The increasing amount of multidisciplinary collaborations in the creation of Product Service Systems (PSS), spurs the need for a deeper understanding of the position of the design researcher, who often finds her- or himself creating cohesion between the different disciplines involved, through a range of activities from analysis, synthesis and facilitation, to inspiration, instigation and speculation. This paper will identify this position as an in-between position, which contributes to the practice of multidisciplinary teams on a strategic level. Temporarily entering the space in between discipline is furthermore identified as empowering experiences for members of such teams. It can open up doors to novel opportunities and outcomes, by enabling multidisciplinary teams to engage in processes that are more strategic because they construct new meanings and value for people, rather than ‘just’ creating solutions for problems.
authors: Bas Raijmakers, Susana Camara Leret, Geke van Dijk, Danielle Arets
CRISP project: G-Motiv
prototype: Molecules That Matter, Kindred Spirits