing
unsustainability." (Ehrenfeld 2004:2).
A more comprehensive approach to sustainability is limited by our
understanding of, and relationship to, nature (Orr, 1994).
It is imperative to change the strategic framework of organisations in order to
be able to strongly challenge the “business-as-usual” pattern in a
radical way, not extreme (Ehrenfeld 2004).
The incremental approach, which operates inside of the same system,
looking for efficiency; and, the radical approach, which tries to
establish new visions, parameters and lenses for a new system or mind set
(Manzini 2005).

Foundations
Some key points which
build the research journey
Changing perceptions are needed to a system thinking approach to be
engage that incorporates new values capable of apprehending:
the whole as dependent and related to all its parts (Capra, F.
1997:4;5;).
A more comprehensive approach to sustainability is limited by our
understanding of, and relationship to, nature (Orr, 1994).
It is imperative to change the strategic framework of organisations in order to
be able to strongly challenge the “business-as-usual” pattern in a
radical way, not extreme (Ehrenfeld 2004).
The incremental approach, which operates inside of the same system,
looking for efficiency; and, the radical approach, which tries to
establish new visions, parameters and lenses for a new system or mind set
(Manzini 2005).
Sustainability and unsustainability are not just two sides of the same coin.
Unsustainability is measurable; it can be managed and incrementally
reduced. Creating sustainability is not the same as reducing
unsustainability." (Ehrenfeld 2004:2).

Research view
Change the level of perception through interventions that
introduce a new paradigm
Understanding the Natural Capital as the limit of action
Act within the INPUTS of a system rather then uniquely on its OUTPUTS
Intervene at more effective scales to create sustainability
Key points
Margarida Monteiro de Barros SENSU conversations

Research view
THOUGHTS & IDEAS
LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION & ACTIVITIES
THOUGHTS & IDEAS
LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION & ACTIVITIES
INTERVENTIONS
CREATING SUSTAINABILITY
Based on David Bohm’s essays On Creativity, 2000
Provoke a rapid
transformation in the
familiar pattern of
doing things 
Paradigm Change (Bohm D.
(ed: Nichol L., 2000)
CHANGE LEVEL OF PERCEPTION

Research view
Market System
Organisational System
Products
Services
Products & Services Systems
Outputs
Economic System
Social System
Political System
Human System (Ethos + values system)
Natural system
Organisational System
Products
Human System
The proposal is to:
focus also on the
INPUTS
Needs a shift in perspective
to be EVOLUTIONARY rather
than revolutionary

Research view
Where to intervene?
9. Numbers (subsidies, taxes, standards)
8. Material stocks and flows
7. Regulating negative feedback loops
6. Driving positive feedback loops
5. Information flows
4. The rules of the system (incentives, punishment, constraints)
3. The power of self-organization
2. The goals of the system
1. The mindset or paradigm
Creating sustainability
Donella H. Meadows - Places to Intervene in a System, Whole Earth Magazine: Winter 1997
Only then we have an effective
intervention towards
sustainability

Margarida Monteiro de Barros FAUTL conversation February 2012
HOW THE RESEARCH WAS DEVELOPED?

Approach to research How Design Thinking can be used to incorporate and implement
interventions that enable transformations from unsustainable
practice to practices to create sustainability?

“Often thought of in terms of design deliverables such as sketches
and prototypes, design thinking*** is perhaps more readily
identified with the thought process associated with the creation of
such things than with the deliverables themselves.”
(Wylant, 2009:4).
Make sense of things in a context is the main cognitive device
portrayed by the term design thinking .
The challenge for design towards sustainability lies in doing this
before anything actually exists:
“Requires an understanding of how design decisions, and thus
design manifestations, will fit within larger streams of
consideration”
(Wylant, 2009:5).
Research Question: approach Design Thinking
February 2012Margarida Monteiro de Barros Faculdade de Arquitectura de Lisboa October 2014
***Often mistaken with Deep Dives Techniques (following the Horwath, R., 2009 book)

Design Thinking explained
Design 1.0 Artefacts Communication & Attributes
Design 2.0 Products & Services
Design 3.0 Organizational transformation
- bounded by the organisation and business strategy
Design 4.0 Social Transformation
- Complex, Not bounded
Van Patter, G. K. 2009, Novembro
Design = Problem solver
Processes, skills
and competencies
related to tangible
results
Processes, skills
and competencies
related to non-
tangible results

“…challenges that organizations have to face,
communities have to face can not be solved by
creating more products, services, experiences even
from a human-centric approach. Creating products is
usually the solution to solve problems that humans
in the XXI century don´t have”
VanPatter, G.K., 2009, March – free translation

Margarida Monteiro de Barros FAUTL conversation February 2012
output
REDUCING UN-SUSTAINABILITY
CREATING SUSTAINABILIDADE
Visions of societies we want to have
Values-systems we want to sustain
Different outputs = different systems
to sustain different life-styles
input
Sustainability general focus
Challenge to this research: HELP ON INTERVENE, IMPLEMENT OR RE-DIRECT THE VALUES-SYSTEM
Calls for DESIGN THINKING characteristics

constructivist grounded theory approach
(Charmaz, 2003)
qualitative research context that aims to
evolve an understanding of how people see,
perceive, describe their wellbeing,
welfare, and ideas of desirable futures
(Denzin and Lincoln, 2003)
Understand the Hows Tos of sustainability
data collection utilised a multi-method
approach (Robson 2002:270) using storytelling,
games and other techniques

Grounded Theory also use as a methodology: represents the
possibility of looking at data with no objective, and construct
the research path along the research journey.
The objective: not to formulate a theory neither arriving to a
framework, but to understand sustainability form others
peoples´ eyes

Maps re-present the
world by providing
versions of truth for
human minds to
apprehend. In turn,
minds represent the
world too, internally as
cognitive maps.”
(Montello, D. R., 2002:283)
“The recognition that map design is about the design of
human cognition might be termed intuitive map
psychology.”
(Montello, D. R., 2002:283)
This research, does not have the intention of portraying the
cognitive connections, it aims to express deep thoughts,
ideas, values and motivations of people
Cognition includes perception, learning, memory, thinking,
reasoning and problem-solving, and communication
(Montello, D. R., 2002).

Dialogues
The use of Dialogues is
of central importance
to approach, collect
and analyse data within
this research REALITY = A COLLECTION OF CONCEPTS, MEMORIES AND
REFLEXES COLORED BY OUR PERSONAL NEEDS, FEARS, AND
DESIRES
OUR INTERPRETATIONS ARE LIMITED AND DISTORTED BY THE
BOUNDARIES OF LANGUAGE AND THE HABITS OF OUR HISTORY,
SEX AND CULTURE
Bohm et al. 1991

Dialogues
Dialogues are ideal for
sensitive issues; such as
when personal,
thoughts and ideas are
asked to be shared 21)
(from Gordon, 1999:21)
Dialogues essence is learning, being learning an unfolding
process of creative participation between peers
“It is not a technique for problem solving or conflict
resolution(…) it is, as (we have) emphasized, primarily a means
of exploring the field of thought.”
(Bohm, et al., 1991)

Dialogues across
research
the concept of dialogue
was central to
all stages of the
research
through a variety of
usages of dialogues
dialogue as a philosophy –Bohm (2000) main ideas;
dialogue as a method - capturing personal visions and
knowledge: conversations, narratives and storytelling to ‘extract’
meaning (Yiannis, 2000:4);
dialogue as a process – a collection of personal journeys and
experiences on the practical side of sustainability to transfer
knowledge (Denning, S., 2006) and helped to understand and
explain complexity (Brown, J.S., 2006);
dialogue as a concept - the construction of a framework that
provides cultural change (Yiannis 2000) and transformational
change (Denning, S., 2006);
dialogue as a guide for different decisions - promoting
strategic organisational reorientation/radical change by
facilitating frame-breaking (Greenwood and Hinings, 1993)

Dialogues
Stories are an
“institutional memory
system of
organizations” (from
Yiannis 2000:19)

Dialogues & Games
Experts (10) were asked to
participate in a game that
helped lead them to
conversations describing what
they really felt toward
sustainability

Results
Experts’ dialogues
What was found was a surprising level of agreement on:
• what comprised core sustainability values and motivations,
both for self and for the organisation.
• two key points emerged from these early conversations:
1. the importance of individuals to drive sustainability and
the subsequent need for empowerment and
accountability;
2. the value-system of individuals - their beliefs and
motivations - as a key issue in effectively incorporating
ecological thinking in daily life and work

Experts’
Organisations’
Underlines the
importance of collecting
ways by which such
values are placed in
action

Organisations’
dialogues
Six organisations represented a range of company size and industrial
sectors: food, architecture, leisure and tourism, cosmetics and financial
services
Develop dialogues about the foundation business’ values and how these are
translated in their strategies, structures, systems (e.g. communication
systems), processes and outputs

Dialogues
Stories were collect from a
range of Organisations (6) done
through face-to-face
conversations following a
„guide“
Organisations arquitype elements – Greenwood and Hinings, 1993
the map of collecting data & analyse it

the map of collecting data & analyse it

Organisations’
dialogues
What emerged from the analysis of data provided:
• an understanding of how organisations expressed their values [also
emphasized by the experts as a key point]
• and how these values framed their outputs across the whole
organisation as well as across the business cycle.
•This provided a picture of how to create interventions to achieve
radically different [away from ‘business as usual’] outputs.
Underline the main key aspects of
INNOVATION under a different
PARADIGM

Innovation
Innovation, as suggested by De Bono (1995)
should challenge what people know and
should explore the different dimensions of
performance at the organisational level
(Drucker, P., 1988).
and this is what these organisations where
doing - challenging the current business
VALUE-SYSTEM and the PLACE of PEOPLE
Beyond market demands
…as if the market demands governs activity,
the potential to create sustainability will be
limited to what people know today (Inspiered
by De Bono, 72)

Innovation
Looking at innovation to
provoke learning loop in
response to competition and
market needs
[Inspired by design management
methodology used by the Spanish
innovation consultancy CN, Barcelona]
Traditional innovation: operates under the same cultural paradigm
Innovation suggested by data analise: create an evolutionary fractal leap
Breakingparadigm
Creating evolutionary
LEAP of behavioural
This is the view of innovation
for Sustainability from this
research perspective:
To provokes a
paradigm change,
embedding a
sustainability culture
that can frame
potential futures
Evolutionary Fractal Leaps:
defies the view of
chronological events and are
provoked by turbulence
(Nottale, L., 2007:206).

Emerging questions
what are the set of basic beliefs,
concepts, and attitudes?
OUTCOME requires to characterise
the paradigm of Sustainability in
practice
how the different dimensions of
sustainability are seen in practice?
what are the different type of
relationships existing internally and
externally?
OUTCOME needs to enable to think
differently about synergies among
the different dimensions.
OUTCOME should have a
framework to think beyond
traditional outputs (i.e. beyond
end products and services)

Data approach
Organisations are living systems (Ricard et al, 2004; Swanson, G.
A., 1995:57)
Data the approach was informed by living systems theory that
recognizes both abstract systems (e.g. behaviour) and concrete
systems (e.g. physical or geographic) (Bailey, 1995:85-86)

what are the set of basic beliefs,
concepts, and attitudes?
how the different dimensions of
sustainability are seen in practice?
what are the different type of
relationships existing?
Sustainability dimensions in literature:
Elkington’s triple bottom line (1997): Society, Economics and Environment
Ehrenfeld (2004) suggested: Ethics, Human, Nature
Fuad-luke (interviewed on 2005): Societal; Economics; Environmental, HumanData approach
The multi-method of
conceptualise and cognitive
mapping
(Brightman and Banxia 2003)
To understand the different scales of action:eight sub-systems representing
The hierarchy that is involved in a system: level of Cell, Organ,
Organism, Group, Organisation, Community, Society, Supranational (Miller
et al, 1995:12-15).

Margarida Monteiro de Barros & Dr Emma L. Dewberry GECAMB conference 16 & 17 of October 2008
Data approach

SuCo ©
Sustainable Cultures and Operations©
(i.e. SuCo©: methodology for innovation for sustainability).
• 2 main approach of SuCo©
• Operational part – Agreeculture©
• Cultural part – Seeds of Change
• Integral part of SuCo© as a holistic methodology for innovation for
Sustainability
• Can be used individually.
• Each one is composed by three key components:
1. a philosophical approach or mindset;
2. a framework;
3. a conceptual approach - process
This enables to establish steps towards a way of viewing/thinking;
approaching; and acting

SuCo ©
Short term – On / Off Long term - Continuo
OutputsInputs
Agreeculture ©
Seeds of Change
cultural transformation
towards a different
output
(apply attitude)
Operational Re-
direction towards a
different input
(think according to
action)

SuCo © elements
Seeds of Change
Cultural part
philosophical approach - Germination
9 principles to:
• re-think values and
•how to re-directed future strategies
and actions
Framework:
creates different:
a) ways of perceive;
b) establish new connections;
c) and modes of actions.
Conceptual Process:
1. diagnose of current set of values
2. analise key elements that frames
reality and assumptions
3. uncover new principles
4. creating interventions to generate
actions and strategies for sustainability

•Explore different scales of relationships
between elements of a system by
understand its “relational power“ for
potential interventions – OvOlution
•Understands the system of intra and inter-
relations in the business cycle – over time
philosophical approach:
SuCo © elements
AgreeCulture©
Operational part:
Framework:
Conceptual Process:
•presents the key parameters in each of
sustainability’s dimension
•and how they interrelate to uncover
opportunities for innovation
1. Data Collection: understanding the
business chain of actors
2. Exploring Value-chains: deeply analysing
values at different scales of operation
3. Creating scenarios of opportunity:
exploring new actors; identifying needs;
analysing contexts of use

Validation&Evaluation

Corus UK:
a multi-national
steel
manufacture
from group Tata
international
Result:
- Uncovering the real capacity for
social adding value of Corus
- Designing a sustainability
strategies to implement activities
to integrate social value
- Create a framework with social
assets at the core
Implement social
assets at the
core of the
organisation
Speculate
about the
future of
EcoDesign
Wales
EcoDesign Wales:
a small
Government
funded ecodesign
support agency in
Wales
Result:
- Uncovering internally opportunities
developing and intersect interests
and capacity
- Create future strategic path for
business development - Expose core
principles responsible for
organisational culture

Some results of SUCO

SuCo©: methodology
for innovation for
Sustainability
It requires a ‘buy-in’ from all business-cycle stakeholders
SuCo© is about building capacity to Create Sustainability
Is represents the ‘softer’ side of Factor10
Develops a concept linking appropriate values and actions that
enables a shift in thinking towards Factor10 outcomes.
SuCo© is a useful beginning of an on-going, and much needed, dialogue.

Thank you
http://www.creatingsustainability.org.uk/

margaridambarros@tecnico.ulisboa.pt
CEG-IST Centro de Estudos de Gestão do Instituto Superior Técnico

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