Dipl.-Des. (FH) Tom Bieling, design researcher, author and consultant was born in 1979 and studied Design at the University of Applied Sciences, Cologne (Germany) and Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba (Brasil). In his work he focuses on the impact and relevance of demographic and socio-cultural categories on form and practice of design (process), as well as its effects on usage and practical use of design within these categories.
In his research project DESIGNABILTIES he investigates on constructive relationships between bodies, things and interaction, with a major focus on the coherence between design and dis/ability. In 2008 his book gender puppets was published.
Tom is a visiting professor at the German University in Cairo (GUC; Faculty of Applied Sciences & Art) and works as a PhD candidate at the Design Research Lab of the University of the Arts, in collaboration with Deutsche Telekom Laboratories in Berlin/Germany. In his previous work as communication- and interaction- and user experience designer he worked with clients including Daimler-Chrysler, Museum Ludwig, Smart or Dokumentationszentrum für Popkultur.
He is founding member of the Design Research Network and founder of the Institute for Applied Fantasies (Institut für angewandte Fantasie). Besides that he is head of the Ultràgallery, active member of the DGTF (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Designtheorie und -forschung; German Society for Design Theorie and Research), and member of the 1.FC KÖLN, the world’s most carnevalistic football team.
Feel free to check out his research Blog Designabilities.org!
[Tom Bieling]
