The 4th European Workshop
on Design & Semantics of Form & Movement

On november 6 & 7 the next DeSForM workshop will take place at the Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach am Main, Germany. The actual debate about design and research shows that there is a need for more and detailed knowledge about the disciplinary aspects of design. Inter-, trans- and even multidisciplinary discourses are necessary, because today design is at the same eye level as other scientific disciplines. But design today has its own objects, goals and methods. We are looking for contributions (papers, posters, projects, products) which can progress this movement.

Product semantics and product language are fundamental for design as a discipline. The HfG Offenbach, an important centre of product language, is looking forward to hosting the next DeSForM workshop. Since the 1970´s, knowledge about design has been developed continuously – the „Theory of Product Language“ is widely recognized as an important disciplinary core of product design and design research.

For the 2008 workshop at the HfG Offenbach, researchers and practioners are particularly welcome. Moreover, papers devoted to the following topics are encouraged:

- experimentation-based, practice-based, empirical/explorative- and evidence-based submissions

- demonstrations of the semantic value of products

- practitioners presenting their design solutions in the field of product language and product semantics

- interpretations of products in their cultural context

- serious debates of linguistics, ethnography and bodily expression.

Globalization is not only a term but a real issue for design concerning human product interaction which is still an important focus of design and research.

And last but not least we want to enable more students to attend. They have the chance to present and discuss their design concepts with experts in the fields of interactive product design, product semantics and product language.