Konkreetsed

Konkreetsed is a term used in design studies and critical theory to denote the practice of turning abstract concepts into concrete, actionable elements within everyday environments. The term is used in discussions about policy design, urban planning, and technology governance to describe how ideas are materialized as prototypes, procedures, or routines that can be observed, tested, and evaluated.

Origin and usage: Konkreetsed emerged in academic and design fiction circles in the early 2020s. Proponents describe it as a methodological stance that foregrounds tangible artifacts as the basis for reasoning about ethics and governance. Critics warn that an excessive focus on concreteness may obscure social and contextual subtleties or privilege inscribed solutions over ongoing deliberation.

Examples: In urban design, a Konkreetsed approach might translate a principle of accessibility into a set of physical prototypes, such as curb-free sidewalks, or into service blueprints detailing how users interact with a municipal service. In policy work, it might involve creating testable simulations or pilot programs that embody abstract goals like inclusivity or transparency. In technology development, it can mean designing concrete interaction flows or hardware prototypes that instantiate a broader ethical framework.

See also: concretization, material culture, design fiction, policy prototyping.