See the program here.

Program - Kitchen Table Conversations (.pdf)

Documentation - Visual presentation by Linn Greaker (.pdf)

Seminar 11-13 September 2019:

GENDER SENSITIZING IN DESIGN, ART, ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING EDUCATION

Seminar program:

GENDER SENSITIZING IN DESIGN, ART, ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING EDUCATION

Program 19 - 20 (+21) September

Time: 6th of September 2017

Location: Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences

The Conference program 

Women in Design Research (Wonder) is a research network established in 2012 at NTNU, AHO, HIOA and LTH. Wonder has grown and includes colleagues from a wide range of universities and positions. We have completed our sixth seminar: We Wonder! This time two days with strong presenters at Trafo AHO! Thanks to AHO´s Prorector and institute leader Rachel KB Troye for her contribution, hosting and presenting at We Wonder!

We appreciate AHOs invitation to a magical boat trip with dinner at SS Vollan!

And finally: a huge thanks to the participants openheartedly presentations and performances, caring for the young researchers! Wonder takes initiative to stay in touch through coming seminars and social media.

The core members are seeing each other in October to set the next Wonder seminar. Keep in touch!

We Wonder, Nina Bjørnstad at Institute for Design, AHO.

Theme: Gender and Design Education
Place: Design Centre, Lund University
Date: 10-11 September 2015

This year’s seminar focused on academia in general, and in particular on the university as a working place.

On the one hand, female university employees are to higher degrees assigned to teaching, whereas male colleagues are assigned to do research. On the other hand, the academic promotion system focuses on and mainly rewards research production.

Presentations and discussions covered to what extend the academic working climate affects our performance from a gender point of view, and how stereotypical mind-sets regarding gender and other norms affect our roles as design educators and researchers. Furthermore, how is the design profession influenced in general, when current students and future design practitioners enter ‘real life’ and create products, services and systems reflecting their own norms and values and the ones passed on by researchers and teachers. (See also the programme.)

This year’s seminar will focus on academia in general and in particular, on the university as a working place. On the one hand, female university employees are to higher degrees assigned to teaching, whereas male colleagues are assigned to do research. On the other hand, the academic promotion system focuses on and mainly rewards research production. To what extend does the academic working climate affect our performance from a gender point of view? How do stereotypical mind-sets regarding gender and other norms, affect our roles as design educators and researchers? Furthermore, how is the design profession influenced in general, when current students and future design practitioners, enter ‘real life’ and create products, services and systems reflecting their own norms and values and the ones passed on by us?

The seminar will take place at Ingvar Kamprad Design Centre at Lund University, Sweden.

The programme is available here (pdf).

To what extent and in what ways do designers consider gender in making products and services, and what defines products and services for men and women or girls and boys? 

The seminar had the goal to explore if designing for everybody, as claimed by many designers, follows de facto male norms in society and the consequences this implies for using products and services. The presentations focused on different product and service areas and cultural contexts, as well as on dominating ideologies and values connected with gender roles and the participants debated how these are changing and sometimes backsliding in contemporary society.

The seminar schedule is available here.

Learning about her publications and interviews, the members of the Wonder group contacted Prof. Dr. Uta Brandes in July 2013. Prof. Brandes is a German design expert, -theoretician and -author.

Uta Brandes is professor of Gender and Design and of Design Research at the Köln International School of Design (KISD). Prof. Brandes is also one of the founders of the international Gender Design Network / iGDN, which consists of members of eight international design schools.

Prof. Brandes emphasizes the role of the iGDN as follows: "While gender boundaries are being bent, subverted and broken down left and right in artistic, technological and political forums, many industries—particularly ones that hinge on product design—are still responding to the ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' notion… While it is undoubtedly true that women and men bring different experiences, interests and ways of thinking to purchasing, designing and interacting with products and services, the tired cliché of ‘pretty ‘n' pink' designs for girls versus sturdy, blue designs for boys—the essence of which is translated into adult designs—is perpetuating prejudices."

With the goal to discuss gender issues in design theory and -practice on an international level, as well as in our daily professional life, four Wonder representatives visited the Köln International School of Design on 11 October 2013: Prof. Dr. Martina Keitsch, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Prof. Nina Bjørnstad and PhD. Candidate Julia Schlegel, Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Prof. Dr. Astrid Skjerven, Oslo University College, and PhD. Candidate Maral Babapour, Chalmers University Sweden. By doing so, they followed up on an objective of the Wonder network, to both create an inclusive and gender sensitive academic culture, and, to develop an infrastructure that stimulates recruitment and follow-up of women in design research. The background for this objective is that Industrial Design always has been a particularly male dominated field, with design research making no exception. In 2013 the Wonder network got funding from NTNU's gender equality means. Part of this funding was used to participate in this meeting.

The hosts prepared a challenging and stimulating day-schedule consisting of several presentations and discussions of the following topics:

• Uta Brandes introduced the concept of gender and design, followed by exemplary gender projects carried out with KISD students and researchers
• Marijke Doemges presented  her research about the infantilization of women and the sexualisation of little girls
• Aljoscha Nimz and Sebastian Oft presented their intermediate exam about the differences and conflicts between gay men as queer (drag queen etc.) and as "straight" gay
• Andreas Breilmann presented his analysis and new "fashion" for the German army: "BundesWear"
• Presentations from the Wonder members Martina Keitsch, Astrid Skjerven, Nina Bjørnstad and Maral Babapour
• Presentation international Gender Design Network (iGDN) and WONDER (Women in Design Research)
• Discussion about further proceedings.

We agreed to arrange a common activity in the near future and apply for EU/ University funding for e.g. a workshop in the autumn of 2014. Further, we agreed to keep in close contact while maintaining the design research focus for Wonder with possible openings to practice. One advantage of "joining forces" is to have access to an enlarged network and ergo professional competence, opportunities for common planning of activities and easier dissemination (common research, information on positions, professional exchange etc.). Last but not least - learning from others experience and research is essential for one`s own network development.

On 29 October, the second network meeting was organised, this time on the topic of career development. Here you can find two of the presentations that were given:

• Svandís Benediktsdóttir, Gender Equality Adviser, NTNU: "To be seen and heard" (pdf)
• Martina Keitsch, Associate Professor, Department of Product Design, NTNU: "Suggestions for Women's Advancement in Academia" (pdf)