Unfolding the future: Prototypes as epistemic objects in innovation and collaboration work

Notes

“In design practice, prototypes are objects that approximate the features of a product or service [3]. They are known for their boundary-mediating capacity to facilitate conversations among heterogeneous groups with shared interests [17, 18]. Through such conversations, prototypes can facilitate learning among groups by foregrounding new issues [12, 16, 24]. Indeed, Gill et al. [9] describe prototypes as “design thinking enablers” for their ability to help designers generate and refine their designs. As a means of exploring new design ideas, prototypes are objects that constitute innovation and collaboration practices among heterogeneous groups of people [24].” (Asante-Agyei et al., 2022, p. 1)

Fantastic summary of prototypes as boundary objects.

They mention that prototypes are highly dynamic. So making snapshots, through documentation and the like, is a way to make them more sustainable.

“Because they are incomplete, epistemic objects do not have fixed qualities as a boundary object might; rather, they point to what is absent. In other words, they are defined “by what they are not (but will, at some point have become) than by what they are” [14, p.200]. By pointing to what is absent, they help detail what is not yet known. This way, they can be a source of constant change and innovation [15, 20]. By raising questions, epistemic objects have the ability to unfold indefinitely” (Asante-Agyei et al., 2022, p. 2)

Important part about epistemic objects