From knowledge to design : materializing social-science concepts into virtual-reality scenarios through designerly descent down the ladder of abstraction

Abstract

Traditional academic disciplines often use the Ladder of Abstraction to move from observation to concepts and theory, treating downward movement primarily as the application of knowledge to explain phenomena. In design, however, moving downward is an act of making, where abstract knowledge is materially expressed through artefacts. This paper introduces Designerly Descent Down the Ladder of Abstraction (D3LA), a multi-rung model that articulates how theoretical commitments are systematically transformed into situated design decisions. Through a case of designing a virtual reality (VR) scenario, we show how a social science concept of indirect obedience descends from a metatheoretical vision to design modules, diegetic mechanics, and concrete VR design.