HIIPE DESIGN MEthodology
I am my ancestor's wildest dreams!
General Overview
Our HIIPE Design Methodology allows us to organically develop technology solutions and then leverage those for our clients or custom innovations. It stands for Holistic, Intuitive, Iterative, Project Evolution.
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HIIPE is rooted in a more radical, immersive, empathetic approach. One that leverages engaged experiences, built around community, and intersecting specialities. We build our programs out of listening to the needs of a unique community and growing solutions organically.
Holistic
The Whole puts design (intervention) and “Designer” (user) in relationship to societal interventions and sees the user as whole rather than in parts.
This core starting principle differentiates HIIPE from many design paradigms because HIIPE puts design in relation to a spiritual or personal development philosophy which is inseparable from the design of the thing being made. Harriet had a deep and abiding faith that she was being guided. She was steadfast in her conviction that all she had to do was keep going and God would take care of the details.
In my work I reject the notion that the social, racial, class, gender, and body politics of the designer can be separated from the context of design. Additionally, it took immense work to realize that I do not need to remove my ancestral rights from the academic process, therefore I come with my Muslim, Indigenous, Black, Queer, body, knowing the harm that it has been caused to “just be” --to belong alive as by being -- challenges our traditional sense of heternormative capitalistic patriarchy.
Sufi teachings assert that The Universe does not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in their hearts. Thus HIIPE acknowledges the person in the position of “designer” and their internal process in relation to the intervention being designed in context and relationship as they live in communities. In this sense, one should be, and consider oneself, part of “the community” for which they are attempting civic design. In doing so, their heart is also part of the community, or colloquially, “their heart is in it.”
Intuitive - Trusting our Instincts-
This idea also distinguishes the HIIPE methodology in that it forefronts embodied cognition, or gut feeling, as a guiding poetic for navigation. It assumes every individual has inherent survival skills built into their DNA and cultivated by life experience.
As the individual brings their whole self into the design environment, and forefronts instinct over planned action or (chrono)logical thought, then their instincts for survival, and the survival of the thing they are designing, will constantly evolve. Harriet used an understanding of nature and who, what, and where to avoid in order to continue heading north.
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Project Evolution
The final piece challenges the institutional burdens placed on civic or social designers that are governed by the status quo of the institution instead of forefronting the needs of the thing being designed. Instead it returns to a Sufi notion that the ultimate success of a thing is in the hands of the Universe and outside of the “control” of the designer as “creator.” In this sense under HIIPE the designer, like a gardener, cannot force a flower (project) to bloom at a specific date and time regardless of their skill level or experience. They can facilitate the sunlight, plant food, water, or other conditions for desired effect, but ultimately the flower will bloom when it is ready.
This also follows philosopher Martin Buber’s notion of I and Thou--in which the designer is always in conversation with the thing being designed (Thou) as opposed to controlling it as a grace-less entity “it.” In this modality, one honors and gives power to the thing in creation as a form of belief in its future potential. This notion was added after years working in the social sector and government and watching project after project fail because they had arbitrary deadlines that did not serve the interest of the thing designed.
If one is developing a tech tool that could improve literacy for millions of students, then to forefront the end of the semester or quarter actually represents a higher allegiance to the systemic rules that govern the status quo than centering the needs of the communities for which one is designing. The flower will bloom when it has the sufficient necessities for blooming. It is faith in the flower’s ability to bloom, and in one’s ability to understand the necessary adjustments, that justifies giving the necessary time and resources. Everything that follows is an act of patience and perseverance.
Iterative- Rapid Prototyping
This concept builds on much of the philosophy of Participatory Action Research in that it forefronts learning by doing and rapid prototyping. Using new nomenclature of (i*) translated as “iteration number”, it assumes a thing exists regardless of the stage of its development. A film is “being made” the minute the writer has the idea. Its various states or i* from there might be called a script, shooting script, daily shot list, rough cut, final cut, airplane cut, etc. but each i* is a representation of a whole version of the thing at that particular time or in that modality. The idea for the movie is as important as the final cut delivered to the film festival and deserves as much care.
