ABSTRACT
Design anthropology distinguishes itself from traditional anthropology by the particular ways it is value-infused. Hence identifying and supporting social values is a common definition of contemporary design work. When as design anthropologists we think about value, a project often begins with the expectation that there may be a single point of value, a unique selling point. There are a range of approaches to value which emphasise notions of capital and work: including emphasising efficiency, capital acquisition and labour. The exploration of values is then one of the fundamental activities of contemporary design, and the work of design is often understood as supporting people in their work of creating value within a new economy. Design anthropology projects are important in being able to shift monolithic, unyielding and potentially, therefore, fragile sets of ideas and build the necessary cultural flexibility for developing value.
