Design toolkits as epistemic artifacts for participatory workshops
Sheng-Hung Lee, an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, emphasizes the significance of toolkits in design workshops for fostering collaboration. Lee, who has worked with IDEO and Continuum and earned his PhD at MIT, highlights three essential roles of these resources: enhancing teamwork, documenting ideas, and clarifying concepts. He recently introduced the Design for Longevity (D4L) Toolkit, which includes 18 design cards created during a workshop with students from Shih Chien University and Musashino Art University. Additionally, he mentioned Longevity Planning Blocks (LPBs), comprised of twelve co-designed acrylic cubes used by over 90 participants in ongoing research.
Key facts
- Sheng-Hung Lee is Assistant Professor of Urban Technology at the University of Michigan and Director of the d-mix lab.
- Lee argues design toolkits are the most important but invisible element in workshops.
- Toolkits serve three roles: boundary objects, research infrastructure, and synthesis artifacts.
- The D4L Toolkit is a set of 18 design cards used in a workshop with Shih Chien University and Musashino Art University students.
- The Longevity Planning Blocks (LPBs) are twelve weighted acrylic cubes co-designed with MIT AgeLab.
- Over 90 participants used LPBs in qualitative research on retirement planning.
- Lee worked at IDEO and Continuum on projects including Ford 360, Fotile kitchen hood, and GAP retail experience.
- Jasper Morrison's concept of 'Objectality' from his 2026 book is referenced to describe toolkit character.
- The D4L workshop took place in June with 40 students in eight interdisciplinary teams.
- Lee is trained in industrial design and electrical engineering.
Entities
Artists
- Sheng-Hung Lee
- Jasper Morrison
Institutions
- University of Michigan
- d-mix lab
- IDEO
- Continuum
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- MIT AgeLab
- Shih Chien University
- Musashino Art University (MAU)
Locations
- United States
- Taiwan
- Japan