SEM2007 Archive

Abstract

We are facing increasingly complex and far-reaching environmental challenges that require inter-disciplinary approaches. At the same time, the research and design disciplines are trending towards ever greater specialisation, inhibiting communication and collaboration amongst professionals.

The concept of "Pattern Language" was developed in the late 1970s by Christopher Alexander as a way to capture and communicate archetypal problems and solutions in architecture. Patterns provide a structure or framework that helps focus attention on core issues, leading to a deeper understanding of specific problems. By using a language that is not specific to a discipline, patterns facilitate inter-disciplinary communication.

Patterns are arranged in a network as defined by a 'grammar'. Through a common terminology at multiple levels, a pattern language helps place problems and solutions in a larger context and promotes a systems perspective. At the same time, a pattern language identifies component patterns that need to be analyzed and incorporated to develop a 'whole' solution.

Current effort to develop a pattern language based on natural systems will facilitate the transfer of biological knowledge to other fields and encourage inter-disciplinary collaboration between practitioners and biologists. Such a pattern language can incorporate technical solutions, supporting their integration into sustainable systems solutions.

Key Dates

• Dec. 6, 2006 selection of abstracts
• Mar. 16, 2007 submission of papers
• June 3-6, 2007 conference in Springfield, Massachusetts

Paper Accepted!

The paper has been accepted for the Bioinspired Education session. Recommended length is 6 to 8 pages. I will get 40 minutes to present the paper, ask questions of the audience and get answers (or is it the other way around?).

Table of Contents

This page contains a more compact index of the original Wiki version of the paper.

Paper Outline

I want to capture not just the 'why' and 'how', but also the evolution of our thinking about this subject. Although the paper will likely have a more formal structure, I can see the presentation telling a 'story' about the lead-up to the project, the project itself, and how we see the deliverables being used.

As a structure, I am trying to put myself in the shoes (seat?) of the conference attendee and structure the paper around their (generic) interests. I will start with bullet points and flesh them out once the overall structure makes sense.

"Why Am I Here?"

• What is the problem?
  • Developing solutions that are significantly more sustainable by reducing impact, restoration and regeneration
• Why should I care about the problem?
  • Big problems require significant creativity and innovation
  • Need to apply multidisciplinary skills, which requires collaboration across disciplines
  • Need to apply a system approach, which requires a balance of depth and breadth
• What makes the problem interesting?
  • Don't Know What You Don't Know
  • Visual: domains separated by a chasm or wall (language, implementation technologies, psychological inertia)

"What Are You Selling?"

• What are your objectives?
  • Tap into growing knowledge of ecosystem dynamics
  • Translator or intermediary between knowledge domains or disciplines
• What other approaches have been tried?
  • talk about Miller's System Theory?
  • theory-based, delivered insight, relatively simple model
• What made you look to Pattern Language?
  • Describe Patterns
  • Describe Pattern Language
  • Discuss key features
    • Simple, concise, concrete language
    • Clearly identify the problem, the context, the solution, and the consequences
    • Descriptive and generative (spell out what the words mean)
    • Practical: useful, usable and used
  • Other aspects:
    • Incorporates knowledge, systems relationships and methodology
    • Emergent model: bottoms-up/solutions-based
    • Evolves and improves through use
    • Allows user to develop their own insights as they tailor the pattern language to the specific task
    • A simple framework that helps make sense of the complexity and richness of real systems
    • Combines qualitative (soft/rich) with the possibility of including quantitative (hard/simple) data
• What evidence do you have that Pattern Language will be useful?
  • architecture
  • software design and development (also Agile process)
  • Conservation Economy Pattern Language? (check with Stuart on applications)
• Benefits
• Deliverables

"What Have You Done So Far?"

• What approach are you using?
  • Initial approach: describe natural systems with examples, using examples and counter-examples from technology as a communications aid
  • Revision to include systems in general (assumption that natural and human systems follow simple underlying 'rules')
  • Contradictions and counter-examples as fruitful guides to patterns
  • Implications of different clients of the pattern language
• What steps did you follow?
  • Call for volunteers (BioInspired! Newsletter, Biomimetics listserver)
    • Number, names (and backgrounds?) of active volunteers,
  • Implemented Wiki
  • Turn ecosystem principles into patterns
  • Use the 'patterns' process to introduce rigor into the discussion of principles
• What have you accomplished?

"What Have You Learned?"

• What has impeded your progress? How have you overcome the 'speed bumps'?
  • Inconsistencies in Pattern Language documentation and examples
  • Challenges of volunteer remote collaboration
    • Wiki slow to build momentum, although useful in capturing a train of thought and communicating information in a structured and concise manner
    • Conference calls, both group and one-on-one
• What insights have come out of the project so far?
  • Differences between principles and patterns
  • Patterns are devilishly hard to write
  • Importance of dialogue to explore issues underlying patterns
  • Importance of 'digging below the surface' of fuzzy thinking
  • Principles often 'cover up' significant contradictions that need to be resolved
  • The 'grammar' underlying the Pattern Language needs to emerge
  • Need to be clear on the 'client' - who are they, why do they need it, how will they use it

"What Are The Next Steps?"

• How will you maintain/increase momentum?
  • Funding to cover 'Basic Research' aspect

References

See Word documents

Appendix

• Fil's Variable Fluid Mixer

Word Drafts

First draft (0.5MB)
Second draft (0.5MB)

Presentation Ideas

My initial thoughts:

• set expectations: not presenting an 'off the shelf' tool or methodology for solving problems in Experimental Mechanics
• encourage questions throughout the presentation (but leave at least 5 minutes at the end)
• talk about personal experiences with Biomimicry?
  • preponderance of 'biology to design' examples
  • challenges of using 'design to biology' methodology without extensive knowledge of biology
• address two 'themes':

1. the organization of knowledge to facilitate inter-disciplinary innovation (accessing information outside domain, collaboration across disciplines and levels of expertise)
2. the bi-direction connection between issues of sustainability and innovation (how can we link innovation to 'big' issues, how can our understanding of sustainability help identify new solution pathways)

• expand on knowledge organization:
  • ask audience what approaches they use to solve difficult problems (share results of similar questions from the U/T workshop results?)
  • explore brainstorming vs. 'directed problem solving' methodologies such as TRIZ
  • briefly describe patterns and pattern language as another approach
• expand on linkages to sustainability:
  • 'limits' as a tool for creativity (pull out Julian's comments at a conference of philosophers)
  • knowledge of natural systems as evidence of possibility and source of ideas
  • growing expectation that innovative ideas exist in the context of larger environmental, social and economic systems
  • creating exciting and fresh material for students (exploring contradictions as way of gaining deeper insight - material from The Moebius Strip? paradoxes and Koans?)
  • link to 'Patterns from Nature' project
• explore two images from presentation
  • multi-functionality through structure and information
  • 'scale' as a dimension of investigation: 'scale invariance' vs. unique opportunities at different scales