Architectures of Control in Design
Added on:
July 10, 2006
Location:
United Kingdom, London
Language:
English
Categories:
Computers/Tech, Internet, Politics/law/government, Technology, Civil Rights, Design, Academic, Invention, Surveillance, Memes
Tags:
design, technology, engineering, control, architecture
Rating:
Site Description:
How products increasingly control and restrict your behaviour:
Architectures of Control in Design looks at the growing trend of products, systems and environments being designed with features that intentionally restrict the way the user can behave, or enforce certain modes of user behaviour to fulfil some commercial or political goal.
From digital rights management on music, to ways of making customers spend more in the supermarket, skateboarding deterrents and printer cartridges, the phenomenon deserves recognition and analysis. A 'technology as a control technique' mindset is emerging, which must be scrutinised and challenged.
The blog aims—with readers’ input—to examine and discuss the ideas and techniques of these architectures of control in design, through examples and anecdotes, and by keeping up-to-date with relevant developments. More positive uses of architectures of control, such as safety or environmental forcing functions, are also included alongside the negative.
If you can suggest an example, please get in touch, or add a comment—all help is much appreciated.
