ABSTRACT
Design and rhetoric share much in common. Both terms signify a process, a product, and a mode of inquiry; both are practical arts aiming to influence people and change the world. Designers and rhetoricians are polymaths, skilled in multiple areas and accustomed to collaborating with others. Both subjects are rooted in particular traditions, theories, and methods, but they also embrace interdisciplinarity, and have somewhat blurry, porous boundaries. This chapter introduces the basics of rhetoric design and how it can be applied to persuasion in the context of climate change and design for sustainable behaviors. The basics of understanding rhetoric are introduced through ethos, pathos, and logos. Key methods in rhetoric are explained including metaphor, identification, narrative and framing. In understanding persuasion, norms, commitment, information feedback, and emotional appeal are explained to help designers understand how words influence behavior.
