Pre-hacked: Open Design and the democratisation of product development

Abstract

This article considers the practice of hacking in terms of making and modifying three-dimensional objects. In line with the work of a number of prominent thinkers in the field, the practice is considered to be a deliberate act by end users to not only understand, make accessible, de-alienate, appropriate and personalise products but also to demystify what Latour refers to as the ‘black box’ effect of established product archetypes. Where hacking is typically considered a post-production process, it is argued here that upfront, design-led approaches intended to harness downstream end-user post-production hacking (pre-hack) are in line with Jones’ call from over three decades ago for design divergence and continuity through collaborative processes – which we now find in the field of Open Design. This is discussed in light of the broader context of sustainability, which needs innovation from the ground up as well as top down.