Talk:Main Page

From Patterns

Project Goals and Deliverables

--Tom McKeag (Dec. 27/2006) Speaking of goals… what is the goal of this work beyond presentation of a paper in June? A book? A database for Biomimicry central? A teaching template? I would like to discuss this with you sometime when convenient.

--Norbert (Feb. 1/2007) The ultimate goal is to develop both a methodology and associated content so that designers can easily access the mechanics of what makes natural systems work so well, and apply those insights to solving their problems. I can see making the information available using a web-based tool, at least something like the Conservation Economy, ideally with some built-in intelligence and support for collaboration. If I were younger and more brash, definitely a book.

The idea of a teaching template is intriguing - TIME did an article on education and contrasted the 'broad and shallow' North American approach with the 'narrow but deep' European approach. I can see a Systems Pattern Language neatly bypassing the contradiction between the two approaches - a student can see the breadth by reading across the top of the 'page'. At the same time, the student can read down the 'page' whenever they find something that interests them, to whatever depth they can manage. And they can move at will throughout the Pattern Language by following the peer/parent/child connections. There are various visualization engines that could be used, such as TheBrain or ThinkMap. There is also James Burke's Knowledge Web project - check out the Video Overview.