Facilitated Articulation of Implicit Knowledge in Textile Design

This is a report from an ongoing research project and as such it is work in progress. The paper proposes an exploratory approach in order to enable end-users to contribute with their experiences of emotional values of fabrics in use. It is suggested that the textile designer with her repertoire of (experiential, implicit and tacit) textile design knowledge should facilitate the articulation process. The paper specifically draws on a series of workshops conducted within the collaborating company inviting all employees to participate. The series of workshops were based on a game-like setting and introduced an emergent framework for accessing implicit knowledge in textile design. The framework is based on the distance to the fabric. Present at each workshop were materials, chairs and images as initiators for articulation. In each workshop rules for playing and gaming materials were introduced by the author - being a textile designer herself, who functioned as the facilitator. This paper uses two examples from the series of workshops to exemplify a facilitated articulation of implicit knowledge in textile design. From the examples the following themes are synthesised as being important for articulation: The hands-on experience as initiator for articulation; the game-like setting including rules and gaming materials as a facilitating set-up; and finally feeling as experts enables the participants to contribute and articulate their experiences. In future exploratory workshops it is suggested to elaborate on an introducing, an exploring and a summarising phase in order to work more in-depth with articulation and contribution to the design process.