In search of radical design innovations in the representation of human activities and their relationships (Part #1)

---

Prepared in 1979 in connection with the Forms of Presentation sub-project of the Goals, Processes and Indicators of Development (

GPID

) project of the United Nations University. Printed in Transnational Associations, 1982, 2, pp 80-89 [PDF version]. Also in: Forms of Presentation and the Future of Comprehension (1984)

---

Introduction
Part 1: Ordering distinctions
Part 2: Complementary
Part 3: Comprehensible code
Part 4: Integration
Part 5: Transformations
Part 6: Mapping kit
Part 7: Practical possibilities
Part 8: Evolving design
Conclusions
References

---

[Parts: Next | Last | All ] [Links: To-K | From-K | From-Kx ]

---

Introduction

This paper explores the possibility of a new approach to the representation of any complete ranges of human activity or concern. The justification for doing so has been discussed elsewhere (1, 2, 3). The intention is to provide a much improved overview of their degree of relationship and a feel for the dynamics between them. A particular concern is to reflect adequately the degree of lack of relationship, indifference, mutual irrelevance, or distortion of perspective characteristic between those active in such different fields.

The tentative nature of these investigations must be stressed. At this time it appears that three distinct approaches must be clarified. Then, by interrelating them and allowing each to modify the interpretations to which the others give rise, a basis for the new representation sought emerges.

The prime concern here is not one of logic or rigour since, to the extent that these have been called for, they have been utilized in more conventional responses to the problem (e.g. classification schemes, general system theories, world models, etc.). Rather the concern is to provide a convenient, comprehensible representation - capable of embodying all the detail and precision required - which will provoke reflexion, discussion at many levels, and feedback on the perceived relationships between the fields represented. The concern is to create a communication tool to fulfil a need not met by conventional explanations, information frameworks and systems. Given that the conventional approaches are unable to provoke their users into formulating better (as opposed to more precise) questions, the tool sought should enable users to formulate those questions for which they did not know that they needed the answers.

The three approaches are examined separately in Parts 1 to 3 below. In Part 4 their interrelationship is explored.

---

[Parts: Next | Last | All ] [Links: To-K | From-K | From-Kx ]