multimedia design & research

:: research-led practice :: practice-led research ::

DR NICOLA WOOD

Previous research has investigated how craft skills may be elicited and embodied in multimedia learning resources. This led to an understanding of the principles of eliciting and transmitting such knowledge. This project has developed and evaluated a practical system for designers who wish to undertake this work.

By engaging with master craftsmen, expert learners and novices to create and use a web-based learning resource it was found that well-motivated learners, working in physical isolation but supported by an online community, could acquire difficult new skills and use them in creative ways.

The folding knife project

The research focused on the skills of traditional folding knife makers in Sheffield, once a significant part of the cities famous metalworking industries but now declined to just a few master craftsmen.

In our research we undertook case studies with two of these craftsmen, a blade grinder and a folding knife maker, to demonstrate the tacit nature of such craft skill and reveal the methods we used for elicitation and interpretation.

Grace Horne acted as an expert learner, working alongside the craftsmen, observed by myself as designer, and then through experimental making and collaboration together prototype learning materials were generated. The materials were tested and developed into an online resource using a small group of learners who come from a new generation of creative metalworkers whose interests lie in adapting traditional skills to new craft practices.

As a result we were able to demonstrate that the principles for craft transmission developed in previous research could be applied to a specific example of craft knowledge with useful results for the learners. We also developed a more robust methodology for the elicitation and design development methods needed for this form of design practice.

Multimedia outputs

FoldingKnives: a public version of the learning materials developed during the project.

TransmittingCraft: online documentation of the project; its background, the work undertaken and outcomes, including video and images from the research.

YouTube channel hosting video clips used during the research.

In this video Russell White makes a folding knife at Taylor’s Eye Witness, one of the last Sheffield manufacturers to still make folding knives.

Publications

Wood N, Rust C & Horne G (2009). A tacit understanding: The designer's role in capturing and passing on the skilled knowledge of master craftsmen. International Journal of Design, 3(3). PDF forthcoming.

Wood N & Horne G (2008). The new journeyman; the role of an expert learner in eliciting and transmitting skilled knowledge. Proceedings of the Design Research Society Conference, Sheffield, July 2008. PDF

Fisher T, Wood N & Keyte J (2008). Hands on - hands off; on hitting your thumb with a virtual hammer. Proceedings of Design Research Society conference, Sheffield, July 2008. PDF

Wood N (2007). Unlocking the knowledge of others: knowledge elicitation in practice-led design research. Position paper for Sint-Lucas Research Training Sessions 2007. Brussels: Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst Sint-Lucas, June 2007. PDF

This research was carried out in association with Prof Chris Rust at Sheffield Hallam University and contemporary knifemaker Dr Grace Horne. It was funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

links

FoldingKnives: a public version of the learning materials developed during the research.

Grace Horne: contemporary knifemaker and co-researcher on the project.

Chris Rust: Principal Investigator for the project, also friend and mentor.

British Blades a very active knife making forum where we recruited many of our learners.