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KEYNOTES & TALKS

Unblocking the Design Mind: Looking for AND rather than EITHER-OR

Format: Keynotes & Talks, RSD2, RSD2 Keynotes & Talks, RSD2 Programme, Topic: Learning & Education

Harold Nelson

Designing is a dynamic process that can be hindered or blocked by habits of mind developed from the EITHER-OR world of truth-seeking and reductive thinking. Design inquiry is an inquiry for action—i.e. forethought AND action.

Design inquiry is also synthetic, answering the AND questions that come up when talking about relationships, connections and linkages—i.e. what is the relationship, connection or linkage between this idea AND that idea; this thing AND that thing?

What are the emergent qualities that arise when AND replaces the argumentative EITHER-OR in design situations?

The question I would like to ask you all to consider with one another in the context of this symposium is: what are the consequences of the ANDs between or among the many different intriguing ideas being presented? AND how could this conversation be taken into other contexts?

Citation (APA 7)
Nelson, H. (2013). Unblocking the design mind: looking for AND rather than EITHER-OR. Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design, RSD2. Article 006. https://rsdsymposium.org/unblocking-the-design-mind/

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Citation Data

Author(s): Harold Nelson
Year: 2014
Title: Unblocking the Design Mind: Looking for AND rather than EITHER-OR
Published in: Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design
Volume: RSD2
Article No.: 006
Post URL: https://rsdsymposium.org/unblocking-the-design-mindunblocking-the-design-mind
Host: Oslo School of Architecture and Design
Location: Oslo, Norway
Symposium Dates: October 9–11, 2013
First published: 9 October 2013
Updated: 01 August 2014 20 July 2025
Publisher Identification: ISSN 2371-8404