YEAR: 2021
CATEGORY: Design, Design Research, Theory
ROLE: Researcher, Author
CONTEXT: Master’s thesis at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle
CLIENT / TYPE: Academic Project
TOOLS / MEDIUM: Scientific research, literature review, object analysis, comparative analysis, writing
OUTPUT: Master’s thesis, presentation, book publication, PDF

No Joke?!

This thesis explores the functions and benefits of humour and comedy in the field of design by examining three different objects for their humorous and comedic aspects.

Challenge
Humour and comedy are often treated as secondary, informal or merely entertaining aspects of design. This thesis started from a different assumption: that humour can be understood as a meaningful quality of designed objects and as something that can be analysed with the same seriousness as function, form or material. The main challenge was to build a theoretical foundation strong enough to connect humour and comedy with design practice. This required finding relevant theory, distinguishing humour from adjacent phenomena such as kitsch, and identifying objects that could be examined in a precise and productive way.

Approach
The thesis investigates how humour and comedy can become visible within designed objects. Instead of treating humour as an external reaction, it asks whether comedic qualities can be recognised as part of an object’s design, use and cultural meaning. To explore this, three different design objects were analysed and compared: one object from postmodern design, one from the field of critical or speculative design, and one everyday object from Japanese design. This selection made it possible to examine humour across different contexts, intentions and design traditions.

Process
The work followed a scientific research process. It began with the development of the topic and the definition of the central research questions. A theoretical framework was then built through literature research on humour, comedy and related aesthetic categories. Based on this framework, suitable design objects were selected and examined in detail. The theory was applied to each object in order to identify how humorous or comedic effects are created, which design principles support them, and how these effects change through use, context and interpretation. The final part of the thesis compared the three case studies and brought the findings together in a conclusion.

Result
The result is a written master’s thesis that deepens the understanding of humour and comedy as relevant aspects of design. It shows that humour in design is not simply a decorative or accidental quality, but can emerge through form, function, expectation, contradiction, exaggeration, context and use. The thesis was presented academically and developed into a book, which is also available as a free PDF.

Reflection
The project was successful because it treated humour not as a side effect, but as a serious subject of design research. Choosing three objects from very different areas of design proved to be essential: it allowed the thesis to show that humour can appear in multiple forms, from postmodern playfulness to critical commentary and everyday product experience. A clear distinction from kitsch was also important. It helped sharpen the argument and prevented humour from being reduced to taste, decoration or irony alone. Overall, No Joke?! became a strong research project that combines design theory, object analysis and cultural observation. It remains an important foundation for my interest in the hidden meanings, contradictions and emotional effects of designed things.

*PDF language: German

Haha! Aha? Ah!