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Designing, Implementing and Testing
Welas Asih:
A Holistic Model of Compassionate
Design for Indonesian MSMEs
Titik Endahyani
S.Sn (Interior Design)
Principal Supervisor: Dr Oksana Zelenko
Associate Supervisor: Professor Brad Haseman
Associate Supervisor: Professor Jill Franz
Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Creative Industries Faculty
Queensland University of Technology
2017
Abstract ii
Keywords
Competitive advantage, design development, design process, design thinking, ethical
business practice, holistic approach, innovation, interior design, interiority, micro-small-
medium enterprises, practice –based research, social entrepreneurship, SDG‘s,
sustainable living, value-added material.
Abstract iii
Abstract
The sustainability of Indonesian Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is under
question. MSMEs comprise the majority of total enterprises in Indonesia and have
become a major contributor to the socio-economic development of Indonesia, as
exemplified by its role in local economic development and community empowerment.
They have the potential to manufacture and produce significant creative outcomes that
benefit society and the environment. In this time of extensive and rapid global change,
the pace of design development, including material selection and use, which are
important aspects in object creation for commercial outcomes, has become crucial
because it also create a set of challenges for, and sets limits on, developing global
competitive advantage and innovation. However, limited research exists into how
MSME practices contribute to creative innovation through the design development
practices they deploy; that is, the contributions to the creative and innovative design that
engage to the welfare of the society and environmental sustainability in the Indonesian
economy remain underexplored and undocumented. Also, this research demonstrates that
there are still gaps in our knowledge concerning the interaction between designers,
materials, real-design practice and the environment.
This study identifies those design development practices that are crucial to creative
innovation, especially in the area of interior design and furniture and interior accessory
products, and explores how various principles can be integrated into a holistic
framework. The result being that this framework has the potential to support the
sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs, local communities and the environment. A
conceptual framework was developed that integrates the derived practice principles of a
new holistic model that resulted from this research – Welas Asih, or Compassion Design
model. The model provides an alternative and holistic approach to using design as a
means of capturing and integrating diverse practices to inform and educate the sector on
strategies that increase community engagement for social benefit and the welfare of local
communities, while also increasing competitive advantage. Three principal research
strategies were used in this research design: case study, practice-based research, and
iterative design. Outputs of this study are presented in the form of creative practice,
including an exhibition, a Picture Book, and a DVD that represents and documents
Abstract iv
various components of the model. The study presents an evaluation of Welas Asih to
inform future implementation of the model for the benefit of Indonesian MSMEs and
local communities. The research recommends the Welas Asih model engage the future
direction of local businesses, design academic community, government, and other
regions and international contexts. The Welas Asih is a holistic approach of design
responsibility in local and global issues, based on its five principles for more meaningful
design learning outcomes that affect social benefits. As such, at its core, Welas Asih is a
lively, dynamic and holistic approach to designing, based in values of care, respect, deep
consideration of the consequences of decision-making in design and, by extension, in
life.
Table of Contents v
Table of Contents
Keywords ............................................................................................................................ i
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................. iv
List of Images ................................................................................................................. viii
List of Diagrams ............................................................................................................... ix
List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... x
List of Additional Materials ............................................................................................. xi
List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... xii
Statement of Original Authorship ................................................................................... xiii
Acknowledgements .........................................................................................................xiv
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Context – Situating the study .................................................................................... 3
1.2 Research Focus and Questions ................................................................................. 5
1.3 Foundational Research .............................................................................................. 6
1.4 Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................. 8
1.4.1 Research aims .......................................................................................................... 8
1.4.2 Research significance and contribution .................................................................... 9
1.5 Examinable Outputs .................................................................................................. 9
1.5.1 The Exhibition ........................................................................................................ 10
1.5.2 The Exegesis ............................................................................................................ 10
1.5.3 The Picture Book ..................................................................................................... 11
1.5.4 The DVD ................................................................................................................. 11
1.5.5 Appendices .............................................................................................................. 11
Chapter 2: Contextual Review ...................................................................................... 12
2.1 PART 1 : Literature Review ....................................................................................... 13
2.1.1 Uniqueness of Indonesian MSMEs......................................................................... 14
2.1.2 Embeddedness in Community ................................................................................ 16
2.1.3 Application of Waste Material ............................................................................... 16
2.1.4 Cultural Connectedness with Spirituality ............................................................... 19
2.2 Towards a New and Holistic Understanding of Design Development ................... 20
2.2.1 Defining Design Development ............................................................................... 21
Table of Contents vi
2.3 Connecting Material (Tangible) and Immaterial (Intangible) Aspects through
Design Development .............................................................................................. 23
2.4 Principles Guiding an Integrated Approach to Design Development .................... 25
2.4.1 Principle1: Design thinking .................................................................................... 26
2.4.2 Principle 2: Innovation ........................................................................................... 26
2.4.3 Principle 3: Social entrepreneurship ....................................................................... 28
2.4.4 Principle 4: Ethical Business Practice ................................................................... 29
2.4.5 Principle5: Sustainable Living ................................................................................ 30
2.5 Part 2 : Six Case Study Investigations .................................................................... 32
2.5.1 Case Study Research .............................................................................................. 33
2.5.2 Case Study Data Collection Methods ..................................................................... 33
2.5.3 Case Study Participants .......................................................................................... 34
2.6 Key Issues Arising from the Case Study Fieldwork ............................................... 35
2.6.1 Intangible aspects ................................................................................................... 35
2.6.2 Tangible aspects ..................................................................................................... 35
2.6.3 Integration of tangible and intangible aspects ........................................................ 36
2.7 Conclusion: Implications of the contextual review for this study ............................. 37
Chapter 3: Research Design .................................................................................... 39
3.1 Phases of Research Design ..................................................................................... 39
3.2 The Provisional Welas Asih (compassion) Design Model ..................................... 40
3.3 Researching the Compassionate Design Model Throungh Practice ....................... 43
3.3.1 Reseach Strategies Phase 4 ..................................................................................... 43
3.3.1.1 Practice Based Research ....................................................................................... 43
3.3.1.2 Iterative Design Research ..................................................................................... 44
3.3.2 Research Strategies : Phase 5 .................................................................................. 47
3.3.2.1 The Welas Asih exhibition ................................................................................... 47
3.3.2.2 Designing the Exhibition Site (Karawang City, West Java Indonesia) ................ 49
3.3.3 Research Strategies : Phase 6 ................................................................................ 50
3.3.3.1 Evaluation : Research Participants ....................................................................... 50
3.3.3.2 Exhibition : Data Collection Methods .................................................................. 51
3.3.3.3 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................ 53
3.3.3.4 Thematic Analysis Data Process .......................................................................... 53
3.4 Examinable Outputs ............................................................................................. 53
Table of Contents vii
Chapter 4: Analysis the Compassionate Design Model............................................... 56
4.1. Section 1: The implementation of five principles in the Welas Asih Model ............ 56
4.1.1 Principle 1 : Design thinking .................................................................................. 57
4.1.2 Principle 2 : Innovation .......................................................................................... 57
4.1.3 Principle 3 : Social Entrepreneurship ..................................................................... 59
4.1.4 Principle 4 : Ethical Business Practice .................................................................. 60
4.1.5 Principle 5 : Sustainable Living .............................................................................. 61
4.2 Section 2 : Four Approaches to Integrating Tangible and Intangible Aspects
Within Welas Asih Model ...................................................................................... 61
4.2.1 Approaches 1 : Actively Engaging Local Communities .................................... 6362
4.2.2 Approaches 2 : Activating Use of Natural and Waste Material Toadd Value to
Design Outcomes .................................................................................................... 64
4.2.3 Approaches 3 : Activating Spiritual Connection Through Value-Added ............... 65
4.2.4 Approaches 4 : Balancing Local Wisdom With Nature Trough the Design
Development Process .............................................................................................. 69
4.3 Section 3 : Analysing the Design Decisions Which Produce the Exhibition ......... 71
4.3.1 The Exhibition : Interior Layout Plan .................................................................... 71
4.3.1.1 The Exhibition : Introduction and Information Area ......................................... 72
4.3.1.2 Commercial Area 1 (MSMEs Office / Design Process and Workshop /
Prototype) ......................................................................................................... 73
4.3.1.3 Everyday Life, Commercial Area 2 (Culinary) and Commercial Area 3
(Retail) ............................................................................................................... 74
4.3.2 Design Artefacts ..................................................................................................... 76
4.4 Section 4 : Evaluating the Exhibition ..................................................................... 79
4.4.1 Evaluation Outcomes .............................................................................................. 79
4.4.1.1 Visual and Qualitative Methods (Including drawing, Photos and Written
Annotations .......................................................................................................... 79
4.4.1.2 Semi-Structured Interview Outcomes................................................................... 81
4.4.1.2.1 The Six Themes ................................................................................................. 83
Chapter 5: Findings ........................................................................................................ 87
5.1 Enriching the Welas Asih (Compassion) Design Model in practice ...................... 87
5.1.1 Tangible Aspects of Design .................................................................................... 90
5.1.2 Intangible Aspects of Design .................................................................................. 90
5.1.3 Integrating the Tangible and Intangible Aspects of design ..................................... 91
Table of Contents viii
5.1.3.1 Additional insights from application of Welas Asih (Compassion) Design
Model ................................................................................................................... 92
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Future Research ............................................................... 94
6.1 Implication for future research directions ............................................................... 96
6.2 Building The Welas Asih (Commpassion) Design Way Of Life ........................... 98
References........................................................................................................................ 99
List of Images ix
List of Images
Image 1.1. Products from waste packaging ...................................................................... 1
Image 3.1. Participant interactions at the exhibition ....................................................... 48
Image 3.2. Interior layout................................................................................................ 49
Image 4.1. Prototyping process by engaging Micro-Enterprise and Local Community . 63
Image 4.2. Geometric pattern on top of value-added material (VAM)........................... 65
Image 4.3. Aplication as a Table Top ............................................................................. 65
Image 4.4. Islamic geometric pattern .............................................................................. 66
Image 4.5. Islamic geometric pattern-Applied in Moseque ............................................ 66
Image 4.6. Sliding book rack with Islamic Geometric pattern ....................................... 67
Image 4.7. Islamic geometric pattern on top of VAM (coco coir board) ....................... 68
Image 4.8. Everyday life area (Alternative Layout Position) ......................................... 69
Image 4.9. Interior layout plan ........................................................................................ 72
Image 4.10.Intruduction and Information Area (Picture Book, P.50) .............................. 73
Image 4.11.Workshop area (Picture Book, P. 38) ............................................................ 74
Image 4.12.Everyday life area (Picture Book, P.87) ........................................................ 75
Image 4.13. Commercial 1 (MSMEs business as a Design Process area) ........................ 77
Image 4.14. Everyday life area ......................................................................................... 77
Image 4.15. Culinary area ................................................................................................. 78
Image 4.16. Retail Display area ........................................................................................ 78
Image 4.17. Sketch drawing (Group 5) ............................................................................ 80
Image 4.18. Sketch drawing (Group 5) ............................................................................. 80
Image 4.19. Sketch drawing (Group 5) ............................................................................. 81
List of Diagrams x
List of Diagrams
Diagram 1.1. SME stakeholder groups (Sen, 2011,P.54 ) .................................................. 4
Diagram 1.2. Positioning the focus of this study in the context of MSMEsand three
stakeholder groups(Sen, 2011; Endahyani, 2014) ........................................ 5
Diagram 1.3. Mapping foundation of practice ................................................................... 7
Diagram 2.1. Design development and value-added materials (VAMs) .......................... 18
Diagram 3.1. Welas Asih (Compassion) Design model ................................................... 42
Diagram 3.2. Research Partners ....................................................................................... 46
Diagram 5.1. Welas Asih Diagram ................................................................................... 89
List of Tables xi
List of Tables
Table 3.1. Selected Cases and their Characteristics ......................................................... 33
Table 3.2. Combined Numbers of Participants from Two Exhibitions ............................ 50
List of additional materials xii
List of Additional Materials
Item 1 : Picture Book
Item 2 : DVD
Item 3 : Appendices
List of Abbreviations xiii
List of Abbreviations
MSMEs: micro-small-medium enterprises
VAM: value-added material
SMEs: small- and medium-sized enterprises
Statement of Original Authorship xiv
Statement of Original Authorship
The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted to meet
requirements for an award at this or any other higher education institution. To the best of
my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written
by another person except where due reference is made.
Signature:
Date: 18 December, 2017
QUT Verified Signature
Acknowledgements xv
Acknowledgements
This exhibition project would not have been possible without the participation of
Indonesian MSMEs, design academics, design professionals, government
representatives, and the general public who visited the exhibition in Karawang city, West
Java, Indonesia. Their response has been the backbone of this exhibition project and is
reflected in the richness of the research outcomes.
I would like to thank the Indonesian MSMEs and the local people in the exhibition area,
who supported the preparation for the exhibition. I also would like to thank The Tourism
and Cultural Office of The Government of Karawang District, who provided their multi-
function building at the Cultural Village for the exhibition space, with its beautiful views
of natural rice fields.
From the Queensland University of Technology, I would like to thank the Faculty of
Creative Industries for providing additional funding for my production work. I am very
grateful to my supervisory team, Dr Oksana Zelenko (Principal Supervisor), Professor
Brad Haseman (Associate Supervisor) and Professor Jill Franz (Associate Supervisor),
for taking on the role of supporting me throughout my candidature and for providing
feedback at critical moments in the project. I thank the members of my QUT
Confirmation and Final Seminar panels, Professor Greg Hearn, Professor Barbara
Adkins, Dr Gillian Lawson, Dr Richard Jones and Dr Verena Thomas, for their rigorous
and critical commentary of my work and for their encouragement.
I would not have been able to complete this study without the love and support of my
amazing and lovely family. Also, special thanks to all my friends for their continued
support, motivation and love. I am very grateful for the encouragement I have received
over the years from all people. Thank you to Stephen Thompson for proof reading my
thesis in the most professional manner.
Above all, I would like to thank Allah, The Creator, for providing me with both physical
and mental strength, and for the good morality required to undertake and complete this
research with a compassionate spirit.
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Chapter 1: Introduction
In this time of extensive and rapid global change, the pace of design development has
become crucial, especially in meeting market needs and to support the sustainability of
Indonesian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Currently, there is
increasing market demand for the implementationof interior and product design that is
environmentally friendly. Moreover, interior design clients, consumers, and society in
general are growing in their awareness of the interconnections among community,
individuals and the built environment. In addition, clients and consumers are
increasingly aware of their roles and their effects on the natural environment, which has
resulted in the search for applications of design that are environmentally responsible and
sustainable (Hayles, 2015, on Mazarella et al., 2011; Cargo, 2013). For example, there is
an increasing demand for furniture and interior accessories derived from reused or
recycled natural waste materials (such as wooden or bamboo waste material) and non-
natural waste materials (such as waste packaging). In this context, designs that
incorporate waste materials, particularly in the area ofinterior design, furniture and home
interior accessories or interior accessory products, are starting to be utilised by
Indonesian MSMEs.
Image 1.1. Products from waste packaging Photo by Endahyani
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Holistic integration into the design process of objects or materials, their immaterial
aspects, environmental values and social development goals may be required if design
development is to support the commercial sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs. This is
especially relevant to the design sector, which is the object of this study and which
encompasses the fields of interior design for furniture and interior product accessories.
Interior designers in their design practice show a lack of connectivity to outcomes that
affect the surrounding environment and only use sustainable materials in the design
development process to a limited degree. These limitations are closely linked with rising
environmental concerns and the ongoing inclusion of harmful materials in design
specifications, which results in the continued production and use of unsustainable
products. This has been shown to point to limitations in interior design research when
designing with renewable materials (Lee et al., 2013; Cargo, 2013; Kusumarini et al.,
2011; Kang and Guerin, 2009; Steig, 2006, as cited in Hayles, 2015). Thus, a lack of
connections of the early stages of the design process, such as concept development and
design specifications to the use of waste and renewable materials, including purposeful
integration of these into specifications, need to be addressed, as these are primary factors
affecting the sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs.
Data from the Indonesian Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs (2012, p.4-5) reveal that
the MSME sector in Indonesia has become a major player in economic and social life,
exemplified by its role in local economic development and community empowerment. In
this study, stakeholders are part of the Indonesian MSMEs‘ business cycles and,
therefore, influence their business strategies. Freeman and Suman Sen (in Suman Sen,
2011, p.11, 30) state that stakeholders are individuals or groups who can impact, and are
impacted by, the company‘s goals, which include suppliers, government, investors,
clients, staff and the community (in business area operations). Increasingly, Indonesian
MSMEs are involved with and empower local communities in their daily operations and
activities, making the community a key stakeholder in ensuring the sustainability of an
MSME‘s future. Through this engagement, Indonesian MSMEs have shown investment
in community welfare through the provision of job opportunities for local marginalised
groups, e.g. women and those struck by poverty or disability. Therefore, due to their
intent and their capacity for local community engagement, and the resulting positive
social effects for the broader society, MSMEs have become major contributors to the
socio-economic development of Indonesia.
3
In Indonesia‘s long-term creative economy development plan, design, as part of the
creative industries sector, has been identified as a national strategic issue. According to
Indonesia‘s Economic Development Plan (2008), the creative economy in Indonesia is a
manifestation of the spirit of survival, which is very important in developing countries.
Creative industries in the Indonesian economy are recognised as making a significant
contribution to the national gross domestic income. While there are data showing
MSMEs‘ significant contributions to national economic income in Indonesia, less is
known about how these positive benefits are enabled at the level of MSMEs‘ design
development practices. In addition, how MSMEs‘ practices contribute to innovation
through the design development practices they deploy and how they contribute to
holistic principles in the Indonesian economy remain under explored and virtually
undocumented.
Through engagement with Indonesian MSMEs, this study investigates those design
development practices that are crucial to local innovation in Indonesia and which may
have the potential to contribute to MSMEs‘ competitive advantage. Moreover, this study
explores how these practices may be identified in the field, extrapolated and then
integrated into a holistic framework with potential to inform future design development
practice. To achieve these goals, this study investigates the process of how design and
development correlate with production and thereby lead to the integration of the tangible
and intangible aspects of design (e.g. designed objects and the values they communicate)
in a variety of settings.
1.1. Context – Situating the Study
This study is situated mainly in the field of interior design. In this research, design
development is explored in relation to the practice of interior design of spaces and
objects (furniture and interior accessories products) in relation to the practice of
sustainable living and the ethical business practices of Indonesian MSMEs and its
potential to impact key stakeholders.
In this study of design development, the term ―stakeholders‖ refers to those groups
involved in MSMEs that are smaller in scope than, and not as complex as, small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (Diagram 1.1).
4
Diagram 1.1. SME stakeholder groups (Sen, 2011, p. 54)
Three stakeholder groups were involved in this study: group 1 (owners/family of
owners/entrepreneurs); group 2 (designers/design entrepreneurs); and group 3
(community/customers /clients/general public). Diagram 1.2 illustrates these three key
stakeholder groups and their positions in the context of MSMEs.
5
Diagram 1.2. Positioning the focus of this study in the context of MSMEs
and three stakeholder groups (Sen, 2011; Endahyani, 2014)
This study investigated the engagement of these three groups of stakeholders in design
development decisions and how these decisions that impact on the creative and business
leadership of MSMEs could potentially lead to a new model – the Welas Asih
(Compassion) Design model.
1.2. Research Focus and Questions
The study was undertaken to answer the following overarching research question:
How can holistic design development principles and processes be used to build a
compassionate design model of practice, known as the Welas Asih model, for
Indonesian MSMEs?
6
This research design of this study involved the following six phases:
Phase 1: A literature review was conducted to understand the current principles
applied to current practices in Indonesian MSMEs.
Phase 2: An analysis of data from fieldwork and observations of six Indonesian
MSMEs as case studies were undertaken to map best design practices in the field.
Phase 3: Development of a conceptual framework that integrates the derived
practice principles into a testable model of practice, entitled ―Welas Asih‖
(Compassion) design.
Phase 4: Producing a design response that incorporates the newly constructed
conceptual framework into design practice to test it as a model of practice.
Phase 5: Presenting the model as an exhibition to evaluate its impact on
stakeholder engagement.
Phase 6: Integrating evaluation results to enrich and extend the initially proposed
model.
1.3. Foundational Research
As a design practitioner and academic, I have developed substantial knowledge and
experience in the field, which is built into this study. Specifically, I have held a number
of leadership roles across ten interior design MSMEs, including as a designer, a design
business manager and as an entrepreneur, and across a range of companies and
institutions in business/commercial, community and academic contexts.
Additionally, I bring an in-depth understanding of the three key stakeholder groups I aim
to engage as participants in this research. As an interior designer with twenty years of
professional experience, I have developed an in-depth first-hand understanding of the
critical steps needed to both negotiate change to the design process with key
stakeholders and as a foundation to investigate and evaluate new forms of practice; for
7
example, substituting materials or introducing new alternative strategies and solutions to
develop the design process, including making related business decisions.
Further, I built my own design and event management company, which embeds global
and national issues in its vision and mission, with a focus on education, empowering
women, promoting local products, sustainable living and the eradication of poverty.
Over the past decade, those issues have guided me to deeply rethink and refocus my
practice in developing valuable design outcomes for local communities involved in my
business activities, while still generating profit from the creative outcomes of the
business. This challenge of aligning business aims and social community benefits have
highlighted, for me as a practitioner, the tension between social welfare and business
outcomes for MSMEs and the opportunity it creates for new approaches to design
development. This experience has led me to understand the structure and dynamics of
MSMEs as entities that operate with deep synergies to local communities: hiring local
people, using local materials and distributing to local networks. This has emphasised the
potential for me to formally investigate the practices and the complexity of MSMEs‘
alignment with social issues and to explore possible practical solutions.
In addition to my experience in the field, I have been involved in design education for
five years as an interior design lecturer specialising in five key (interior design)
materials. This experience has allowed me to link my practice, design education and
research activities. Specifically, I have addressed aspects of design development across
three areas as illustrated in Diagram 1.3.
Diagram 1.3. Mapping foundation of practice
8
Several specific aspects from my previous practice have contributed significantly to this
study:
awareness of the potential for natural resources and waste materials to
provide additional benefit for MSMEs;
familiarity with Indonesian people: local people, talented workers,
women‘s empowerment, the poor, people with special needs and
marginalised communities;
awareness of the potential of design and innovation as a means of adding
value to MSME products;
knowledge of potential design trends (retail and wholesale, local and
global, various target market from low, middle and high-end customers)
that might benefit Indonesian MSMEs; and
awareness of how social lifestyle and social change might influence the
design development process to build a better future.
My experiences in the field and research have contributed to leading me towards further
investigation of Indonesian MSMEs as a sector that has the potential to support future
research in the area of interior design, furniture and interior product accessories. My
design practice and design research is positioned in the context of interior design
furniture and accessories. MSMEs‘ practices are under-researched, and as such, my
research aims to make new connections by utilising ideas arising from a review of
MSMEs‘ practices for future practices.
1.4. Aims and Objectives
1.4.1. Research aims
The aims of this study are as follow:
to explore how design development practices in the area of
interior design, furniture and interior accessories products are
undertaken in the field by Indonesian MSMEs;
to generate an integrated model of practice;
to demonstrate the model in practice and communicate it to
stakeholders; and
to evaluate the model with stakeholders.
9
1.4.2. Research significance and contribution
This research makes visible the tacit practices within local Indonesian design MSMEs
and the local crafts communities. The main outcome and contribution of this research is
the iterative design, implementation and evaluation of an integrated, holistic model of
design development practice: Welas Asih (Compassion) design. Through this, the
research resulted in a design response to address the identified research gap, namely an
overarching lack of ongoing connectedness and integration of designers‘ practices and
users/clients‘ needs with local resources, environment and communities. Through this
newly developed model, the research aimed to provide a richer understanding of how
local practices reveal a more considered integration of sustainable design. Further, this
research provides evidence of engagement with the community by optimising local
resources and natural and non-natural waste materials through the implementation of
design development processes based in values of ethics and sustainable design.
In addition, the research has extended the meaning of competitive advantage from only a
profit-driven commercial concern to one that connects with and involves local
practitioners, adds local value and applies waste materials as creative components
thoughtfully to benefit local communities. In this way, the study presents evidence to
support the connection between commercial needs, values, local community and
Indonesian MSMEs through a set of integrated design processes. Therefore, in this
project, a contribution to knowledge in the field of interior design is made primarily
through the newly proposed Welas Asih model, the conceptual framework of integrated
design development practices underpinning it, design artefacts and spaces produced by
applying the model in practice, and through the evaluation results presenting evidence of
its impact on key stakeholder groups.
1.5. Examinable Outputs
There are 5 examinable outputs of this research: the exhibition, the exegesis, Picture
Book, DVD, and appendices.
10
1.5.1. The Exhibition
The exhibition involved implementation of Welas Asih design. The exhibition outcomes
included:
illustration of the model of holistic design development in practice;
communication of the model to an audience of stakeholders key to
Indonesian design MSMEs; and
education of the stakeholder groups representative of the MSMEs sector
with respect to new possibilities opened through an integrated approach
to design development practice.
1.5.2. The Exegesis
The exegesis presents the theoretical framework underpinning the development of the
model, the literature review, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusions and
appendices.
Exegesis overview
This section contains a breakdown of the exegesis beyond this introductory chapter.
Chapter 2, Contextual Review, covers literature related to design development, design
principles, Indonesian MSMEs and materials to identify the gaps in current knowledge.
The results were synthesised into a holistic design approach to make significant
connection in the complex activities of design development. Chapter 2 concludes with a
proposed new approach, the Welas Asih model, as an integrated model of practice. How
the research achieves its intended outcomes methodologically is described in detail in
Chapter 3, Research Design. This study applied a case study research design and
practice-based research as broad methodological approaches. Chapter 3 provides details
of the study sample selection, research participants and recruitment. The results are
presented in Chapter 4, Analysis the Compassionate Design model. This chapter
documents the fieldwork study and exhibition report and evaluation. The significance of
these results and their contributions are discussed in Chapter 5 in terms of existing
theory and the objectives of the research as outlined in the first chapter. Chapter 6
concludes the thesis by reiterating the research contribution and implications for further
research and practical applications.
11
1.5.3. The Picture Book
The Picture Book is a documentation of the design process and presentation of the
researcher‘s journey on Welas Asih Design. The Picture Book aims to:
document the design artefacts as they evolved through the iterative design
process; and
visually contextualise the design outcomes and processes within the social and
economic reality of MSMEs.
1.5.4. The DVD
The DVD is a researcher journey in Welas Asih Design. It contains research
documentation and aims to:
document collaborative practices undertaken by the researcher with
communities;
document of how waste materials are transformed into value-added products;
document the exhibition from conception to final event; and
educate key stakeholder groups about the design and collaboration process to
enable them to replicate these practices.
The DVD is presented in three parts:
Part 1: ―Community Engagement‖
Part 2: ―The Journey of the Materials‖
Part 3: ―Exhibition Design‖
1.5.5. Appendices
Appendices contain additional detail of the research process (e.g. the full thematic
analysis process) and aspects of raw research data from the Welas Asih Design journey.
The following chapter, Chapter 2, Contextual Review, outlines the field, outlines
knowledge gaps and presents the key theoretical and contextual frameworks
underpinning this study.
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Chapter 2: Contextual Review
This chapter sets out a contextual review for this study. Carol Gray and Julian Malins
(2004) acknowledge that in creative and design-led research it is often useful to review
not only the literature from the field but aspects of practice as well. They propose that a
contextual review addresses ―what has already been addressed, when, where and by
whom, as well as what has not yet been addressed.‖ (p.35,36). A contextual review then
seeks to identify key issues and approaches pertaining to the question, identify
exemplars in the field, locate crucial gaps and consider how they will be addressed.
In this research, I use the term of sustainability in the contexts of environmental
sustainability, economic sustainability, and sustainability of design practice. More
specifically: 1) Sustainability in environment relates to environment preservation that
could be achieved among others through the use of waste materials and Value Added
Materials (VAMs); 2) Sustainability in economic development relates to the
sustainability of MSMEs (especially in the field of design) in their daily business in
ways that continuously generate business profit and positive impact for the society; 3)
Sustainability in design practice relates to design implementation which considers
continuous uses of product outcomes in various creative ways, including the
effectiveness of product distribution to other places.
The outcomes of this contextual review are presented in Parts 1 and 2 of this chapter.
Part I is a comprehensive examination of the field through literature, concluding by
setting out five core principles that must be incorporated into the research design of the
study. Part II undertakes a review of the practices currently being followed and
continuously adapted by successful Indonesian MSMSs. This involves a case study
analysis of six Indonesian enterprises. The chapter concludes by identifying a set of
principles and dynamics that need to inform the design of any compassionate design
model to serve Indonesia.
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2.1. Part I: Literature Review
The sustainability of Indonesian Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which
comprises the majority of total enterprises in Indonesia, and their potential to
manufacture significant creative outcomes, comes into question. Recently, there has been
an increased awareness of the limitations of the development of MSMEs, as
acknowledged by the government‘s focus on its export acceleration plan for large
enterprises (Kusumawardhani, Rahayu and Maksum, 2015). In addition, material
selection and use, which are important aspects in object creation for commercial
outcomes, also creates a set of challenges and limits on developing global competitive
advantage and innovation. These factors affect the sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs.
Consequently, by attending to matters of sustainability, it is possible to see Indonesian
MSMEs as making a meaningful economic contribution, with a potential to generate
positive effects through design outcomes that link to society and the surrounding
environment.
A review of the research on society‘s needs in design applications that affect the
environment (Mazarella et al., 2011; Cargo, 2013 as cited in Hayles, 2015) shows the
need to further investigate gaps in this field. Notably, these include the limitations of
interior design in supporting sustainable design practice, a lack of understanding of the
disadvantage/harmful effects of material specifications, a lack of connectivity between
designers and their practices (Cargo, 2013; Kusumarini et al., 2011; Kang and Guerin,
2009, Steig, 2006, Guerin and Ginthner, 1999 as cited in Hayles, 2015) and an absence
of selecting sustainable materials by designers. (Lee et al., 2013; Hes, 2005; Davis,
2001; Kang and Guerin, 2009; Mate´, 2006; Aye, 2003; Hankinson and Breytabace,
2012; Jones, 2008 as cited in Hayles, 2015). The selection of sustainable materials is still
not a significant criterion among designers. In addition, there is a lack of research into
the holistic connection between designers and their final decisions in design in terms of
their effect on their surroundings. Taking these things together, this research
demonstrates that there are gaps in our knowledge concerning the interaction between
designers, materials, real design practice and the environment.
To respond to these gaps, this literature review looks at the value of MSMEs to the
Indonesian economy and their potential for creativity and as a source of knowledge. This
chapter examines approaches to empowering MSMEs in Indonesia through design
14
development to enhance their competitiveness in current and future global market
opportunities. The review also investigates the problem of the lack of knowledge of
these principles in Indonesia. It does this by identifying each principle and explaining its
relevance to the study and how it addresses the limitations in current approaches to
design development in Indonesian MSMEs.
In addition, this review explores the source materials that are crucial to the creation of
objects (as MSMEs‘ business products and outcomes) that might affect business, the
environment and humanity itself. This includes immaterial dimensions of design, such as
evoked emotions. The review then examines design development across theory and
practice, and extrapolates from these key principles ideas that systematically link
commercial and social outcomes. Next, the review investigates design approaches
through the principles of empowering MSMEs in Indonesia, including their
competitiveness, in current and future markets. The review then analyses the
interconnections among these key disciplines in the field.
This part of the review is presented in several stages. Firstly, the review focuses the
research on MSMEs in four areas: 1) their unique position in the Indonesian economy; 2)
the unique characteristics of MSMEs and their embeddedness in the community; 3) the
unique application of waste materials, and 4) their connectedness with a spiritual
dimension of life. Secondly, the review examines design development and associated
supporting principles. Thirdly, the review draws on interdisciplinary literature to provide
an understanding of key aspects. Finally, the review establishes a number of principles
and conditions that will give rise to an integrated approach to design development that
interconnects materials, MSMEs/designers, community and the environment.
2.1.1 Uniqueness of Indonesian MSMEs
The following section unpacks the unique characteristics of Indonesian MSMEs in
relation to the national economy, community, waste material and cultural—spiritual
matters.
MSMEs occupy a unique position in Indonesia due their potential to contribute to the
Indonesian economy. In Indonesia, the definition of MSMEs varies and can be
differentiated based on their assets and number of employees. One definition includes
15
micro-businesses and small-/medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The data show SMEs to
be comprised of micro-business (98.8%), small businesses (1.1%) and middle-sized
businesses (0.08%) (Salim, 2013). This research covers micro-businesses (less than 10
employees with net assets IDR 300 total annual sales) (Tambunan 2009 in
Kusumawardhani et al., 2015), for their potential to make a significant contribution to
the Indonesian economy. Based on data from BisInfocus (2004: 27–28), since 2000,
microeconomic development has shown a positive improvement; furthermore, a number
of business units in interior, furniture and home furnishings have started to grow
consistently. Meanwhile, data from Indonesia‘s Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and
Medium Enterprises shows that Indonesian MSMEs employ 90% of the country‘s
workforce; offer important job opportunities; absorb labour, mainly from rural areas; and
improve the revenue of local communities (Tambunan 2009 as cited in Kusumawardhani
et al., 2015). The International Labour Organization (ILO, 2009) strengthens this by
pointing out that: ―Micro enterprises, notably those operating in the informal sector,
constitute the vast majority of business in most developing countries‖. The ILO also
confirms that MSMEs contribute substantially to employment and output in developing
and developed countries and would greatly contribute to the recovery of international
and national economies if those countries were able to limit SME closures and layoffs.
In Indonesia, there is still no clear distinction between MSMEs and Small Medium
Enterprise (SMEs). Furthermore, the strategic plan has several goals for MSMEs in
relation to increasing the empowerment and development of entrepreneurs and their
participation in the national economy. These include product competitiveness and
product marketing, access to finance andcreating a business climate that is more
conducive for MSMEs. MSMEs, as well as other sectors in the economy, face a
formidable challenge in attempting to compete in domestic and global markets.
Globalisation of trade has led to a flood of both legal and illegal products being imported
into various wholesale and trade centres in several cities in Indonesia (BisInfocus,
2004:83–84). Currently, the Government of Indonesia (GOI) prioritises the
empowerment of MSMEs as one of the driving forces for the national economy.
Consequently, MSMEs have an important strategic role for providing niche markets,
generating employment opportunities to tackle poverty, and in offering the potential to
take part in creating products for broad markets that support sustainable development.
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2.1.2 Embeddedness in Community
Indonesian MSMEs play a crucial role in improving the welfare of local communities
while also generating business revenue. In developing countries, MSMEs play a pivotal
role in alleviating poverty and increasing employment opportunities in rural areas. In
Indonesia, MSMEs offer opportunities for work in traditional technology environments,
which are more appropriate for the majority of workers seeking employment with small
enterprises, rather than with enterprises that use high technology (Berry, 1998 as cited in
Tambunan, 2009, p. 1). In their daily operations, Indonesian MSMEs (known as an
informal and economically weak sector) have to financially support themselves using
either their own savings or family, or non-formal institutions or other moneylenders.
Difficulties with formal credit administrative processes and problems of corruption have
a significant impact on these businesses (Berry 1998, Tambunan 2009, p.1 as cited in
Kusumawardhani, 2015). Therefore, in order to survive, Indonesian MSMEs (especially
in rural areas), maintain their sustainability by being embedded in the local community
as part of their business operations, especially when hiring employees. At the same time,
the local community relies on the sustainability of MSMEs for its own welfare.
In Indonesia, women entrepreneurs are acknowledged as potential MSME contributors,
especially so in rural areas. Women entrepreneurs that are strongly connected with local
communities benefit the community by growing new rural businesses and promoting the
development of poverty alleviation pathways to economic improvement (Tambunan,
2009 as cited in Tambunan, 2011). Consequently, women stand to play a key role in
building an agile and resilient community of Indonesian MSMEs. It is this
embeddedness in community, and the consequent community development, that offers
rich opportunities for Indonesian MSMEs to strengthen their position in the Indonesian
economy.
2.1.3 Application of Waste Material
According to Rahman (2004), the major challenge SMEs face is the availability of raw
materials. The use of natural material and waste material could be a solution to this
challenge as there are many such materials in Indonesia. However, the potential to use
them as substitute materials has not been fully explored in the literature, even though it is
noted that the materials can significantly benefit communities and their surroundings.
17
Ku, Wang, Pattarachaiyakoop and Trada (2011) state that natural materials such as
fibers, which include coir, kenaf, kapok, banana, flax, hemp, jute, sisal and others, are
eco-friendly, biodegradable, energy efficient, low-cost and ideal as renewable materials.
In addition, natural materials, such as coconut and bamboo, carry cultural and spiritual
meanings within Indonesian traditions and rituals. In Indonesia, rural people rely on the
income derived from those materials, but the income of the wider society is minimal.
As one of the largest palm plantation countries in the world that produces abundant coco
coir materials, the potential use of the coco coir has not yet been fully explored, nor has
its benefit to society been realised. However, previous research by the Indonesian
government and academics has seen derivative products combining natural and waste
materials (from natural or non-natural materials) for use as valuable substitute materials
during design development in interior design and furniture and accessory product design.
Sudarsono, Rusianto and Suryadi (2010) argue for the need to increase the value of
particular waste materials, such as turning coconut fiber (coco coir) into particle board
(composite material), and applying that to interior furniture design, such as tables and
ceilings. Although valuable materials from the mix of natural and waste material could
be applied in interior design, furniture and interior product accessories, there is a
possibility that those materials might deteriorate faster than other usual source of
material, especially as they contain natural waste, such as in coco coir.
The growth of fiber use, and the efficient processing of it, is one response by the forest
industry to the rapidly advancing environmental demand on societies to ―do more with
less‖ by adopting environmentally friendly processes and technologies (Flannery, 1999).
Waste agricultural materials, such as natural fibers, are more engaging, and are
appropriate in practice as natural fiber as a substitute for common fiber reinforcement:
A range of new materials with advanced properties are created
through the process of technological development and knowledge
intensive production. These are known as Value-Added Materials
(VAMs)…The ‗added value‘ of the material is, in addition, of a
strategic and long-term nature, targeting the whole society. In other
words, a group of advanced materials that have a strategic
importance for society and technology shall be considered VAMs.
(Wessel and Renzo, 2012).
18
Value-added materials (VAMs) are important for the growth of the economy and for
competitiveness in industry. They could address global problems by improving
sustainability, and could be a critical solution for addressing global issues and improving
the welfare of society in general (Wessel and Tomellini, 2012). Thus, waste materials
have the potential to be developed as VAMs and used as substitutes in various projects
to provide benefits to the environment.
To increase the economic value of waste materials, greater effort is required to transform
waste materials into VAMs; that is, to create composite materials. These composite
material scan then be applied by MSMEs using appropriate technology. MSMEs with
flexibility in their production management processes are effective sites for implementing
new materials for innovation in design development.
This presents a significant business opportunity for Indonesian MSMEs and it may be
exploited in both local and export markets (BisInfocus, 2004:192–193). Therefore, if the
products of Indonesian MSMEs are built to have unique characteristics and to ensure
differentiation, they may become more competitive in the global market in the future and
lead to innovative design development practices through the use and application of
VAMs. However, there is a lack of information about alternative new materials derived
from the mixture of waste and other particular materials.
Diagram 2.1 indicates the nested relationship between VAMs, design development
processes and local, national and global issues. It gives an overview of the dynamics at
the heart of this research.
Diagram 2.1. Design development and value-added materials (VAMs)
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2.1.4 Cultural Connectedness with Spirituality
Indonesian MSMEs have a unique cultural connectedness to spirituality due to the
spiritual practices of the majority of the Indonesian population. According to Hasbullah
(2012), Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, with almost 90% of the 238
million people in Indonesia following the Muslim faith (Indonesian Central Statistics
Agency, 2010).
Dr. Munawar Haque (2016), a Muslim cleric and scholar, states that: ―Muslims are
encouraged to recite Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim before they begin an act. This
expression which means, ‗In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful‘ is
central to a Muslim‘s everyday life activities.‖ He explains that, ―The frequent recitation
of Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim is also supposed to be a reminder for Muslims to
embody the divine values of mercy and compassion within themselves.‖ He elaborates
―… compassion is an ethical concept and value that extends itself to all humanity, as
well as the natural world.‖ He clarifies by quoting Prophet Muhammad (SAW) ―But I
mean compassion to all‖, meaning here, to humanity at large, including to animals and
all of Allah‘s creations.
The notions of compassion and mercy, then, lie at the heart of the belief system of
Indonesian Muslims. They value loving tenderness and grace and hold that ―Showing
empathy and compassion will improve our relationships and develop our character as
Muslims. When we show someone that we understand them, we bring instant comforting
relief and peace to that person.‖
Thus compassion in Islam is central to the daily activities of a Muslim, which supports a
design model that will produce ethical and compassionate design outcomes with
environmental, social and humanitarian benefits.
Chick and Micklethwaite (2011, p. 182) point out that ―How we might pursue a ‗good‘
life not only raises moral concerns aboutthe effects of our actions on others, but also
personal concerns about our own integrity‖. Currently, moral concerns are the most
substantial issue, especially in relation to population growth, mobility and
communication improvement in our world. In the future this thinking may infiltrate the
creative process as designers work in collaboration with others to address problems with
20
ethical and ecological concerns (Barnwell, 2011, p. 185). Currently, no formal study
provides an in-depth understanding of how MSMEs function day-to-day or how that
relates to their practices with materials and community engagement in a unique cultural
connectedness to spiritual practices of the majority of the Indonesian population.
Moreover, there is currently no systematic or integrated model or framework that can
help in understanding how MSMEs function or how they can harness the potential of
best practice.
Indonesian MSMEs offer a model of ethical practice and a model for working with local
communities. They have four unique components that provide insights into a more
ethical framework due to their connectedness to community and reciprocal community
support. Through a systematic, integrated approach and the implementation of VAMs,
Indonesian MSMEs have a foundational understanding of ethical approaches through
their cultural connectedness to spirituality. Spirituality, as religious practices embedded
in Indonesian MSMEs, can be considered an additional immaterial (non-physical) aspect
of consciousness that informs values in the world and guides and leads all practices and
sectors, including business, education and government, towards a more responsible
environmental awareness, showing moral and ethical concern for a better future while
also generating profit for business.
2.2 Towards a New and Holistic Understanding of Design Development
Indonesian MSMEs offer unique insights into applied design development processes
where design decisions directly engage local communities. Broadly speaking, the
literature exposes a current lack of awareness and understanding of the
interconnectedness between individuals, communities and their environments. To
address this, Hayles, 2015, in Mazarella et al., 2011; Cargo, 2013 argue for more closely
exploring how the process of design implementation can be approached as a holistic
practice that shapes the surroundings and the human experience within them. Indonesian
MSMEs, through their engagement with local communities, have the potential to
implement design development as a holistic practice and as an alternative solution that
addresses the lack of concern for integrating individuals, communities and the
environment.
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Design development in the Indonesian context is strongly linked to the production of
objects and focuses predominantly on commercial business outcomes, such as client
satisfaction. The focus on material commercial outcomes imposes a set of challenges and
limitations to developing global competitive advantage. These limitations are
characterised primarily by a lack of consideration given to how the immaterial aspects of
design (such as concerns for the environment, the welfare of the poor in the community
and spiritual practices that are central to Indonesian society) might be reframed as
intentional drivers of innovative design development practice.
Definitions of design development in the literature, outside of the Indonesian context,
specifically theoretical frameworks and models of practice, extend design development
to also include (alongside a commercial focus) a commitment, and strong links, to social
entrepreneurship and social welfare. These approaches stand as alternatives to those that
frame the understanding of benefits in terms of economic objectives and commercial
KPIs.
2.2.1 Defining Design Development
Design development is understood as a multi-faceted and complex practice. A unique
practice in its own right, it combines a number of key processes relating to design and
development. According to Stone (2010, p. 11), design development focuses on ideation
and selecting a design direction. To formulate a design solution, many decisions must be
made regarding the design process, and each decision requires a description to be
implemented. Therefore, design is also about defining an overall direction and purpose.
Pile (1995, p. 33) states that for architecture and industrial and interior design, ―…design
is described as all of the decisions that determine how a particular object, space, or
building will be‖. Implemented decisions (solutions) require the knowledge of space,
objects and immaterial aspects to create an ambiance or atmosphere through design that
might lead to more effective links to the man-made environment.
In this research, design development process is crucial as a process that could be
potentially embedded to address issues related to MSMEs‘ sustainability, contribution to
community and the environment. In this context, it was necessary that design
development opens new possibilities through low technology and reusable materials with
potential to be readily applied by local workers who experience limitations in sourcing,
22
researching and applying reusable materials outside research contexts. The use of low
technology in the phase of design implementation opened wider opportunities for local
workers from rural areas to participate in this project and to continue to apply new
processes in their daily design practice. In this research, design development also
enabled the use of Value Added Materials (VAMs) for more valuable product outcomes
to benefit the business, society and future generations.
Additionally, Archer (cited in Sully, 2012, p. 122) states, ―Design is that area of human
experience, skill and knowledge that reflects man‘s concern with the appreciation and
adaptation of his surroundings in the light of his material and spiritual needs. In
particular, it relates with configuration, composition, meaning, value and purpose in
man-made phenomena‖. Thus, a combination of design and development can potentially
create new insights into innovative solutions as part of design processes that require
decisions involving immaterial, including spiritual, aspects and materials/objects that
add connections to the surrounding environment, including the built environment.
However, the literature shows a lack of understanding of how a comprehensive and
integrated approach connects community with the environment while producing
commercially competitive products, and how local Indonesian MSME practices may
offer insights that could inform the local design sector, and beyond. Developing an in-
depth understanding of design development practice means investigating how MSME
practice creates greater connectedness between materials, designers and clients in ways
that have the potential to directly benefit the local environment and local community.
Additional considerations include addressing the lack of knowledge regarding hazardous
material specifications and lack of research in sustainable materials (Lee et al., 2013;
Cargo, 2013; Kusumarini et al., 2011; Kang and Guerin, 2009, Steig, 2006, cited in
Hayles, 2015). Addressing the limitations in knowledge of current design development
of Indonesian MSMEs through an in-depth investigation and documentation of their
practices may further assist with enabling greater visibility of their value and creative
potential for economic competitiveness into the future.
Currently, design is emerging as a process that can bring meaningful change to society.
According to Chick and Micklethwaite (2011, p. 13), ―Design is increasingly recognized
as a key element of the contemporary focus on the need for greater ecological and
societal sustainability‖. Sully (2012, p. 122) argues that there are three stages –
23
―analysis, synthesis, evaluation‖ – commonly used in design problem-solving. They state
that this involves action, implementation and contribution to society at large. New
understandings of design can lead to powerful design solutions and processes that take a
more holistic or integrated approach throughout the design processes. Considered in this
way, design development extends beyond application and utility to include unique,
locally based and creative problem-solving to prioritise the consideration of social
benefit in the community context in which the design takes place. A review of current
design development practices in the Indonesian context reveals a lack of research and
documentation of design practices that are inspired, or led, by local insights and
knowledge and which increase the potential of commercially competitive outcomes and
the position of the community as a primary beneficiary. Products created by local
MSMEs, and driven by frugal innovation, show that local practices are deeply connected
to the environment and to local values.
2.3 Connecting Material (Tangible) and Immaterial (Intangible) Aspects through
Design Development
In this study, design development is understood as a practice that connects tangible and
intangible aspects of being that potentially bridges the gap between designers, materials,
practices and environment and links significant design development processes and
practices through a holistic approach.
Suzan (2014, p. 2) notes that tangible aspects of design relate to material objects.
Bermudez et al. (2015, p. 2) describe tangible as ―A value that‘s real or actual, and can
be measured‖. Other tangible aspects in the design development process include
materials and purchased items (Pile, 1995, p. 134–138). The tangible aspects of the
design development process are fundamental for achieving significant design creation
outcomes that affect a product‘s value and its potential to deliver positive advantages
socially, for the local economy and the surrounding environment.
Milton and Rodgers (2013) state that design development activities include discussion,
forecasting future design trends and spiritual evaluation. Intangible aspects of design
refer to spirituality (Stumpf, as cited in Dohr andPortillo, 2011, p.3). Further, Stumpf
argues that intangible aspects are expected to have a message and a purpose that links to
the real world, particularly in relation to the full scope of human emotions. Bermudez et
24
al. (2015, p. 2) describe intangible aspects as ―Any value that can be realized but cannot
be measured, and has no standard metric‖.
Pullman and Gross (2004, p. 551) write that the relationship between tangible and
intangible aspects of design are increasingly used to connect visitors‘ emotions in
hospitality and retail businesses. This close relation between tangible and intangible
aspects is also acknowledged by Bermudez, Driskill, McMahon and Ullah (2015, p. 2),
who write, ―Every product or service has two sets of realizable values for the consumer:
the tangible and the intangible‖. This interconnection is important as it applies across
sectors related to design and has the potential to stimulate the visitor‘s emotions and so
increase the value of the product.
In the design field, there is currently a challenge in defining interiority and, therefore, in
defining its relevance to ―design development‖ as a practice. According to McCarthy
(2005), interiority is the abstract quality that relates to an interior space and connects to
social, physical and psychological attributes to attain and create the space desired for a
specific manipulated environment. McCarthy further states that interiority is a space with
a sense of concerned occupation that aligns experience and spatial allure. As a respective
and interdependent adapting space, interiority represents a responsive phenomenon.
Interiority can, then, be considered to interconnect space (i.e. tangible) and reflect the
abstract quality of a space (i.e. intangible) (McCarthy, 2005).
Harjoko (2014, p. 152) states that the important aspects of interiority are psychological
existence and inner life, which focuses less on logic and more on the ability to
communicate between body (tangible) and soul (intangible). Further, Harjoko notes that
space is tangible in terms of shape, while interiority comprises the physically noticeable,
including such things as furniture objects, lighting, walls and column decorations.
Through case studies and practice-based research, this study explores design
development as a practice that looks at the value of design beyond the studio, and
investigates how this might contribute to societal wellbeing through interconnections
between tangible (spaces and objects) and intangible (ambiance, spirituality, value,
stakeholder insights and feelings evoked) aspects. From this perspective, design
development processes become a substantial and critical phase where all decisions may
affect the overall stakeholders. This study explores how these things relate with each
other and how they can be connected and evaluated effectively.
25
In summary, this literature review shows that design development is a complex process
that emphasises three factors: 1) critical decisions: design development as part of the
design process that deeply explores the decisions that potentially add value and affects
stakeholders; 2) social benefit/improvement of social welfare: design development has
the potential to contribute to solving global issues and improving the welfare of
communities. Each decision in the design development process is important due to its
potential impact on social benefit; and 3) the effects of practice beyond the studio: design
development decisions are also critical for practice beyond the studio. Considered in this
way, design development has the potential to contribute to alternative models of practice
that are more integrated and holistic. Moving into the future, intangible aspects may hold
the potential to affect changes to social lifestyle through meaningful discussion and
decision making.
2.4. Principles Guiding an Integrated Approach to Design Development
The literature review undertaken for this study has shown that there are many definitions
of design, development and design development, pointing to a diversity of
understandings of these terms. However, within this diversity, five core principles are
essential for an integrated approach to design development. The five core principles
derived from literature review relate to MSMEs to the way of thinking in design that
interconnect the design, business, environment and local community (design thinking);
providing the new design by modification or new function (innovation); design business
operation that engaged and benefit local community (social entrepreneurship); design
processes, including design development and implementation that considered good ethic
and morality in business daily operation (ethical business practice); and design
implementation that resulted environmentally friendly outcomes for the use of everyday
life and business daily operational (sustainable living).
These principles are described in detail in the next section.
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2.4.1. Principle 1: Design thinking
Design thinking in this study is the potential to view the overall design development
process by deeply exploring design creations and effective design decisions while
connecting to business needs. By merging interior design processes that interconnect
with other sectors, designers create more effective decisions that are supported through a
sound understanding of practice, research and design theory (Dohr and Portillo, 2011).
Currently, design thinking as a journey of living design has a holistic meaning and
contributes towards processing practice design development and an awareness of interior
experiences (Dohr and Portillo, 2011, p. ix). In relation to business, design thinking that
has as its basis a non-linear design process and repetitive practical problem solving is
used as a strategy to drive creativity and innovation (ASID, 2014). Design thinking also
has the capability to build rigorous integration analyses through creative ideas by
carefully observing people, behaviours and markets (Caan, 2011. p. 124). Thus, design
thinking in interior design practice can be embraced as a holistic approach to support
problem solving during the design development process through the creative ideas that
an integrated analysis generates.
2.4.2. Principle 2: Innovation
Innovation has the potential to lead a business‘s competitive advantage and sustainability
through design development processes and design thinking. Currently, innovation and
design significantly support business processes and can serve as competitive advantage
for a business. Innovation, which bears potential risks, is a complicated process that can
generate profit if it succeeds (Heskett, 1996, in Do Rego, 2003, p. 26). It is a vital part of
new product development and new process invention in an entrepreneurial organisation
(Kusumawardhani and McCarthy, 2013, p. 473). Further, innovation is the core function
of design and the main driving force in the economy (Mutlu, 2003, p.1). In fact, Mutlu
(2003, p. 1) points out that the theory of economics and the practice of design are
proactively interrelated on the grounds of innovation. Kusumawardhani and McCarthy
(2013, p. 472) state that for the organisation that competes in a worldwide market, with
emerging technology and with a shortage of resources, innovation is critical to its
sustainability. However, although the majority of previous innovation studies focus on
large firms, there is lack of research on innovation in MSMEs due to the limits of their
abilities and resources. Thus, innovation in the study of this cluster is important for
27
businesses‘ competitive advantage, sustainability and its potential contribution to the
design development process.
In relation to design and innovation, Mutlu (p. 19) argues that ―design innovation brings
a novelty attained through design effort with no or minimal technical novelty‖. He also
states that innovation is essential for a design enterprise‘s competitive advantage.
Fernandez-Mesa, Alegre-Vidal, Chiva-Gomez and Gutierrez-Gracia (2013, p. 551) also
point out that ―Innovation requires two conditions to be fulfilled: novelty and utility,
including the creation and application of intangible (brand-new ideas and processes) and
tangible (products) outcomes‖. Compared to innovation by technological novelty,
―innovation by design is less risky, less expensive, less time consuming and eventually
less demanding for the innovator; on the other hand, it is more advantageous in obtaining
the qualities desired by the end user‖ (Walsh et al., 1988; Porter, 1980; Oakley, 1990, in
Mutlu, 2003, pp. 18–19).
As a correlation activity, Kusumawardhani and McCarthy (2013) argue for three
categories of innovation in design activities, which broadly extend to market
segmentation: 1) product innovation (refers to new product); 2) process innovation
(refers to internal improvement); and 3) market innovation (refers to market
segmentation). This means that innovation in design is significantly related to business
and economy. Furthermore, its practical applications hold promise for organisations to
reap long-term benefits along with the advantages of more meaningfully responding to
changing consumer needs from design (Mutlu, 2003, p. 20). Thus, innovation in design
has the potential to become a new mindset to help understand the emerging approaches
to design and its contribution to innovation. It also has the potential to become a bridge
to span the theoretical gap between the design literature and the literature on innovation
and economics.
As a link to innovation, owners/management and designers collaborate to implement
innovation to all or part of the business. The significant factors are the combination of
both the design process and the company vision in charting future roles in the value
chain (Danish Design Centre/DDC, 2003, in Caan, 2011). Design also functions as an
important key to economic competitiveness and social innovation. Social innovation is
―innovation that delivers benefits that are not quantifiable solely (or perhaps even
partially) in financial terms‖. Design, therefore, is a tool for making changes in the world
28
(Chick, 2011, p.33). Barnwell (2011, p.6) argues that the role of design, through
proposing artefacts, is to develop quality of life and to bridge technical and social
innovation to support others towards a better future. In this study, innovation and design
are integrated in an active search for new ideas in the design development process. The
context is a social and entrepreneurial culture; the originality and appropriateness of
design can result in a competitive advantage for MSMEs while also connecting them to
the welfare of their local society.
2.4.3. Principle 3: Social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship integrates design into societal welfare and ―good small business‖
to deliver significant benefits to communities while generating profit for the business.
However, there is a lack of information about the processes and principles required to
facilitate the successful integration of design principles at the level of design
development practice. This study uses case studies to investigate what evidence there
might be of these emerging practices and how they might inform future design
development practice.
Social entrepreneurship can be described as the creation of social value and innovation
that might occur in profit and non-profit business, including government organisations
(Austin, Stevenson and Skillern, 2006, p. 2). Popoviciu and Popoviciu (2011) propose
that the components of social entrepreneurship include poverty, marginalisation,
individual enthusiasm, commitment and drive, and real social changes. They both also
state that social entrepreneurship might be started, and led, by an individual who, after
experiencing an unjust situation, wants to solve social problems in their surroundings
(Popoviciu and Popoviciu, 2011, p.53).
Social entrepreneurs are individuals who potentially have the power to encourage others
to follow their social actions. Drayton (2011, pp. 1–6) mentions that social entrepreneurs
have the ability to think of, and create, new models to communicate and to stimulate
others to become more concerned and thoughtful about certain issues by appealing to
spiritual concerns. Social entrepreneurship is a substantial force in this rapidly changing
world, with its main tasks dedicated to delivering benefits to all. For this study, in
relation to design development, social entrepreneurship can be implemented in the
design development process by deeply thinking on how to engage business and
29
circumstances while stimulating others with moral and spiritual concerns. The result of
the engagement would be to generate profit in the business and to improve the welfare
of society.
2.4.4 Principle 4: Ethical Business Practice
A review of the research literature reveals ethics as a critical component of localised
design practices. In business practice, ethics is mostly impacted by the culture in an
organisation and its effect on ethical behaviour (Trevino, 1986; Cohen, 1993; Meyers,
2004; Frederick, 1995; Trevino and Nelson, 2004, in Ardichvili, Mitchell and Jondle,
2009). Ethics is broadly defined by Ardichvili et al. (2009, p. 11-1-1) as ―…the study of
human behaviour viewed through a set of distinctive values and rules as it pertains to
moral right and wrong‖. In an integrated view, the organisation that implements an
ethical business culture supports the environment of the organisation by guiding values
and beliefs. In their research, Ardichvili et al. (2009) show five clusters of characteristics
of organisational cultures: mission and value-drive, stakeholder balance, leadership
effectiveness, process integrity and long-term perspective. Ethical business practice
might affect ethical behaviour, especially in relation to values, rules and morality.
The literature shows that ethics in MSMEs are distinct from those of large enterprises.
Many ethical issues in MSMEs are still unclear because they are operate in an informal,
non-structured way, which results in a lack of research and reporting. In addition, current
disciplines of business ethics and corporate social responsibility do not address the facts
of ethics in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) because the theoretical model
developed is based on large enterprises. However, SMEs contribute significantly to
ethical standards by implementing ethical practices in their everyday business. SME
social responsibility activities include processes that generate value for all. The
enterprise‘s integrity and sustainability, measured by elements such as good governance,
management of ethics and prevention of corruption manifesting among SMEs, remain
unrevealed (Painter-Morland and Spence, 2009, p. 1–4). To address challenges in ethical
business practice, such as dealing with stakeholders (local, national, international),
design development processes might play an important role in delivering proper
solutions while implementing the design development final process.
30
2.4.5 Principle 5: Sustainable Living
By implementing good practices in the environment, SMEs can create sustainable
business while generating competitive advantage (Simpson, Taylor and Barker, 2004, p.
156). Although SMEs play an important role in the economy due to their job creation
activities, their contributions in innovation and bringing competitiveness to the market
show that the environmental effect of SMEs should be an important consideration; SMEs
provide around 60% of emissions of carbon dioxide (Stoke and Rutherford, 2000, in
Simpson, Taylor and Barker, 2004, p. 157). Therefore, it is a challenge for SMEs to
integrate good practices in the environment that result in competitive advantage.
Broad definitions of sustainable living link the notion of sustainable design practice with
day-to-day community living. According to Chick and Micklethwaite (2011, p 119),
―Design for sustainable living recognises and celebrates our social nature‖. Designing
for sustainability is not just about design of products and services. It is also about how
we use those products and services and our patterns of behaviour. There are four keys to
success in implementing behaviours that can support sustainable living: it is simple to
apply, it raises awareness while delivering the benefit, is flexible in product and service
and it extends throughout the product lifecycle. Current design needs to interconnect
design, product and social welfare in a sustainable environment.
Currently, designers spend most of their designing time on only the world‘s richest 10%
instead of the 90% of the world‘s poor. Therefore, it is crucial to start rethinking ideas
about design process and consumers for the sake of humanity (Chick and Micklethwaite,
2011, p. 149). According to Barnwell (2011, p.187), the connection between economic,
social and political situations reflects an age‘s cultural ethos. These three main
connections are clearly related to society‘s development. As a response to a rapidly
changing global environment, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP, 2000)
declared The Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). The targets and goals of eight
issues were adopted in 2000 by world leaders and were expected to be achieved by 2015.
MDGs are specific to each country and are related to their national development agenda.
There were, then, crucial concerns regarding the involvement of designers worldwide to
relate their design to the development of a society, including the poor. This study links
31
global and national issues and connects them holistically by articulating design
development processes appropriate for local communities.
Design currently offers an alternative solution to solve the poverty issue. Barnwell
(2011, p. 140–141) relates the poverty agenda and design activities, stating that ―Design
can play a vital role in fighting poverty, but it will require approaching the challenge in a
creative way‖. Thus, as a response to global issues, it is a designer‘s responsibility to
significantly contribute to a better future by connecting the design process and
development to the economic, social, cultural and political situations in society,
including the poor and business.
Today, design connects to social and environmental concerns, such as social impact,
sustainability and innovation. According to Chick (2011), design is increasingly
conceived of as an important aspect of the current need for greater social and ecological
sustainability, because it might deliver advantages (and disadvantages) in its economic,
environmental and social impacts. For example, the dematerialisation of products,
processes and services might be driven by design. Furthermore, design and designers
have a significant part to play in changing behaviours, particularly when addressing
distinctive ways of making sustainable change. Both design and designers play an
important part in exploring the opportunities of development related to lifestyle
decisions to meet the needs, ethics and other important issues related to environmental
and social impact. In this study, design development might be in the form of various
effective and proper processes and implementations that support national and world
global issues and add value for Indonesian MSMEs‘ competitive advantage. Therefore,
design and designers have an important role to play in global issues through their
products and services and their concerns for their social and environmental issues.
Hence, social welfare improves along with the design process and the development
journey.
Industrialized businesses have an extensive amount of budget allocation for design
innovation. In contrast, for this research in the context of rural communities, these design
principles operate differently in relation to MSMEs business, especially in the contexts
of micro and small business, rather than in larger industrial business. However, there is
increasing awareness of the sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs for their significant
contributions to the Indonesian economy. There has been concern, though, regarding
32
their limitations with regard to global competitive advantage and their innovation
through creative outcomes, both tangible and intangible, and links to society and the
surrounding environment.
In the context of Indonesia, and in relation to design development practices, there is a
lack of research and documentation of design practices inspired by or led by local insight
and knowledge. Such research could lead to increasing the potential for commercial
competitiveness and for delivering benefit to the community.
2.5 Part 2: Six Case Study Investigation
Before a thorough and effective research design for this study could be established it was
first necessary to investigate the lived experience of Indonesian MSMEs rather than
understand them from published sources only. Consequently, I undertook six case
studies of Indonesian MSMEs to investigate their current design practice. This is
detailed below, and the understandings from these case studies, together with the
literature review, then informed the research design, which will be made explicit in
Chapter 3.
Case study method was used for this project to explore six Indonesian MSMEs in
different locations, with a particular focus on their current design practices. The data
obtained through the case studies then informed the design of the Welas Asih
(Compassion) design model, which served as the basis for an exhibition of design and
artefacts of design outcomes and objects. The exhibition served as a practice-based
research outcome to visualise, represent and test the new model and to collect data on
participants‘ engagement with the designs presented at the exhibition.
As shown in Part I of this chapter, the literature review identified current best practices
in design development. From this I derived a tentative set of principles of design
development for Indonesian MSMEs. These preliminary principles were applied to case
study research. As more data were forthcoming, these principles were extended and
consolidated into a framework for compassionate design. Before discussing the
outcomes of the case studies it is necessary to account for how these investigations were
undertaken.
33
2.5.1. Case Study Research
This stage of the contextual review involved selecting six MSMEs as cases of design
development to study and document in order to understand each case within the context
of it is actual situation and day-to-day design operation. According to Woodside (2010,
p. 1), case study research is an investigation that focuses on defining, comprehending
and forecasting. Aaltio and Heilmann (2012, p. 2) also state that the case study‘s
objective is ―… to understand and interpret thoroughly the individual cases in their own
special context, and to find information concerning the dynamics and the processes‖.
They propose that the approach used has a dual purpose and direction in that it ―…is
both holistic (beginning from an entity) and inductive (moving from the general to the
specific)‖ (Aaltio and Heilmann, 2012, p. 6). The holistic approach used in a case study
has the potential to support problem solving decisions through creative ideas generated
from an integrated analysis. Case study methodology is an effective approach to deeply
understand, gather and integrate the broad context of data about MSMEs in their daily
work practices.
2.5.2 Case Study Data Collection Methods
Two key methods were used to collect data during the case study phase: observations
documented via field notes and photo documentation. Observations in natural settings
enable a deeper understanding of participants‘ experiences (Crouch and Pearce, 2012,
p.71). Observations were undertaken over a one-month period (September 2014), for the
duration of two days per site. As part of the observations, I spent time at each location
documenting the design and manufacturing processes thoroughly. Data collected
included written notes describing processes used by MSME owners, creative teams and
designers, and photographs of working spaces, products and processes.
Observation of MSMEs‘ daily business environment increases the potential for their
practices to be understood and made accessible and, therefore, more visible. As revealed
in the literature review, this capacity is currently limited. Therefore, for this study, case
study research methodology was used to investigate the set of five principles undertaken
by Indonesian MSMEs to reveal the intangible aspects of the Welas Asih model. (The
fieldwork data gathered has been recorded in Appendix A).
34
2.5.3 Case Study Participants
Six MSMEs were selected to participate in the study. Four selection criteria were used to
identify the six MSMEs. These were: 1) that the MSME business was well-established;
2) that the selected MSME fell within a well-known Indonesian MSME category1*); 3)
that there had been media reports of their positive activities in the community and they
had a business core strongly related to design development; and 4) that the business was
related to interior design, furniture or interior product accessories. Table 3.1 identifies
the six research cases and their different locations with their unique products and
materials.
Table 3.1. Selected Cases and their Characteristics
MSMEs1*
(operate more
than 3 years)
Location Interior, furniture and interior product
accessories
Material used:
natural or waste
material
Case 1 Central Java High-quality small wooden products, natural
preservation
Small size of solid wood
from legal wood
Case 2 Central Java Mattresses, planter pots, apparel (bags, sandals,
hats and others)
Material from mixture of
coco coir and rubber
latex
Case 3 Central Java Architecture, interior, furniture, interior product
accessories
Waste building material
Case 4 Jakarta Bags, wallets, containers, stools and others Waste packaging and
billboard material
Case 5 Bandung, West
Java
Bamboo products: traditional musical instruments
(angklung), furniture, merchandise, angklung
exhibition, angklung workshop, bamboo learning
centre and traditional culinary
Bamboo
Case 6 Bali Bamboo for architecture, interior, furniture,
interior product accessories, commercial services
(villas, workshop, study tour), green design
learning centre and natural preservation
Bamboo and other green
material
The case studies revealed that the principles identified in the literature review were
powerful and living concerns for each small enterprise. These five principles (design
thinking, innovation, social entrepreneurship, ethical business practice and sustainable
35
living) framed many of their business decisions. In addition, these six case studies
uncovered a number of further issues that needed to be included in the Welas Asih
(Compassion) design model. These issues concerned how the MSMEs wrestled with the
problem of integrating the intangible with the tangible aspects of product design.
2.6 Key Issues Arising from the Case Study Fieldwork
The case studies provided a number of insights into MSME practices that enriched the
Welas Asih model. These centred on intangible aspects, tangible aspects and the
integration of tangible and intangible aspects in design development. It became essential
that these aspects of design needed to be addressed in my emerging Welas Asih model of
design.
2.6.1. Intangible aspects
In the case studies, intangible aspects were related to both the design concept
(conceptual design) and design development. Case study1, 3 and 6 used applied
conceptual design to guide and implement design planning and decision making.
Intangible design concepts were those that supported national and global issues, such as
environmental preservation, and involved local people by offering support, reusing waste
material and using added-value renewable materials. Case 1 for instance, had built their
own plant nursery, supporting the environmental focus. They created products that
derived from deeply thinking the reuse of waste material to be used with additional
values and functions. The selected conceptual design showed that the imperfection and
the beauty of nature, as part of the journey of materials, could support alternative
solutions for local issues.
2.6.2. Tangible aspects
The tangible aspects of design in the case studies were clearly seen in a series of objects
that were connected to material, production, outcomes and space. Case Study 1
transformed non-valuable firewood into high quality products through modern processes
of production management. In another, Case Study 2, coco coir was transformed into a
new material to increase product value. Similarly, Case Study 3 incorporated waste
building material into part of building construction and element for interior design. As a
36
response to the abundance of waste packaging material, Case Study 4 transformed those
materials into valuable and functional products, including shoulder bags, cushions and
wallets. Various VAMs were used in all case studies, supplied in abundance by the local
environment.
Each MSME incorporated a sense of space into their activities. Case Study 3, for
example, arranged the building as a space for daily business, showcasing their products
and creating a hub for community discussions and meetings. Case Study 5 set aside
several spaces to accommodate different activities as part of their cultural preservation
agenda. One area served to demonstrate main product outcomes in action through
entertainment activities for local people. Case Study 6 built a space for education and
natural preservation as part of their engagement with the local people. Taken together,
they show that space is vitally important in MSME business, not only as a part of their
daily operations but for connecting products, markets and local people.
2.6.3. Integration of tangible and intangible aspects
The integration of tangible and intangible aspects was shown in the products that were
supported by the design concept and production. This integration connected with the
environment by using local materials and involving local people. In these case studies,
the MSMEs added value to their daily work by implementing conceptual design and
production management processes to create high quality products (Case Studies 1 and 6).
While performing their usual business, MSMEs also contributed to society through
formal education and training (Case Study 2), growing the number of skilled-workers,
creating a discussion centre to solve design issues (Case Study 3), and attracting
domestic and international visitors to open up market opportunities (Case Study 5).
Further, acting as a knowledge sharing organisation, Case Study 4 used their workplace
to prominently display posters stressing the theme of ethical business practice. The
posters encouraged workers and staff to adopt high standards of practice that would
result in high quality products, productive teamwork and a working environment that
realised the company‘s vision for a sustainable future. Case Study 6 integrated tangible
aspects of design, such as materials, production and outcomes, with intangible aspects,
including conceptual design, to create an interior ambiance that stimulated emotions.
37
Space was shown to be an important factor in bridging the connection between tangible
and intangible aspects of design to evoke emotions. The case studies showed that
materials, production and outcomes could potentially add value to products; for example,
by transforming non-valuable materials into new materials or valuable materials.
However, most MSMEs in the case studies struggled with the knowledge and processes
of how to holistically integrate tangible and intangible aspects of a product with the five
principles to evoke emotional engagement that would secure the sustainability of their
businesses.
2.7. Conclusion: Implications of the contextual review for this study
Part I provides an analysis of the key issues and the theoretical and industry trends
facing MSMEs in Indonesia. It also exposes a number of gaps in current thinking, and in
the practice of design development in Indonesia specifically but developing countries in
general. In designing a new model of practice for Indonesia‘s MSMEs it is essential to
address these gaps and other emerging concerns. Consequently, and based on Part I of
this review, it will be necessary to incorporate the following into a compassionate design
model:
An integrated model of design development that embraces the five principles
of integrated practice
A holistic design practice that links with environmental and sustainable
design practice
Given that sustainable materials are seldom selected by designers, the model
needs to use non-valuable materials and waste materials that can be
transformed into valuable materials (value added material/VAM)
VAM‘s need to engage the local community for the benefit of business and
the welfare of society
Use VAMs as material substitutes for object creations to demonstrate the
integration of materials with design, society and the environment
Apply local wisdom, including spiritual insights, for an ethical framework
that can benefit the wider society
Promote spirituality and morality in the design as a foundation for ethical
conduct
38
Capture and extend current work practices of MSMEs, which are produced
in response to particular contexts. These particular practices should enrich
future design practice
Generally, in this research, MSME design practices directly relates to my research in the
following ways:
- MSMEs connect their business with community to implement the design through
series of iterative prototype
- MSMEs offer critical insights into best practices to connect their design process
and implementation with community, local people, waste material that has
implication for social and environmental benefit
Part II, the findings from the case study fieldwork show that any new model of MSME
practice for Indonesia needs to address the following issues:
A design development process that integrates tangible aspects – objects
(material, production and outcomes) and place (activities) – with intangible
aspects to evoke the emotions and to add value to objects that connect with
both social and business concerns
Material selection and the potential benefits of intangible aspects of design to
the sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs
VAMs to evoke the emotions and so bridge the tangible and intangible,
especially in the design development process
In summary, this study connects MSMEs in relation to their potential around values,
creativity and knowledge sources. It seeks to engage and empower MSMEs through
design development and material exploration, which is crucial to the creation of objects
that affect humanity, business and the environment, and which can, importantly, evoke
emotions. This chapter has focused on MSME priorities (in relation to the Indonesian
economy, the community, waste materials and the spiritual dimension), design
development and the interdisciplinary literature to support an integrated approach to
design development. From this well of knowledge a model of practice has been
developed to demonstrate that MSMEs can generate meaningful and sustainable
economic contributions to society and the enviro
39
Chapter 3: Research Design
The overarching research question guiding this study is:
How can holistic design development principles and processes be used to build a
compassionate design model of practice, known as the Welas Asih model, for
Indonesian MSMEs?
Addressing this question required an enquiry process that examined the approaches and
principles informing current practice in Indonesian MSMEs and how they might be
integrated into an original model of compassionate design. This Welas Asih model will
be visualised through an exhibition of objects and spaces, which provides the grounds
for evaluating the effectiveness of the model and for drawing findings for the future.
3.1. Phases of Research Design
Addressing the research question requires research design with the following six phases.
Each phase is described with specific elaborations to give a full account of the
methodology of the research design of the study.
Phase 1:A literature review was conducted to understand the current principles
applied to current practices in Indonesian MSMEs. (Addressed in Chapter 2,
Part 1).
Phase 2: Fieldwork comprised on-site observations of six local MSMEs over a
period of one month. These data provided an understanding of local MSMEs‘
practices and methods to capture and share local practices. The analysis of
fieldwork data used to inform Phase 3. (Addressed in Chapter 2, Part 2).
Phase 3: A conceptual framework was developed that integrates the derived
practice principles into a testable model of practice. The model is entitled ―Welas
Asih‖ design, which roughly translates from Indonesian as ―compassion design‖,
to capture the integration of tangible artefacts that have a commercial application
40
as well as the intangible aspects informing practice, e.g. ethics, values and
community empowerment.
Phase 4: The design and development phase comprised a series of iterative design
cycles that tested different ways of visualising and representing the Welas Asih
model in practice with nine MSMEs and craft groups in Indonesia. Multiple
iterations of design development processes were carried out to test a range of
visualisation techniques, including a series of conceptual drawings, 2D and 3D
models of various components, testing of materials and generating strategy for
active engagement of multiple local communities in a collaborative creative
network.
Phase 5: The Welas Asih exhibition presented the model in practice and opened
the core outcome of this research – the experience of the Welas Asih model – to
participants from four groups identified as core contributors to Indonesian
MSMEs: local MSMEs owners/entrepreneurs, design professionals, design
academics, the Indonesian government and the general public.
Phase 6: The Welas Asih evaluation phase tested the model to capture the impact
of the exhibition on visitors from the four groups through an evaluation of their
experiences using a range of qualitative and design research tools (approved via
QUT ethics committee).
During these six phases, the study sought to explore in-depth the practices of local
MSMEs to capture and present these practices within the more holistic Welas Asih
framework, and with the potential to inform future application throughout Indonesia
3.2. The Provisional Welas Asih (Compassion) Design Model
Based on the overview of the field produced from the literature review and the six case
studies, it is possible to draft the following diagram that illustrates the key aspects of the
first version of the Welas Asih (Compassion) Design Model (diagram 3.2.). Built on the
values-based approach to design development and strong community engagement, I
named this new model Welas Asih, which approximately translates as ―compassionate
design‖.
41
Welas Asih is a design process that takes into account three aspects of development – the
tangible, intangible and the integration of them both. Intangible aspects relate to ideas,
inspirations and the client‘s brief that forms a preliminary design concept. This
preliminary design continues to develop under influence of the five principles for holistic
design. The tangible aspects in design development include the design drawing and
object design through a series of iterative sketches, working drawings, selection of
materials and prototyping. Another factor in designing a tangible object is ―space‖. In
this model it is important to design for robust social effects.
The following diagram shows the interconnection of components in the Welas Asih
model
42
Diagram 3.1. Welas Asih (Compassion) Design Model Version 1
43
As a set of principles that meaningfully support and guide the design development
process, the Welas Asih model can be understood as a performative and dynamic
framework that requires an exhibition to accommodate an experiential engagement,
which supports the creation of interior ambiance with the potential to create, affect and
evoke emotions. The model then serves as a conceptual guide for navigating and
engineering a holistic integration of design processes and practices with the aim of
educating, promoting and demonstrating how an integrated holistic design process is
able to contribute to the social and economic sustainability of local MSMEs and
communities.
This, then, is the first and provisional model of Welas Asih (Compassion) Design for the
Indonesian environment. The remainder of this study will test this model in action, and
this chapter outlines the research design used to complete that testing through practice.
3.3. ResearchingThe Compassionate Design Model through Practice
3.3.1 Research Strategies Phase 4
Three principal research strategies were used in this research design. The first, Case
Study, guided the selection and investigation carried out in Phase 2 of the research and is
detailed in Chapter 2 Part II.
Two additional research strategies were deployed in Phase 4 of this study, namely
Practice-Based Research and Iterative Design Research.
3.3.1.1. Practice-Based Research
This study can be described as a practice-based project that uses elements of applied
design research and action research methodologies. The practice-based framework focuses
on integrating tangible and intangible aspects that align with the five principles identified
in the contextual review and confirmed in the case studies. According to Candy (2006, p.
1), ―Practice-based research is an original investigation undertaken in order to gain new
knowledge partly by means of practice and the outcomes of that practice. In a doctoral
thesis, claims of originality and contribution to knowledge may be demonstrated through
creative outcomes in the form of designs, music, digital media, performances and
44
exhibitions. Whilst the significance and context of the claims are described in words, a full
understanding can only be obtained with direct reference to the outcomes.‖ This of course
accounts for the need to hold an exhibition of the outcomes of Welas Asih design, for this
‗direct reference‘ enables stakeholders to gain a full understanding of the process and the
artefacts. Practice-based research also addresses the complicated characteristics of a
specific professional practice. As stated by Schon (1983, p.14, cited in Haseman, 2006,
p.3), practice-based research strategies are increasingly recognised among professional
practitioners as practice situations that are complex and unique. Practice-based research
strategies include participant research and awareness of practice improvement (Haseman,
2006, p. 3). Thus, practice-based research is a strategy for generating new knowledge
through complex and unique creative practice.
Practice-based research was adopted as the principal research strategy for its potential to
illustrate, communicate and translate the model to other sectors through evidence of
iterative design processes and the exhibition containing final designs. It allowed
visualisation and testing of the model through iterative design and prototyping involving
spaces and objects, and enabled components of the exhibition to be realised and revealed
in the participant‘s experiential journey of their visit to the exhibition. In all, this project
was used to enable the representation of the model through the objects, spaces and the
exhibition as symbolic representations of the integration of tangible and intangible
aspects in this research that were produced as part of the research process.
The practice-based research strategy encompasses two aspects of research. Firstly, a
series of iterative research cycles captured the design process and, secondly, its creative
outcomes were set out in a Welas Asih exhibition for end users.
3.3.1.2 Iterative Design Research
Iterative Design Research was comprised of a series of design cycles that tested different
ways of visualising and representing the emerging Welas Asih model in practice. Multiple
iterations were created to test a range of visualisation techniques, including a series of
conceptual drawings and 2D and 3D models of various components to test materials. This
became a strategy to actively engage multiple local communities in a collaborative
creative network. Often in the design development process, there are intentional changes
to design solutions or the selection of design elements and processes. Revising previous
45
decisions leads to new or modified solutions in the design development process.
―Iterativerefers to a systematic, repetitive, and recursive process in qualitative data
analysis‖ (Bassett (ed)in Mills et al., 2010, p.3).These changes might be influenced by
external or internal factors, such as the availability of materials, project time schedules, the
number of skilled workers, and project costs. Design development in this study also
explores previous designs, which are further explored creatively; for example, exploring
the possibilities of new functions and applications of materials. The meaningful aspect of
iterative design is that it incorporates previous solutions as a basis, and inspiration, for
new creations (Howard, Culley and Dekoninck, 2008; Pugh, 1996 as cited in Doboli and
Umbarkar, 2014, p. 298), all the while maintaining the unity of the design concept.
In this study, the research cycle involved conceptual development, iterative design and
prototyping of products, including trialing specific techniques associated with the
identified holistic principles of design. ‗Design as research‘ was central to
conceptualising and visualising the model, as well as in testing it through the exhibition
phase.
Nine MSMEs and groups of craftspeople participated in this phase of the research. Each
worked closely with me and followed the Welas Asih design model to contribute a
specific element to the research exhibition. The type and scope of their contribution is
presented below.
46
Diagram 3.2. Research Partners
47
3.3.2. Research Strategy: Phase 5
An outcome of practice-based research is a presentation of design outcomes, and in this
study this occurred through the Welas Asih exhibition, which was held at Karawang City,
West Java, Indonesia. To enable the model to be experienced on site, and evaluated, a
series of design artefacts were created and arranged within a holistic design of the exhibition
in its entirety, where the floor layout and the flow of visitors through the exhibition space
embodied principles of the model at a macro level. Simultaneously, at a micro-level, a
memory box was created to visualise the model in miniature form, comprising an
organically shaped form and made by communities from sustainable resources using the
original design I created. The following section will unpack these and any additional
outcomes resulting from this research.
3.3.2.1. The Welas Asih exhibition
To prepare for the exhibition, I engaged a number of iterative design cycles to visualise and
create conceptual designs to produce prototypes of new design elements of the environment,
objects, and interior product accessories. The design activities included product study
analysis, final design, interior design plans and the construction of overall interior and
furniture objects to create an inspiring and motivating interior ambiance or atmosphere for
the whole exhibition area. This process dealt with the principles of design thinking,
innovation,social entrepreneurship, ethical business practices and sustainable living, while
bridging such aspects as cosmology or spirituality, cognition, emotion, imagination, memory
and the body (physical). The implementation of the principles in the exhibition can be
further viewed in the booklet (Section 7) and DVD (Part 3 of the DVD: The Design
Exhibition).
The holistic integration of principles can be exemplified through design for sustainable
living that interconnects design, products, social behaviour and environment. The use of
coco coir (waste material) as a substitute material for sofas illustrates this environmental
sustainability and the engagement of the community who supplied the raw material (coco
coir) for the project. Incorporating Islamic patterns, it embraced spiritual values. In this way,
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design for sustainable living showed the connectedness of design, products, social behaviour
and environmental responsibility.
This‗research‘ exhibition tested prototypes with key stakeholder groups accross different
sectors of the Indonesian community. It also encouraged innovation in local Indonesian
MSMEs‘ practices to benefit the local community while also increasing competitive
advantage for their businesses. In Indonesia, exhibitions provide a tangible link between
culture and the economy by addressing pressing cultural themes relevant to local
communities. Participants experienced this link at the exhibition as they interacted with the
objects, spaces and the integrated elements between them.
Image 3.1. Participant interactions at the exhibition Photo by Satrio
For this project, the exhibition served as an essential means of connecting participants and
helping them experience the multiple dimensions of Welas Asih; that is, an interwoven,
dialogic presentation of local practices, principles, materials, communities and values.
Through the exhibition, the participants experienced the design journey in its entirety,
complete with multiple lenses to evoke a sensory response and to trigger emotions through
concrete references to Indonesian MSMEs‘ capacity for community engagement and
positive social integration, fueled by a dual concern for social welfare and for generating
economic sustainability for local businesses.
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3.3.2.2. Designing the Exhibition Site (Karawang City, West Java, Indonesia)
This section will account for the design artefacts that supported the exhibition and its
outcomes. In this exhibition, I created design artefacts to illustrate the model in practice.
This included objects that were also used to define and separate areas within the exhibition
space. These objects connected the elements of the model and demonstrated daily activities
(at home and in commercial business) through hearing, sight, touch and smell. Objects were
created to represent design development in four areas: 1) everyday life; 2) commercial 1
(MSMEs business as a design process area); 3) commercial 2 (culinary area); and 4)
commercial 3 (retail display area).
Image 3.2. Interior layout
Documentation of these design artefacts include design sketches, technical drawings,
perspective and 3D drawings, photo and video documentation, including prototyping models
50
for furniture. This documentation can be viewed in the Picture Book and DVD, produced as
examinable outputs and detailed on pages 75–80.
3.3.3. Research Strategies: Phase 6
To test the effectiveness of the Welas Asih model, the final phase of this study required me
to evaluate the experience of visitors who visited the Welas Asih Exhibition to determine
whether the exhibition presented the model as an integration of practices, objects, spaces,
materials and collaborative actions.
Did the exhibition illustrate the model of holistic design development in practice and action?
Did it communicate the model to stakeholders and serve as an educational experience for
those stakeholders?
The exhibition evaluation collected evidence of the impact on the awareness of visitors,
including participants from the four groups. The methods and design research tools
(approved via the QUT ethics committee) are detailed below. Visitor responses were then
analysed, coded and categorised using the thematic analysis method.
3.3.3.1. Evaluation: Research Participants
In the evaluation phase, the MSMEs from the case study research were invited to the
exhibition and then to participate in the evaluation of the exhibition. Two MSMEs from the
previous pilot study were part of group 1 participants (MSME owners). Other groups of
participants invited included design professionals/design entrepreneurs (group 2), design
academicsgroup 3), Indonesian government representatives (group 4) and the general public
(group 5). There were five participants in each group. Data from group 3 (design academics)
were excluded from this analysis due to a lack of participant data collected at the exhibition.
In this exhibition, there were 20 participants in total. Table 3.1 presents information
regarding the numbers and types of group participants visiting the two exhibitions.
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Table 3.2. Combined Numbers of Participants from Two Exhibitions
Visits to the exhibition and the collection of their responses took place on May 14, 15, 31
and June 1, 2, and 3.
3.3.3.2. Exhibition: Data Collection Methods
Three key methods were used to collect data from the exhibition: a qualitative questionnaire
(pre- and post-exhibition); visual and qualitative methods (including photos and drawings
with written annotations) made during the exhibition; and semi-structured interviews (post-
exhibition). Evers and van Staa (2010, as cited in (ed) Mills et al., 2010, p. 2) describe
various sources of data in qualitative research, including fieldwork notes, transcripts (from
interview), video and photos that cover audio, visual, and text. This exhibition collected data
from questionnaires, interview transcripts, written text/responses and visual data to reveal
the impact of the exhibition, especially the intangible aspects of the Welas Asih model.
Method 1: Pre-exhibition questionnaire
Participants were invited to respond to a demographic questionnaire before visiting
the exhibition. Babbie (2008, as cited in Teclaw, Price and Osatuke, 2012, p. 281)
points out that placing demographic questions at the beginning of a questionnaire
can build empathy. Participants also responded to a Likert-type questionnaire to
identify their experienced emotions before and after the exhibition. According to
Barnette (2010, p. 2), the evaluation of manner, assumption and perception are
appropriate uses for Likert scaling. The Likert scale was also used to collect
evidence of change of awareness as a result of the exhibition. It did this using a two-
part step; the first being the participant‘s anticipated reaction towards the question
and the second the response scale (Barnette, 2010, p. 2). The pre-exhibition
Exhibition
schedule
Group 1
n = 5
MSME
Group 2
n = 5
Design
professional
s
Group 4
n = 5
Government
representatives
Group 5
n = 5
General
public
Exhibition 5 5 5 5
52
questionnaire captured participants‘ baseline feelings prior to entering the exhibition
and then, as a follow on, used book-end post-exhibition questions to gain insight into
the degree of change and whether the model, as represented, affected and impacted
the participants.
Method 2: Visual drawings, photos and written responses
During the exhibition, data were collected from participants using visual research
methods, such as sketches and photographs, and included written annotations or
creative stories that captured emotions and thoughts in response to the exhibition.
Participants were invited to select one or more visual activity or writing. These
visual research methods allowed for a different and deeper expression of
communication that may not have been revealed in a language-based form. For
instance, MacQuarrie (2010, as cited in (ed) Mills et al., 2010, p.6) states that visual
methods potentially stimulate participants to convey deeper expressions of the actual
situation and other conditions that might not be revealed during a conventional
interview. In this study, sketch drawing, taking pictures and writing short stories or
notes enabled participants to inform and express their actual intangible reactions,
such as intuitions and feelings.
Method 3: Semi-structured interview
After the exhibition, participants were invited to participate in a short interview,
which enabled the researcher to collect evidence of the effects on participants during
their visit. These semi-structured interviews, with open-ended questions, enabled the
participants to share the extent to which they were affected by the elements of the
exhibition. From Barlow (2010, as cited in (ed) Mills et al., 2010, p. 2) semi-
structured interviews are used to ―…compare the participants‘ responses‖ and to
search for comprehensive understanding of their ―…unique experiences‖, and so
they were used in this study to reflect on the tangible, intangible and integrated
aspects of design. It was expected that by using the semi-structured interview,
participants from different groups would be stimulated to reveal more in-depth
thoughts, opinions and emotions than through scaled responses. Participants could
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link responses with their own experiences of the exhibition, revealing emotional
responses captured through words and voice. The interview questions and
participant interview data are listed in Appendix C and D
3.3.3.3. Data Analysis
Thematic analysis was used to analyse the exhibition evaluation data, Lapadat ( 2010, as
cited in (ed) Mills et al., 2010, p. 1) advocates thematic analysis to identify patterns or
themes that are then coded and classified to facilitate searching for commonalities. Further,
Boyatzis (2010, as cited in Lapadat (ed) Mills et al., 2010, p. 2), explains that thematic
analysis has five purposes:
―1) of seeing; 2) finding relationships; 3) analysing; 4) systematically observing a case; and
5) quantifying qualitative data‖. Thematic analysis, then, is a sense-making tool that helps
organise, summarise and interpret data, and is used to search for recurrent patterns that
describe categories and generate themes.
3.3.3.4. Thematic Analysis Data Process
Interview data was analysed at three levels. The first level of categorisation was of the four
groups (MSME owners, design professionals, government representatives and the general
public). At the second level, participant categories for all four groups were compared to
capture common and recurring patterns across the groups. The final level sought to identify
commonalities and differences across all of the thematic categories identified by each group.
Finally, this analysis resulted in identifying six themes. The thematic analysis interview data
process can be viewed in Appendix E.
3.4. Examinable Outputs
Because of the complex and broad scope of this project there are multiple examinable
outputs. There are five components to this multi-modal thesis:
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1. The exhibition: Welas Asih Design (Karawang City, West Java). This includes a
framing document and memory box.
(The Framing document is included in Appendix B).
The memory box sought to introduce and deepen each participant‘s connection to the
concepts underpinning Welas Asih. It was designed to serve as the tangible artefact to
accompany the framing document which was sent to participants before their visit to the
exhibition. The memory box and its contents captured the Welas Asih model in
miniature form, represented the insights of the exhibition and used value added materials
and the coco coir texture with its strong, unique smell (a mixture of coco coir and rubber
latex). In this way it became part of the sensual dimension of the exhibition, appealing to
the senses of sight, touch and smell.
The memory box presented small products: Bamboo products to produce sound
(activating the hearing sense) and a bamboo pen (a reference to the visual activities
undertaken during the design process. A traditional spice‘s rind (as a reminder of its
multi-function effect in culinary taste) was also included, along with a distinctive rice-
food container, a ketupat, employing traditional weaving techniques and used only on
Islamic holy days (a reminder of spirituality). All the products were made by MSMEs
(micro enterprise) and sold by street vendors.
2. Accompanying exegesis: Designing, implementing and evaluating Welas Asih, a
holistic model of compassionate design for Indonesian MSMEs
3. Picture Book: A visual record entitled: A researcher’s journey in Welas Asih
Design
This Picture Book documents the design artefacts as they evolved through the iterative
design process. It visually contextualises the design outcomes and processes within the
social and economic reality of Indonesian MSMEs.
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4. DVD: A researcher journey in Welas Asih Design
The DVD documents collaborative practices with nine communities to show the
Welas Asih model in action. It also documents the exhibition from conception to
final event to educate key stakeholder groups about this innovative design and
collaboration process. The key stakeholders targeted were the five groups identified
as core contributors to the Indonesian economy: MSME owners and entrepreneurs,
design professionals, design academics, government representatives and the general
public.
5. Appendices: Research data from the Welas Asih Design journey.
In conclusion, this structured and systematic research design used practice-based
research, iterative design and exhibition and evaluation strategies to test the
provisional Welas Asih model articulated on page 44, after a thorough analysis of
the data gathered, outcomes were presented in a multi-modal form.
The next chapter analyses this data from which the findings and outcomes of this
study can be presented.
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Chapter 4:
Analysis of the Compassionate Design Model
This study developed and tested a new model of design practice and design development
that aimed to increase the competitive advantage of local Micro-, Small- and Medium-
Enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia. The model was developed using a holistic approach that
offers an alternative to existing practices by introducing purposeful integration of local
materials and active engagement of the local community of craftspeople and MSMEs. The
study involved six distinct phases. During these phases, the study sought to explore the in-
depth practices of local MSMEs with a view to potentially informing future applications of
the practices in the field and to further the benefits to local communities. Through fieldwork,
this study documented and integrated the practices of local MSMEs in a more holistic
approach within the Welas Asih (Compassion) design model. The Welas Asih model was
then tested with key stakeholders involved in the exhibition.
This chapter reports on the analysis and outcomes of the design process in four sections.
4.1. SECTION 1: The implementation of five principles in the Welas Asih Model
The contextual review identified five principles that were needed to underpin the Welas
Asih model. The overarching practice-based research includes these principles and is
explored, documented and discussed in the context of the practices of MSMEs. This is
shown in the evidence presented in the Picture Book and the Exhibition, including also the
stages of implementation of the newly generated Welas Asih model (through the five
guiding principles of design implementation), which highlighted innovative applications in
the context of iterative design process, creating a clear point of difference across and
resulting in new approaches to design. Each of principle was shown to be effective
differently and will be further discuss in the following analysis evidences the way the
principles were incorporated into the various phases of this research.
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4.1.1. Principle 1: Design thinking
In this study, design thinking was applied to demonstrate the Welas Asih in practice, such
that the integrated tangible and intangible aspects of the model could be experienced by
visitors. At all times, the design process was holistically reviewed, and it emerged through
the thoughtful integration of a series of product innovations in three areas of the exhibition
(Picture Book, Section 5) that considered the local people‘s skill and knowledge through
their material journey (Picture Book, p. 52–59), product development decisions and the
application of relevant technology and simple techniques derived from traditional techniques
(Picture Book p. 27–28, 37–48). The products and their intrinsic value, together with the
exhibition and its ambiance, then become experiential components of Welas Asih that
stimulated visitors to take positive action for the sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs and
their potential creative products (Picture Book, p.87–95).
By demonstrating the holistic integration of aspects that affected the local surroundings in
the research process, all design stakeholders could attend to the sustainability of Indonesian
MSMEs and local people by including them in product development processes, such as
material selection, design methods, prototyping (that resulted competitive products), using
local, practical but hidden knowledge (Picture Book, p.19–25); addressing poverty issues
(Picture Book p. 2, 9, 10, 15,16) and incorporating waste materials (Picture Book, p.14, 20,
22, 23, 52,54).
4.1.2. Principle 2: Innovation
In this exhibition, innovation was seen in the process of transforming waste materials into
value added material (VAMs). This included VAMs from coco coir and recycled aluminum
foil from milk packaging. The use of VAMs was also demonstrated through the application
of waste material as a substitute material in furniture and interior accessory products. This
has a positive impact on the environment by reducing waste and promoting reuse and
recycling.
Innovation can be seen in a number strategies incorporated into the iterative design cycles.
Firstly, non-valuable material and waste material was transformed into more valuable
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products through innovative production processes (Picture Book, p.51–59). Secondly,
improvements to existing designs (Picture Bookp.23) generated more value by attending to
the aesthetic and functional dimensions of each product (Picture Book, p.53–55). Thirdly,
simple techniques and systems were used across different activities and situations by
recycling (Picture Book, p.45–46). Finally, the spiritual meaning of multi-function furniture
(Picture Book, p.47–48) was embedded into parts of the furniture design to remind users of
the need to maintain good attitudes and high morals in every aspect of life.
These instances of innovation can be seen in the coco coir VAM for the table lamp (Picture
Book p. 43–44), the memory box (Chapter 3, p.15) and in product prototypes (Picture Book,
p. 53, 55). Another VAM, the waste from aluminum foil board, was used to produce a multi-
function table with its own light source in an interior area (Picture Book, p.57, 95). Also, a
simple folding system item of furniture, with a low-technology construction, was able to be
produced with low-skilled workers and local community members (Picture Book, p.37–48,
57, 84). The simple system allowed the furniture to be reused for different activities. For
example, the top table could be replaced with other building waste material, cut into
irregular shapes and then rejoined for a single top table (Picture Book, p. 45–46, 58). This
joined system allowed me to reduce the quantity of materials and to reuse them to protect
the environment. The VAMs derived from local materials were able to increase a product‘s
value by garnering support for local workers and by evoking emotions in response to the
tangible benefits for the workers. They also promised an increase in potential buyer
awareness of the benefit of the product for humanity and a better future for communities.
The innovation principle, then, was integrated in an active search for new ideas in the design
development process: in new product design and its potential for additional functions,
supported by values with potential for generating competitive advantage for local
companies. This added to the vibrant social and entrepreneurial culture of local Indonesian
MSMEs, where novel ideas and their effective implementation are highly sought after; all
while working with a strong sense of social responsibility and community wellbeing.
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4.1.3. Principle 3: Social entrepreneurship
In-keeping with the principle of social entrepreneurship, this study engaged local workers in
the design implementation and prototyping process. Before the actual product was designed
and built for the exhibition, I worked alongside local workers to prototype products as part
of the iterative design process (Chapter 4, p. 8 and DVD Part 1). I also worked with MSMEs
and their local workers to produce simple furniture based on their skill capabilities and
inspired by local wisdom and traditional construction methods. (Picture Book, p. 28-29, 37-
41). In this way, local workers with furniture making or art and craft skills were able to
benefit financially, improve their standard of living and be employed.
Through the kindness of one business owner, I collected and used non-natural VAMs from
local scavenger communities as part of the making of the multi-function coffee table
(Picture Book, p. 56–57). In addition, by engaging with a rural community that empowered
women in their production process, I used local woven textiles as a sofa cover (Picture
Book, p. 85). In working with MSMEs that engaged local workers, I was able to apply coco
coir board material (derived from coco coir) to the centre of a sliding book rack (Picture
Book p. 88–89). While the coco coir-based board material had been produced and used by
local people before (though rarely), this project further focused on, and was applied to,
actual furniture design and construction, weaving a community narrative into the design
process and outcome.
The engagement of MSMEs and local communities in the exhibition epitomised the
implementation of the Welas Asih approach. Furthermore, the meaning of the story behind
the artefacts‘ production by MSMEs and local communities embedded intangible aspects,
which had the potential to increase the awareness of the contribution MSME‘s and
marginalised local groups make to the local economy. It was anticipated that MSMEs and
their community would gain long-term benefit from knowledge sharing during these
production processes. By working with a priority on social entrepreneurship, MSMEs
revisited and strengthened their core competencies and so enhanced their local economy.
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4.1.4. Principle 4: Ethical business practice
The capacity of the Welas Asih model to promote ethical business practice and to benefit the
relationship between the environment and the local community was also tested. I
deliberately opened each iterative design cycle to local communities and provided free
access to my concepts and designs for their own use.
In business practices, ethical frameworks are mostly developed from intangible aspects of
culture, such as shared morals, values and beliefs, which, together, establish the integrity of
a business. Indonesia, as the largest Muslim country in the world, is well placed to engage
the spiritual aspects of life. To demonstrate this, I embedded spirituality, an intangible
aspect, into the design development process (Picture Book, p. 47–48, 57, 89). This served as
a reminder of spiritual meaning in daily activities, while also engaging other such intangible
qualities as morals and values. Ethical practice in business was included to illustrate issues
such as moral concerns and to address ethical and ecological responsibilities. For example,
during the exhibition preparation, I took responsibility for coordinating the treatment of
waste materials, improving energy efficiency and empowering women and local skilled
craftspersons.
I stressed ethical business practice by promoting environmental concerns related to each
material journey that engaged the community (DVD part 2). I also demonstrated that
every person could participate in improving the welfare of local workers by considering
their potential talent, skills, abilities and capabilities (Chapter 4, p. 8 and Picture Book, p.
67). In this way, local workers could be empowered by MSMEs‘ business as they faced
the challenges of applying new designs and techniques using their local value added
material (DVD Part 2 and Picture Book, p. 53, 55). Thus, if the Indonesian government
maintains a focus on MSME development, the next generation of entrepreneurs will have
foundational knowledge about how to live harmoniously in a society with responsible
environmental awareness and an openness to change for a better ethical future.
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4.1.5. Principle 5: Sustainable living
Designing for sustainability had to be central to theWelas Asih model. This was
implemented by designing: 1) ―easy to apply‖ furniture by creating simple folding
(foldable) systems of use; 2) multi-functional furniture with the potential to alter its
function; 3) furniture made flexible by designing interchangeable parts and components
for easy replacement and articulation with materials of different sizes, shapes and
proportions, and designed for versatile packaging and distribution; and 4) furniture with
the potential for extended functions in the long-term and is easy to modify and
accommodate changing customer behaviours. I used added value materials as substitute
materials, used building waste material (Picture Book,p 58–59), and optimised the use
of local content in design implementation as part of my concern for the environment
(Picture Book, p. 27–29,37–39,43,45). In addition, I applied designs that could be used
across several products or various activities that could be used, stored or distributed
effectively through multi-function and folding design system. Users then, potentially,
could make furniture according to their needs (Picture Book, p. 45-48).
At the centre of the Welas Asih model is the priority to reduce, reuse, recycle, and
support sustainable living by using VAMs as substitute materials, reusing waste
materials and optimising local content in design implementation. In addition, the
design process was used to maximise economic benefit, support local production
techniques and streamline product packaging and distribution. In this way, design
for sustainable living draws connections between product design and product
prototyping, social behaviour and customs and environmental concerns.
4.2. SECTION 2: Four approaches to integrating tangible and intangible aspects
within Welas Asih Model
Welas Asih is presented as a new model of design practice and design development for
Indonesian MSMEs, with potential to integrate tangible and intangible aspects of design.
Four approaches to attempt this were proposed in the model, and this next section analyses
how well the model was able to accommodate these approaches, namely: engaging local
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communities, embedding spirituality, using value added materials (VAM) and seeking to
incorporate local wisdom.
4.2.1. Approach 1: Actively engaging local communities
Overall, there were positive effects when local communities engaged with their MSMEs on
a daily basis. The community also engaged in the design development processes, especially
during the prototyping process. The local community was involved in a number of roles in
relation to the design implementation, including makers of the product, collaborations
during the design process itself, including elements of co-designing the final products.
Meanwhile, I as a designer remained in close discussions with the community to solve the
problems that occurred during the process, such as modifying the techniques/methods and
adjusting the design implementation to meet their skills, local material character, and
availability of the materials.
Additional visual evidence of collaboration with local community during the design
implementation at the exhibition is included in the Picture Book. In this process, there were
several design adjustment and modification related to sizes, forms, and techniques. For
example, I designed and created the objects or products using simple techniques and using
low technology, which could be replicated by those communities. I opened these techniques
and designs to communities so as to inspire them to innovate even further through their own
interpretations and adaptations of the design, such as substituting materials with other
available local materials and waste materials. It was also the aim to affect the welfare of
local people mired in poverty through the provision of job opportunities.
Generating positive impacts on the broader society is crucial to the future development of
both Indonesian society and its economy, and operating within the Welas Asih model offers
this opportunity. The exhibition demonstrated that Indonesian MSMEs have access to
valuable and talented craftsmen and workers.
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I
Image 4.1. Prototyping process by engaging Micro-Enterprise and local Community Photo by Satrio
Working with such craftspeople and local workers was important, especially in relation to
the tangible and intangible aspects of design. Through their engagement with the exhibition,
MSMEs and their local working communities had the opportunity to show, apply and
potentially improve their skills, while addressing the difficulties of the work through a series
of discussions during the prototyping production process. For example, coco coir‘s VAM
producers improved their skill in using that material. They used several techniques derived
from traditional methods, such as weaving, rolling, and ―wrapping the rope‖, then applied
them to the design of the materials (Picture Book, p. 44, 53, 55). Other micro-enterprises
that supported the production of the memory box were also encouraged to revisit previous
traditional natural materials (natural rattan) after difficulties were identified using coco coir.
The difficulties occurred because one community turn their natural material into artificial
material – artificial rattan – a popular industry design trend.
Local craftspeople took the opportunity to develop the waste material solution to show they
are capable of transforming waste material into valuable material through simple (low)
technology. By using these waste materials they were supporting their local surroundings by
sourcing raw material from local people. The way they used their simple technologies and
local materials for new product design opportunities, after a series of prototyping processes,
can be seen in the photo documentation of the memory box and in the DVD Parts 1 and 2.
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In relation to their production process, the craftspeople solved on-site problems to gain the
most effective results after extensive design revisions. This included adjusting the shapes,
sizes and construction of objects to fit existing dimensions and conditions (Picture Book, p.
64–67). They also developed a team-based approach for different steps of the production
processes to support general working conditions (DVD Part 1and Picture Book, p. 19).
This study produced many design drawings and sketches as part of the design development
process, as well as prototypes and artefacts for the exhibition. Occasionally, because of
limitations in skills and knowledge, local craftspeople formed their own interpretation of
designs during the production process. As a result, the outcomes changed in shape or size.
Consequently, a series of prototypes needed to be developed to improve communication
between groups and to produce the most effective outcomes.
4.2.2. Approach 2: Activating use of natural and waste material to add value to design
outcomes
For this exhibition, I documented the material development processes (including waste
materials and actual raw materials) through posters, visual information to evoke the emotion
and value of natural resources, which had not yet been fully explored. The posters detailed
the material processes from trivial materials into valuable objects that interconnected with
the components of the Welas Asih model. This information increased the participants‘
awareness through three cycles: the cycle of values, the cycle of material and the cycle of
money. It was also demonstrated that material with added value could combine with modern
technology for additional value by creating significant effects, such as implementing a
spiritual/religious geometric pattern on top of the material, using modern cutting
tools/machines that could make rapid and precise patterns in a short period of time. This
technology enabled the pattern-cutting to be accelerated and to produce precise, large scale
measurements and proportions.
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Image 4.2. Geometric pattern on top of value Image 4.3. Application as a table top
added material (VAM). (Photo by Endahyani) (Photo by Hendrik)
4.2.3. Approach 3: Activating spiritual connection through value-added material
In this exhibition, I used materials that have spiritual meaning for Indonesian people as a
way of stimulating further positive engagement. This was done by incorporating two plant
materials with strong cultural significance and with spiritual meaning for Indonesian people,
namely: coconut and bamboo. Coconut trees and bamboo are close to the heart of
Indonesian society. Both materials are mostly used in traditional ritual ceremonies, from
weddings to births and a baby‘s first steps. Consequently, I incorporated Islamic geometric
patterns (picture 4.3) into the design to symbolise the maintenance of good attitudes in
everyday life and business activity. These patterns were selected for their potential to be
reproduced in many sizes and across different shapes; the value-added material thus became
symbolic material for the connectedness of everyday life and commercial activities.
Accordingly, the symbolic pattern was placed at the centre of everyday life (in the centre of
the sliding book rack) (picture 4.4) and also in the commercial retail area for further spiritual
significance (Picture Book, p. 47–48).
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Image 4.4. Islamic geometric pattern(Azzam, K, 2013,p. 17)
Image 4.5. Islamic Geometric pattern- Applied in Mosque
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Image 4.6. Sliding book rack with Islamic geometric pattern as meaningful vocal point (Photo by Zelenko)
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Image 4.7. Islamic geometric pattern on top of VAM (coco coir board)
(Function as indirect light)-Photo by Zelenko)
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Image 4.8. Everyday life area (alternative layout position)
(Photo by Adjie/Syahdan)
My aim was to place the presence of spirituality in everyday objects and to remind people of
the importance of applying good morals and ethics in the activities of everyday life.
4.2.4. Approach 4: Balancing local wisdom with nature through the design
development process
Local wisdom was engaged to ensure the presence of traditional life practices that
interconnect with, and stimulate, the physical and mental world while respecting the
spiritual and moral values within the surroundings. For this exhibition, the following four
aspects explored ideas from local wisdom and resources: 1) using natural resources as
substitute materials to represent the interiority and natural atmosphere; 2) creating folding
(foldable) and multi-function furniture that could be used by selected
local/traditional/common furniture construction systems; 3) exploring traditional woven
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materials and techniques for their potential application in the materials, shapes, sizes and
scales of modular systems of furniture; and 4) selecting natural materials that embed
traditional spiritual and moral values but are derived from waste materials (value added
material/VAM).
The design of the objects from local communities used common, traditional and simple
technologies that matched local skill capabilities and material innovation as part of the
design solutions that were best able to address current global challenges.
The exhibition featured effective interior and furniture layout, lighting, music, culinary, and
other interior elements, to create an effective interior ambiance to evoke participants‘
emotions. Welas Asih embraces flexibility, so it involves, and encompasses, other
disciplines to generate optimum results for robust effects. In this project, I employed graphic
design (for producing a set of posters), engineering disciplines (for their expertise in special
lighting and architectural constructions) and musicians with bamboo musical instruments for
the exhibition‘s music background. I also incorporated natural, relaxing aroma therapy
products in the everyday life area to support an interior ambiance that might evoke
participants‘ feelings and emotions.
The exhibition also emphasised the connections between Indonesian MSMEs, the economy
and business–social life by using objects and space, and the integration of both, between
MSMEs and their surrounding environment. This connectedness rested on strong
community engagement and had the potential to generate positive advantages beyond local
practices to broader societal contexts. In this exhibition, the MSMEs‘ contribution to
environment was optimised by using waste material to produce new products. I also adopted
and applied simple techniques, which involved current skill levels of locals (through various
prototypes) to demonstrate their potential to increase income for local communities,
including scavengers who collect waste materials. Thus, to illustrate the model in relation to
intangible elements, local wisdom and resources were incorporated into the design
development processes while also engaging with other disciplines.
This section demonstrates that Welas Asih, with its holistic approach, engaged materials,
spirituality, local communities, local wisdom and the surrounding environment for optimum
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benefit and effect. The exhibition illustrates that Welas Asih, through its connectedness with
tangible and intangible aspects of design, could inform Indonesian MSMEs and have the
potential to contribute to design development processes and implementation to benefit
society, the economy and the environment.
4.3 Section 3: Analysing the design decisions which produce the exhibition
For this research, the exhibition served as an essential means of connecting participants to
the core themes underpinning the project and to create affordances for experiential
engagement with the multiple dimensions of Welas Asih; that is, an interwoven, dialogic
presentation of local practices, principles, materials, communities and values. Through the
exhibition, the participants experienced the design journey in its entirety, complete with
multiple lenses designed to evoke a sensory response and to trigger the participants‘
emotions through concrete references to Indonesian MSMEs‘ capacity for community
engagement and positive social integration, fueled by a dual concern for social welfare and
generating economic sustainability for local businesses.
4.3.1. The Exhibition: Interior layout plan
In this exhibition, the flow and circulation of visitors began in the introduction/information
area, which, through a series of posters, shared information related to the current condition
of the creative sectors, creative economy, and MSMEs in Indonesia. I will use the four
approaches in Section 2 to analyse the interior design decisions. The visitors continued to
Commercial area 1 (MSMEs design process area and workshop/prototyping area), which
shared information related to the design processes and the transformation of material. To
broaden the visitors‘ information, the workshop section in Commercial area 1 (MSMEs
design process area and workshop/prototyping area), which shared information related to the
design processes and the transformation of material. To broaden the visitors‘ information,
the workshop section in Commercial area 1 showed a series of prototyped products. To
evoke the emotions, a traditional coco coir weaving tool was exhibited as part of the coco
coir material‘s journey as a valuable material as applied in prototyping products. It was
anticipated that visitors would emotionally engage with, and appreciate, the contribution of
local people in the MSMEs‘ production process to derive value from waste material. Finally,
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visitors entered the design implementation zone, which was divided into 3 areas: Everyday
Life, Commercial area 2 (Culinary area), and Commercial area 3 (Retail display area).
Image 4.9. Interior layout plan
4.3.1.1. The Exhibition: Introduction and information area
These areas demonstrated the design development processes through a series of experiential
activities. The activities enabled visitors to directly and emotionally engage with the
material provided at the exhibition. They included posters related to MSMEs, various
Indonesian materials (raw, waste and value added) and daily traditional functional goods.
Also included was information showing how the MSMEs design processes translated the
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inspiration for design that was captured from local wisdom and supported by literature from
both academic and metaphysical sources. Both the introduction and information area
increased the visitors‘ understandings of the difficulties faced by MSMEs and their
significant contributions to their local community and the Indonesian economy. The
introduction and information areas were presented as a natural environment, which
demonstrated the link between local resources, global and national issues, social welfare and
the Welas Asih Design Model.
Image 4.10. Introduction and Information Area (Picture Book, p.50) Photo by Syahdan
4.3.1.2. Commercial area 1 (MSMEs office/design process and workshop/prototype)
The exhibition showed the material development journey from design processes (in
Commercial area 1–MSMEs area) to iterative prototyping process to the appropriately
scaled and actually functioning objects in the design implementation zone (Everyday Life
and Commercial areas 2 and 3). Four approaches were featured. The workshop and
prototype area (Commercial area 1) presented details of a workshop for rural people
(including poor, women, and elderly) who were empowered by the MSME production
processes. This marks Approach 1.
Approach 2 set out to achieve desired emotional engagement by activating the use of natural
and waste material as added value materials. I provided visitors to the exhibition with a
small piece of raw material (coco coir), value added material (material derived from a
mixture of coco coir and rubber) and local materials (rattan, bamboo tree, coconut tree,
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traditional woven, and vegetables/herbs/ plants) to establish a connection to the ambiance of
outdoor and indoor habitats. Commercial area 1 displayed simple traditional tools used by
the local community to process the coco coir and make it a valuable material. These tools
were placed in the workshop area to increase visitor awareness that local people with their
local insights can make a significant contribution to final commercial outcomes
(approach4).
Image 4.11.Workshop Area (Picture Book, p.38) Photo by Syahdan
4.3.1.3. Everyday Life, Commercial area 2 (Culinary) and Commercial area 3 (Retail)
The Everyday Life and Commercial area 2(Culinary) and Commercial area 3(Retail) areas
showed the use of a simple folding furniture construction system and the potential for value
added materials across all three main areas. Most furniture in the Everyday Life area
adopted a folding and multi-function system, which allowed for furniture to be arranged
separately for several functions and then packed away into an effective storage solution,
such as a console table and a coffee table (Picture Book, p. 40,82,83,87-91). For this
exhibition, I only applied value added material (VAM), such as coco board, in one area – the
centre of the sliding book rack. Other VAMs were used in commercial area 3 as a table top
for a multi-function coffee table. In future, there will be the opportunity to use VAMs for
other interior and architecture elements.
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In this part of the exhibition, I demonstrated how local communities supported the
sustainability of MSMEs by using material derived from a mixture of waste material (coco
coir and rubber) to in-fill the sofa as a substitute material for common foam (approach 2).
Both the sofa material and the sofa cover fabric (textile) were produced by local
communities in central Java, which also empowered the poor and women (approach 1). To
demonstrate how the Welas Asih Design (Compassion Design) Model supports the
exploration and optimisation of traditional art and culture, the Everyday Life area used
traditional weaving techniques for the semi-transparent wall divider and the placement of
locally made accessories to evoke an emotional response. The zone also evoked spiritual
aspects (approach 3) through Islamic geometric patterns incorporated into a wall lamp cover
at the sliding book-rack.
Image 4.12. Everyday life area (Picture Book, p.87) (Photo by Zelenko)
The culinary area showed that MSMEs also supported other sectors and other target
markets; for example, micro business and street vendors. In most town and villages, street
vendors are located in such humble and poor settings as along main roads, pedestrian
footpaths or temporary precincts. In this exhibition, the culinary area was placed next to a
large window with a rice field view, mirroring the real situation with simple (low
technology) folding furniture, benches, and accessories like local traditional tableware. All
table tops and benches were formed in irregular and organic shapes so waste materials could
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be used in their construction. Due to limitations in the scope of this study, only two types of
waste material were used in the culinary area, bamboo for the table legs and wood (plywood
and solid). As a reminder that MSMEs must undertake business practice ethically, I applied
Islamic geometry in one of the pedestals and on top of the multi-function coffee table.
To sum up, the exhibition demonstrated that Indonesian MSMEs have the capacity to
directly market to retail and wholesale businesses as well as to low, middle and high end
markets, with their competitive advantage being drawn from the insights of design values.
Design values were shown through several objects that used value added material as
substitute materials, while business activities showed a response to profitability, as well as
for making important final design decisions to benefit the local community.
4.3.2. Design artefacts
In this exhibition, I created design artefacts to illustrate the model in practice. These
included objects used to separate the zones of the exhibition and those that were aimed to
heighten the actual reality of daily activities through the senses. Objects were created in four
areas: 1) everyday life; 2) commercial area 1 (MSMEs business as a design process area); 3)
commercial area 2 (culinary area); and 4) commercial 3 (retail display area). Designs for
these four areas follow below. Design artefacts included design sketches, design technical
drawing, perspective and 3D drawing animation, a Picture Book, photo documentation and
video documentation, including prototyping models for furniture. This documentation of the
artefacts can be viewed in the Picture Book and on DVD.
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Image 4.13. Commercial 1 (MSMEs business as a design process area) Photo by Syahdan
Image 4.14.Everyday life area
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Image 4.15. Culinary area
Image 4.16. Retail display area
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4.4. Section 4: Evaluating the exhibition
Practice-based research was used to implement the Welas Asih (Compassion design) model
through iterative design research cycles, which resulted in design outcomes and the
exhibition. This section will analyse the outcomes of the Welas Asih model through
questionnaires, visual and qualitative methods, and semi-structured interviews interpreted
using thematic analysis. The interview data, in particular, provided an opportunity for
participants to reveal their emotions and feelings.
4.4.1. Evaluation Outcomes
4.4.1.1. Visual and qualitative methods (including drawings, photos and written
annotations)
The visual data and written responses captured participants‘ feelings through sketches,
photos or writings made during their visit to the exhibition. Responses were captured
through stories, photos and sketches containing symbolic messages through colour, lines,
shapes and text. Three out of four groups (six out of twenty participants) selected a visual
response to their activities during the exhibition. Two out of six participants selected photos
as their visual response. Sketches and photos allowed the participants to express their
messages through symbolic and meaningful drawings of objects or the use of colour,
perhaps combined with simple text. The sketch drawings from group 5 used colours and
words to capture key meanings. Participants made sketches using words, green colour and
simple pictures with organic shapes to symbolise living matter and three elements:
sustainability, nature and people.
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Image 4.17. Sketch drawing (group 5)
Image 4.18. Sketch drawing (group 5)
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Image 4.19. Sketch drawing (group 5)
These sketches imply that group 5 participants recognised the importance of the
environment. The visual data (sketches, photos) and written responses together showed
evidence that participants were aware of the current situation and they identified it as an
issue in the exhibition.
4.4.1.2. Semi-structured interview outcomes
The pre- and post-exhibition questionnaire results showed that 19 out of 20 participants
increased their awareness significantly in relation to Indonesian MSMEs and their products
and services, including their contributions to local communities. This is shown in the
following question, which was asked in both the pre-and post-exhibition surveys:
―How much do you know about the current situation related to Indonesian micro-small-
medium enterprises (MSMEs), their products and services including their contributions to
local communities?‖
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The results of the post-exhibition questions were as follow:
Interview question 1:
―Please describe your emotions or impressions you have experienced during the exhibition.‖
The results, post-exhibition, indicated that the exhibition evoked participants‘ emotions
during their visit and that their impressions were positive. Further questioning of the
participants indicated that these impressions were strengthened through perception and
personal reflections.
Interview question 2:
―How valuable do you feel Indonesian MSMEs‘ products and contributions are (to design
knowledge and local society) after visiting this exhibition?‖
The result showed that after visiting the exhibition, 17 out of 20 participants (85%) felt that
Indonesian MSMEs‘ products and contributions (to design knowledge and local society)
were significantly important and valuable. The information derived from Question 2 led me
to collect further data related to the participants‘ current points of view regarding various
local creations in their surrounding communities.
Interview question 3:
―How likely are you to support Indonesian MSMEs‘ products after this project experience
and activities?‖
The result of the interview question showed that 17 out of 20 participants (85%) were
willing to support Indonesian MSMEs‘ products after this exhibition.
Overall results show that the exhibition had the intended educative effect and promoted the
principles underpinning the model. The interview data provided access to participants‘
emotions and feelings. The data shows that the exhibition stimulated participants‘ inner
thoughts and feelings, which could lead to positive actions that might affect their own local
environments.
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The interview data were analysed at three levels. These were level 1 analysis (transcription,
coding and categorisation), followed by level 2 analysis (which arranged those categories
into themes) and level 3 analysis (where themes were used to cross-check alignment with
the Welas Asih model).
The following section identifies the six themes generated through level 2 analysis.
4.4.1.2.1. The Six Themes
Theme 1: Education, learning & communicating awareness
Evidence generated from an analysis of the participant group interviews showed that they
increased their knowledge by encountering effective information at the exhibition. This new
understanding and knowledge was expressed by one participant in Group 1 (MSMEs owner)
as, ―When I entered (the exhibition), I was faced with several questions or information that
were very interesting, that I myself had never read or I already knew about‖. A participant
in Group 5 commented, ―It was not only me but other visitors also felt the same that Mrs.
Titik‘s messages related to fighting for MSME development was well-received.‖ These and
similar comments show that there was an increase in understanding and in gaining new
knowledge through the flow of information illustrated in practice in the exhibition.
Theme 2: Value Added Material
Participants in all groups expressed their interest in using valuable natural resources and
local wisdom for the future development of Indonesian MSMEs‘ design outcomes. One
example of the importance of adding value to the design of products was raised by a
participant in Group 2 (Design Professional) who noted, ―… We have extraordinary natural
resources, including the derivatives of waste material. If all of these materials could have a
touch of appropriate and qualified design, so these will become products that have high
economic values…‖ Clearly, participants were aware of the potential of waste materials,
product development and products that, with value adding, would result in significant
economic benefit.
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Theme 3: Sustainability
This theme saw participants recognise that MSMEs, as continuing businesses, were vital for
their local economy, acting as resilient forces for strategic local markets. To gain
sustainability in business, one participant from Group 2 stated, ―For sure, I will always
develop the potential of Indonesian natural resources and do new innovation and be open to
the possibility of collaborating with other potential natural resources…‖ In addition, a
participant in group 5, aware that independent MSMEs were powerful resilient forces in the
Indonesian economy, stated ―…a small company (with a million number of them) will make
small companies the most powerful and the most resilient in facing the challenges...‖ The
evidence is that after visiting the exhibition participants saw the benefit of these companies
continuing to operate and to develop, innovate and collaborate to develop local resources
and products, and that they have an impact on the local creative and design sectors.
Theme 4: Local growth and capacity building
Participants reported recognising the importance of building the capabilities of human
capital through cooperation with others. For example, a participant from Group 1 (MSMEs
owner) noted ―Also, the elaboration from material, craftsmanship and design factor have
become significant in the development‖ while another from Group 1 noted that MSMEs,
other micro-businesses and artists ― …are very important because MSMEs are vehicles or
tools for small or marginal artisans for trade, or achieve a better life by selling or creating
good products…‖
One participant in Group 2 saw the need to build skills and capabilities, arguing, ―If all of
these materials could have a touch of effective and qualified design, so these will become
products that have high economic values and could increase the society‘s income and
poverty alleviation.‖ This theme connects with the potential of MSMEs to develop local
expertise which results in good, high value products to benefit the local economy.
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Theme 5: Emotional, moral, and spiritual engagement
It is clear that participants were affected by the exhibition, which stimulated their emotions
during or after their visit. One participant in group 5 captured the spiritual aspect
commenting, ―I will use Indonesian products, especially MSME products, because it‘s back
to nature and also because God created all …‖ Another participant raised the moral concerns
of fairness to support the MSMEs‘ design product development: ―…but I saw that there was
still no proper agencies to (contribute with). I suggest that in future, there will be relevant
agencies that could give special attention by involving all of the stakeholders from various
parties.‖
This theme captured the impact the exhibition had in evoking emotions and identification
with the spirit, motivation and knowledge that encourages people to take further action in-
keeping with the spiritual and moral aspects of their life.
Theme 6: Opportunities for growth
The exhibition demonstrated that active engagement with local communities could
potentially address multiple national issues and stimulate growth. This was stated by three
participants from Group 4 (Government Representatives). ―With this exhibition, design
hopefully could deliver the solution to the government about the existence of poor societies
in order to live welfare good and a proper life.‖ Another observed ―… we appreciate that
this (exhibition) has helped the government to empower small micro and medium business
entrepreneurs‖. Other participants said the exhibition had shown the importance of MSMEs‘
competitiveness in future global markets saying, ―Exhibitions like this should be frequently
held in order that MSMEs can further participate and contribute to the country. In this MEA
era (Era of ASEAN Community), MSMEs products should actually be exposed to the public
by giving a place and a time, and hopefully could compete independently in future with
ASEAN products‖. In addition, one design professional from group 2 introduced the notion
of ‗the spirit of local production‘, proposing: ―Raise the spirit of local production for future
macro-industrial development. for more local culture/local craft development, for more
broad exposure.‖
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It would seem, too, that some participants gained more confidence in sharing knowledge,
arguing for a design centre to be built. ―What was presented was true, that there are
abundant products in Indonesia and have actually been produced by MSMEs; and I will
build a design centre. This idea was already there [in my mind], but [I] am more confident
that the design centre will be a very important aspect after having visited this exhibition.‖
Similarly, another participant from Group 5 declared, ―After receiving the information
related to product development [from this exhibition], I will support MSMEs through
continuous counseling, coaching and community development by collaboration with
relevant agencies.‖
These responses show that this exhibition was effective in strengthening the presence of
MSMEs by presenting potential business outcomes. It reaffirmed the growth potential for
MSMEs to connect with local workers in the spirit of, and motivation for, future
development, which delivers positive advantages for the community.
In summary, The Welas Asih (Compassion) Design model, through practice-based research,
has demonstrated a holistic approach that integrates local MSME practices with local
sustainable resources and the community, as shown through the participant evaluation and
their experience of visiting the exhibition. Through the exhibition, The Welas Asih model
also demonstrated the implementation of the five principles, an approach to integrating the
tangible and intangible aspects of design, in the application of design decisions that were
analysed to produce the exhibition.
Finally, evaluation of the exhibition showed that the Welas Asih model‘s integration of
tangible and intangible aspects has the potential to increase valuable competitive advantage
to benefit product enrichment, MSME sustainability, and the welfare of society.
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Chapter 5: Findings
The analysis in Chapter 4 shows that the model was successfully implemented with iterative
design cycles across nine sites and businesses. The outcomes of the exhibition were also
well received by participants, who appreciated that the model had created distinctive
designs, products and artefacts. Sustainability is one of the key concepts in this research that
explored its applications in the context of MSMEs‘ approaches to environmental sustainability,
economic sustainability and sustainability of design business practices. Therefore, in this
research project, and through researching MSMEs‘ practices, I systematically explored the
intersection of these including uses of waste materials for the objects with potential to improve
the welfare of society. The research confirms that the design processes and dynamics of the
Welas Asih model are effective and that no major weaknesses and flaws in version 1 of the
model were identified.
However, in implementing the model in Phases 4, 5 and 6 of the research, fresh and rich
understandings about how the model operated became clear. The project exhibition set out
to test the Welas Asih (compassion design) model and to collect interview and survey data.
The interview data, in particular, provided an opportunity for participants to reveal
responses, especially their emotions and feelings, towards the exhibition, to provide
evidence to answer the research questions.
5.1. Enriching the Welas Asih (Compassion) Design Model in practice
This study has three key phases: literature review, contextual review and case study
research, all undertaken to develop an appropriate design response and strategies that
address a lack of understanding of MSME practices (stated earlier in the exegesis). The
proposed model responds appropriately to the identified gaps in design knowledge and
practice identified at the beginning of the exegesis. This has been achieved through
designing, testing and documenting a new model guided by the five principles that have
been shown, through participant evaluation, to enable an increase in the understanding of
MSME practices. The proposed model also facilitated a holistic integration of the model
within the community through the five principles informing its appropriate application.
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Thus, the model has extended through previous application to design development processes
that previously applied in the field of interior design.
The dynamics of this model, tested across six case studies and nine settings and with product
outcomes in the exhibition, shows version 1 of the Welas Asih model, derived from the
contextual review and the case studies, to be an effective design model. While it was clear
from the implementation and analysis of the model in practice that the components and
general dynamics of the model worked effectively in action, there were additional insights
gained by the researcher that enriched the understanding of the model.
The four new categories that are presented as additional insights are the result of the
thematic analysis of applying the model in practice (as shown in evaluation with
participants). It shows a potential to extend and further enrich tangible components,
intangible components and the integration of both aspects that were already contained in the
first model. These additional insights from the research process were related to intangible and
tangible aspects of design, and in integrating both intangible and tangible aspects for maximum
benefit. As a result of these insights it is possible to present the final and enriched model of
Welas Asih Compassion Design. See diagram 5.1 below.
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Diagram 5.1Welas Asih (Compassion) Design Model Version 2
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By comparing this representation of the final version of Welas Asih Compassion Design
with the first version (page 45) it is possible to identify the developmental differences
between the two. Only through the practice-based research process were these
differences identified, captured and managed, so they stand as major findings of this
research. These differences are explained under the three categories of tangible,
intangible and the integration of both.
5.1.1. Tangible Aspects of Design
Two tangible aspects of design were understood more deeply as a result of this research.
The first was the extent to which creative product design can be transformed by the
meaningful use of waste materials. A major challenge to the competitiveness of
Indonesian MSMEs comes from cheap imported goods. Through the ethical and
effective use of local resources, MSMEs have the potential for continuous innovation
that will strengthen their product range and attractiveness and open up new markets and
expand existing markets to support their sustainability. The research shows that this
growth is likely to be key for extending the life-cycle of Indonesian MSME businesses.
The second insight relates to the importance of education and awareness raising in the
use of tangible materials by MSMEs. The construction and incorporation of a centre for
learning and knowledge sharing is evidence of this. Learning, on the part of business
owners, designers and the community, is vital for stimulating motivation, creativity and
business expansion, and also for ensuring that future actions benefit local communities.
5.1.2. Intangible Aspects of Design
Intangible aspects captured the importance of meaningful cooperation across various
sectors, and the exhibition offered potential inspiration for the creative industries sector,
that might generate advantages through engagement with stakeholders. The intangible
aspects also captured the connectedness of the improvement in MSME productivity
(design, values, and products) to emotional and spiritual engagement. The emotional and
spiritual connection triggered through the exploration of ideas and engagement with
local wisdom and resources can generate competitive advantage, with flow-on effects to
the local economy, environmental sustainability and the broader society.
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After testing the model in practice and analysing the exhibition evaluation, the model
was enriched by the evidence that participants experienced spirituality, awareness and
respect during their visit. The intangible aspects revealed by the materials presented were
considered to be valuable learning experiences by participants and also revealed their
emotional feelings. That is, participants found their emotions stimulated and were
encouraged to gain new understanding and to seek new knowledge for future creations.
Participants were also immersed in new learning about the sourcing, design and
production process of adding value with material derived from non-valuable waste
resources that could meaningfully enhance a product‘s value and competitiveness.
5.1.3. Integrating the Tangible and Intangible Aspects of design
In the first version of the model, holistic integration of all design aspects was acknowledged
as a potentially important dynamic of the model. However, in the final Welas Asih
(Compassion Design) model, there is clear evidence, especially in the thematic evidence
from participant interviews, that the integration of tangible aspects with intangible aspects
is essential for practitioners in the creative industries, especially in the field of interior
design.
Insights relating to the application of the concept of interiority have been demonstrated
across multiple sections of the DVD, illustrated as a journey of design process and
implementation, especially in everyday life. The concept of interiority is also illustrated
in the exhibition through the implementation of the Welas Asih model, with its five
guiding principles demonstrated within a series of objects that connect: 1) interior design
development processes, such as environment preservation (using value added materials
(PB, p.52-59); 2) innovation design inspired by local content (PB, p.27-48); 3) engaging
local community and local people with limitation (PB, p.67) through low-technology
(DVD) and 4) awareness of moral insights through the use of religious patterns on
bookshelves in the daily life area (PB, p. 89-91); and, lastly, 5) in commercial areas on
the folding display table (PB, p.95 ).
As a responsive phenomenon, interiority then also demonstrated clearly in the exhibition,
DVD and Picture Book through the integration of tangible aspects (space and objects),
that reflected the intangible aspects (increasing awareness, emotions, morality, and
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spirituality) through the involvement of local community and the use of VAMs that
improve the welfare of the society.
Importantly, the process of such integration was among the key aims of this research: to
enable the flow-on effect of such integration from the studio, beyond the exhibition site
and into the context of daily operations of MSMEs and consumers, enabled through a
holistic flow of creative decision-making. The emotional touch, spiritual respect and
moral concern, as the intangible aspects, can be embedded in design decisions to evoke,
and increase, a level of awareness to encourage a person to do, or to decide on, further
positive action in their daily life or business.
By designing, implementing and evaluating the exhibition as part of testing the Welas
Asih model, I now understand the model better through practice. The extended and
enriched outcomes and additional insights are reviewed in the next section.
5.1.3.1. Additional insights from application of Welas Asih (Compassion) Design
model
In addition to the initially identified dimensions of developmental design, the Welas
Asih model in operation provides insights that deepen our understanding of the model.
The Welas Asih model productively engaged with four key concerns in ways that
empower businesses and their communities. The four are: the importance of the
environment, use of local materials, MSMEs‘ power, and local communities and local
people.
1) Environment
Welas Asih bridges issues of business and profitability with the surrounding
environment that affects and involves designers, MSMEs and end users. It reminds all
concerned of the importance of everyday life activities.
2) Local materials and local wisdom
Welas Asih opens up many opportunities for valuable local wisdom, local materials and
waste material to be transformed into meaningful creative works and products. These
outcomes increase the value of products and, consequently, their local, national and
international competitiveness.
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3) Identifying MSMEs’ strengths
The application of Welas Asih uncovered the strengths of MSMEs around their pre-
production processes (design knowledge, time scheduling and budget, facilities, human
resources, and transforming the design into a real object) and their production processes
(prototyping process, communicating both problems and solutions, product quality, and
business ethics). MSMEs‘ strengths include the way their talented designers are
supported by skilled workers in local communities and their willingness to apply and
embed the Welas Asih model into their design development processes for more
substantial design outcomes that benefit business, society and the environment.
4) Local community’s mutual cooperation/ local people forces
It has also been shown that the Welas Asih model can empower the unemployed, women
and the elderly by modifying and incorporating traditional techniques used by local
people with limited skills and knowledge. Welas Asih holds within it a strong spirit of
kindness and mutual cooperation that is urgently needed for building goodwill and trust
with clients, and to change production processes.
The final chapter outlines the conclusions and recommendations for future research
directions.
94
Chapter 6 : Conclusion and Future Research
The resulted Welas Asih (Compassion) Design model has the potential to benefit other
researchers and practitioners in the creative industries, especially in the field of interior
design. This chapter outlines potential implications for the key stakeholder groups,
including the potential for transferability of outcomes from a local context to broader
national and international contexts.
First, as the literature review showed, the research on society‘s needs in design
applications that affect the environment (Mazarella et al., 2011; Cargo, 2013 as cited
in Hayles, 2015) showed the need to further investigate the gaps in this field to
which this project provided a response. Further, a lack of research in relation to
sustainable material selection among designers, which was demonstrated as not
being of primary concern (Lee et al., 2013; Hes, 2005; Davis, 2001; Kang and
Guerin, 2009; Mate´, 2006; Aye, 2003) required additional research. To address
these gaps, I designed, implemented and tested Welas Asih in practice by integrating
MSME practices that affect the environment and sustainable design practices in daily
life while generating competitiveness for the business. In this study, I used value-
added material (VAM) derived from natural and non-natural materials (see Section
4.1.1.5. Principle 5: Sustainable living).
This research further argued that an integrated approach to implementing design
development has the potential to interconnect designers, consumers and other
stakeholders with pertinent global issues, including social welfare and environmental
sustainability. The project resulted in an alternative design development process that
involved interior design, furniture and interior accessory products that invoked new
understandings of this processes for Indonesian MSMEs. This understanding led to the
production of a model of practice that could supportand contribute to the sustainability
of MSMEs, one linked to international and global issues that could add specific value
through design development to benefit Indonesian MSMEs. The project also supported
further investigation of various Indonesian cultures, arts and crafts to explore further
abundant and valuable local material and local wisdom.
95
A core contribution of this research is therefore within the design and development
process, which used locally appropriate technology, techniques and methods by
optimizing the use of local resources, including waste material, to support effective
design and effective production. This process has culminated in a key outcome of this
research, which includes a transferable model that has the potential to stimulate
individuals and communities through a set of practices.
In relation to accelerating the transfer of knowledge, the project resulted in a series of
learning materials to support and provide alternative solutions to sustainable living and
ethical business practices, training and workshops for MSMEs and local people. An
explanation of the potential knowledge transfer and application of the research model to
other research projects in the areas of interior design, furniture, interior accessory
products or other design projects, or creative industry sectors, has been presented in the
detailed documentation of the research outcomes. The research also showed that
essential emotional aspects and knowledge could be transferable (to other personal
spiritual/emotions, objects and places) through several unique activities related to the
five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Visitors explored and experienced the
implementation of Welas Asih (supported by the connectedness between Welas Asih
components) through their senses and captured insights. The integration of tangible
aspects (spaces and objects: interior, furniture and interior accessories) and intangible
aspects (ambiance/atmosphere, values, insights, spirituality/morality) likely would be a
long-lasting memorable experience for visitors, who would gain positive effects from the
knowledge transferred.
The design development process, supported through the Welas Asih model, utilises a
diverse range of local materials that are renewable, and use natural and non-natural
waste resources, including agricultural resources, as an alternative green and value-
added materials. For further robust impact in achieving market opportunities, this
research showed the interconnections between creative industry sectors that would be
needed to enhance comprehensive design development, implementation and
commercialisation. Therefore, the project also supported work to guide, enhance,
determine and apply proper technology, methods, materials, space and other
specifications in the area of interior design for the benefit of all.
96
A collaborative interdisciplinary action within creative industries activities was important
to support the integration of tangible and intangible aspects to evoke emotional reactions
in the exhibition‘s visitors. Further, to identify the optimum results and to meet the overall
demands (market, business, society, environment) the project also cooperated with other
sectors and knowledge bases. For this project, I created spaces and objects in an
exhibition, such as shelters and other interior, furniture and interior accessories products.
The objects were created as a representation of design development implementation that
applied in three areas: everyday life, commercial 2 (culinary area), and commercial 3
(retail display area). The physical outcomes of the project‘s documentation of the design
development process include design sketches, design technical drawings, perspectives and
3D drawings, a Picture Book, photos and video documentation. The project outcomes
showed the importance of the integrated aspects through an approach that has a new set of
principles within design development processes for Indonesian MSMEs, which is aimed at
generating more valuable outcomes for business and society at large.
6.1. Implications for future research directions
The transferability of Welas Asih could be tested by applying it in other countries and
other MSME sectors, both in developed and developing contexts. The potential for
applying results from this study into future directions include designing an evaluation to
test the long-term impact of the model on local markets and the potential for
wider/global markets (for example, to focus on tracing products and the proliferation of
Welas Asih practices and processes beyond the immediate site of their implementation).
MSMEs (particularly micro-businesses) are now recognised globally as significant
contributors to the national Indonesian economy through their locally fostered practices
of design innovation and development. The newly developed and tested model of Welas
Asih has the potential to further benefit the position of micro-businesses as critical
decision makers and leaders to encourage others to take action on global challenges. In
the context of the Indonesian economy, greater agency among MSMEs has the potential
to lead to an increased awareness beyond business to the broader community. The next
sub-sections will explain the potential of Welas Asih implementation in various fields.
97
Potential future directions for local businesses
The Welas Asih model can be used to gain/generate more profit for interior designers or
interior design business. It can be used to further explore their capabilities in serving the
client‘s project while also contributing to society and enhancing their own product
creations. The model may be further explored and used to expand interior design
businesses to move from being a traditional business (only serving projects based on the
client‘s brief)) to incorporating wider business opportunities in a wider social setting.
The Welas Asih model can be deployed for new corporate social responsibilities in the
design business, where every design company applied the model when operating their
social programs. The benefit is that the business could apply their social program
through their main design business (that is, there is no need to adopt other programs
from other fields).
Potential future directions for design academic community
Welas Asih model can be engaged in design education programs at university level as a
holistic approach of design responsibility in local and global issues, local communities
and MSME sustainability, based on its five principles. It is expected that the design
outcomes in academic level could apply Welas Asih for more meaningful design
learning for future product competitiveness.
For Government
The Welas Asih model showed that collaboration with local business was important for
the success of the whole exhibition. Therefore, there is potential for each district to
develop an integrated business that, potentially, could work together to support complex
projects. Welas Asih, then, has the potential to gather and guide businesses, especially in
the creative industries sector, as part of project implementation for more valuable and
meaningful project/product outcomes. The development activities that support the
implementation of a Welas Asih project might lead to greater MSME sustainability and
improved welfare for local communities.
98
For other regions and international contexts
The Welas Asih model has the potential to be implemented in other regions in
developing or developed countries. The model enables each area to identify their own
problems, to provide specific solutions to them and to explore their unique materials
(including waste materials). These things could be explored and developed through the
integration of tangible and intangible aspects of design to find other local strengths.
6.2 Building The Welas Asih (Compassion) Design Way of Life
Beyond the tangible outcomes presented as part of this research, the ultimate goal of the
Welas Asih model has been to present it as a lens. It is not only as a way of designing
based on five guiding principles that holistically integrate tangible and intangible aspects
but as a way of being in the world – a way of life. Embedded within it are practices and
actions to inspire deep empathy and concern, enabled by directly engaging with local
creativity, local culture and the local wisdom of Indonesian communities. The long-term
objectives might include building a model of practice towards a compassionate design
culture underpinned by the ever-increasing urgency to connect to, and engage with,
critical global issues in order to benefit the welfare of our communities and the planet.
As such, at its core, Welas Asih is a lively, dynamic and holistic approach to designing,
based in values of care, respect, deep consideration of the consequences of decision-
making in design and, by extension, in life.
99
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