Ajrak Motifs Through the Lens of Geometry, Symmetry, and the Golden Ratio

JDSSI 2025, 3 (4), 57-78; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.1231a43 - December 31, 2025

Abstract: Ajrak, a traditional block-printed textile of Sindh, is distinguished by its complex geometric designs, symbolic motifs, and deep cultural meaning. This study investigates Ajrak motifs through the analytical lens of geometry, symmetry, and proportional relationships, with an emphasis on the Golden Ratio. Five selected Ajrak motifs, including borders, were digitally reconstructed and geometrically measured, allowing for a detailed comparison of the actual motif proportions with a golden ratio value of 1:1.618. The visual analysis revealed the application of circular (radial) symmetry in motifs such as Riyal and Chānp, bilateral symmetry in motifs like Jaleyb, as well as proportional structuring within two borders. While proportional measurements such as 1.52, 1.64, 1.83, and 1.91 approximate the Golden Ratio, the data also demonstrate noticeable variation across motifs, suggesting an intuitive rather than mathematically exact proportional construction. Overall, the findings indicate that Ajrak artisans employ sophisticated geometric principles, including star polygons, concentric circles, repeated units, and mirrored motifs, to achieve visual harmony through symmetry and proportional balance. This study highlights how the aesthetic appeal of Ajrak is rooted not only in cultural heritage and traditional craft knowledge but also in the underlying mathematical order. By understanding these geometric foundations, this research enriches the contemporary appreciation of Ajrak and contributes new analytical insights into Islamic-influenced textile geometry and vernacular design knowledge.

Abstract: This paper assesses the current state of professional design practice in light of the American pragmatist philosopher John Dewey’s conception of inquiry as leading from a state of indeterminacy to a state of comparative resolution or determinacy. In the past several decades, design practice has made great progress in ways illuminated by the problematic of indeterminacy/determinacy. In particular, user-centered design, focused on making artifacts easy for individuals to use through the effective management of design affordances, epitomizes design practice pursued as a simple reduction of indeterminacy. Today, however, the program of user-centered design has reached a point at which costs stemming from the approach have begun to outweigh the benefits. In products such as the modern smart phone, the paradigm of user-centeredness is now contributing to the emergence of new problems like social isolation, viral misinformation, and political polarization. At the same time, rapidly emerging algorithmic technologies including artificial intelligence are already replacing human designers, based on the technologies’ superior capacity to offer a progressively refined series of solutions aimed at individuals. Responding to these dynamics, recent design literature proposes that a more inclusive frame of reference for design practice, transcending the individualistic user-centered paradigm, is now needed. A renewed reflection on the Deweyan theory of inquiry can help illuminate a way forward for the design of communications devices, interfaces and networks, emphasizing the sense of possibility that forms the essential meaning of indeterminacy in Dewey’s philosophy. The paper concludes with a call for designers to commit to a program of facilitating more robust social and political connections among users: a program that acknowledges the irreducible pluralism and conflict in human affairs, but seeks to replace the epistemic isolation and antagonism characterizing modern digital communications about public matters with more genuinely related forms of “agonistic” engagement.

Indeterminacy and Agonism: Deweyan Reflections on Design Progress in the Age of AI

JDSSI 2025, 3 (4), 1-26; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.1104a41 - November 4, 2025

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May 7th, 2025

JDSSI is an international scholarly journal that was registered in February 2023 and is dedicated to the publication of high-quality original design research (published quarterly in print and online simultaneously). JDSSI implements a double-blind peer review process and a no-fee open access policy (we do not charge any fees for either authors or readers), with a focus on design innovation issues in multidisciplinary fields for social services.

Thematic research articles, literature reviews, and book reviews are the three types of original articles accepted by the journal. Among the subjects addressed are design service and assessment, social innovation theory and practice, and design as a driving strategy for social and cultural construction. JDSSI aims to share innovative design ideas and solutions, explore issues such as sustainable design and consumer services, and promote design for harmonious social development and multicultural exchange. 

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PUBLISHED BY MICHELANGELO SCHOLAR PUBLISHING LIMITED

JDSSI Editorial Office Address: C401, School of Design, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Binhu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, PRC

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Our Core Themes: From Design Thinking to Social Thinking

• Traditional Design Focus

     Aesthetic and stylistic elements

• Design Thinking Emergence

     Human-centered problem solving

• Participatory Design Practices

     Collaborative creation processes

• Social Thinking Integration

     Design for a changing world

The evolution from traditional design methods to social thinking represents a fundamental reconceptualization of design's role and purpose. By integrating design into broader social contexts, practitioners can better address complex "wicked problems" that resist conventional solutions.

This transformation moves design beyond merely creating attractive products toward becoming a powerful tool for tackling multifaceted social challenges. The new method's participatory nature ensures that stakeholders become active co-creators rather than passive recipients of design interventions. JDSSI showcases interdisciplinary collaborations that leverage diverse expertise to develop comprehensive responses to entrenched social problems.

Abstract: This paper provides a comprehensive examination of a design philosophy pioneered and institutionalized by the National Institute of Design (NID) in India. It is argued that for a nation as complex and multifaceted as India, a successful design methodology must be inherently linked to its distinct cultural heritage, economic realities, and foundational ethical principles. The analysis begins by exploring the profound influence of Gandhian philosophy—particularly its tenets of simplicity, self-reliance (swadeshi), and decentralized “production by the masses”—on this design framework. The paper then systematically delineates the core pillars of Societal Design: the promotion of indigenous innovation, the application of frugal engineering principles, and the strategic empowerment of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the traditional crafts sector. By analysing NID’s role as a trans-disciplinary Centre of Excellence, this research demonstrates how Societal Design transcends conventional commercial objectives, positioning itself as a potent and people-centric catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable national development.

An Institutional Approach to Sustainable and Inclusive Development: The Indian Lens on Societal Design

JDSSI 2025, 3 (3), 46-53; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.0918a39 - September 18, 2025

Leveraging Data Communication Systems to Empower Local Innovations in Marginalized Slum Communities through Behavioral Profiling

JDSSI 2025, 3 (3), 54-79; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.1019a40 - October 19, 2025

Abstract: This paper examines Community Data Empowerment (CDE) as a framework for supporting marginalized slum communities to use data in ways that drive locally led problem-solving and innovation. While open data initiatives often fail to reach or empower low-income neighborhoods due to resource barriers and technical complexity, many marginalized slum communities are in fact digitally connected and eager for relevant, actionable information. Focusing on the Campana-Altamira community in northern Mexico, this study uses workshops and school-based activities with teenagers to explore motivational patterns through participatory behavioral profiling and speculative mapping. Students’ short essays about role models were analyzed using thematic coding and automated tools such as Apply Magic Sauce and Large Language Models Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT), revealing diverse motivational archetypes including Achievers, Competitors, Socializers, and Explorers. Rather than treating these profiles as fixed categories, the study uses them as design heuristics for tailoring data communication strategies that align with local values and preferences. This includes developing narrative, visual, and interactive formats that make data more engaging, relatable, and actionable.

The findings suggest that effective CDE requires more than attractive visuals or technical dashboards. It demands participatory, context-sensitive design that respects local motivations, provides clear pathways to act, and offers incentives for collective problem-solving. By centering community voices and creating tools that invite meaningful engagement, CDE can help seed grassroots innovation, strengthen local governance, and empower residents as agents of change.

Urban Conservation and Design for Solitary Bees: a Case Study of Beijing Olympic Forest Park

JDSSI 2025, 3 (4), 27-56; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.1228a42 - December 28, 2025