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MFA Coursework (on hold as of January 2022)

Working Thesis Title

Trauma-Responsive Design: Addressing the Hidden Gaps in Design Research Methodologies and Practice

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to study trauma and its impact on design by addressing gaps in design practice, providing suggestions for teaching in design pedagogy, and propose a new framework for the integration of trauma-informed principles in design research methodologies. In the context of design, this exploration of trauma will demonstrate the opportunity and responsibility for designers to practice trauma-responsive design.

Trauma is a matter of concern for everyone and is considered a significant public health issue in some parts of the world. The breadth and depth of trauma can impact us at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. What’s more, at times, it is so pervasive in how it functions under the surface and in the shadows that our lack of understanding can actually perpetuate harm through our design work.

This research uses the six guiding principles of a trauma-informed approach from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to build a trauma-responsive design framework. This work applies the key principles of safety, trust, collaboration, agency, empowerment, and cultural awareness to a set of participatory, co-design demonstration projects. Additionally, this study will define the nuances and key differences between a trauma-informed and trauma-responsive approach in design. For example, a trauma-informed designer would take trauma into account when participating in the design research process.

Alternatively, a trauma-responsive designer would actively anticipate the potential existence of trauma so that it can be appropriately and ethically addressed at all levels and at all stages of the design process. In doing so, this latter approach requires us to completely rethink how we are currently doing design in practice and pedagogy. Studying trauma in the context of design has resulted in a collection of readings that promote trauma literacy, relational empathy, compassion-building, and analysis of non-clinical therapeutic techniques in the design research process. The significance of this study will provide adaptations to current design methods and create new ones, as well as generate new knowledge and scholarship for trauma-responsive design.

Keywords

Trauma, Trauma-Informed Care, Social Work, Ecological Perspective, Social Construction Theory, Lived Experience, Human-Centered Design, Participatory Design, Co-Design, Trauma-Informed Design, Trauma-Responsive Design