Lab for Cybernetics: Engaging Wicked Challenges

Catalog description

Cross Listed with Architecture 48-551 and 48-751 The Laboratory for Cybernetics supports students engaging with wicked challenges grounded in a thesis topic or personal project, by offering concepts and materials, models and methods, networks and collaboration. Cybernetics uniquely approaches systems in terms of purpose—the purpose attributed to the system and the purpose of those who articulate the system's purpose. Thus, Cybernetics demands explanations for system behaviors as well as responsibility for our own behaviors and the interventions we design. The course project is a design brief that is entered into a competition for a $5K toward for implementation. The primary award criterion is to increase the total number of choices. The brief must articulate how the design increases the potential for human agency beyond existing approaches while affording an experience that is deeply resonant with the values and intentions of the persons engaged with it. Course Website: http://tinyurl.com/Lab4C-Spring25