Unlocking the transformative potential of design: reflections from practice on navigating barriers to designing for societal transformation

Original

Unlocking the transformative potential of design: reflections from practice on navigating barriers to designing for societal transformation

Geert Brinkman, Arwin van Buuren, Suzan Christiaanse, Irene Fierloos, Wiesje Korf

Abstract

Design is increasingly recognized as a promising approach to foster societal transformation, yet its transformative potential is rarely realized. Empirical guidance on how to unlock this potential remains limited. To address this gap, we first conceptualize design for societal transformation as operating across three levels of design activity – i.e. design within context, designing context, and design of context – in mutually reinforcing ways to enable broad, deep, and lasting change. Using this lens, we then examine three cases from our own design practice to identify (1) key barriers constraining design’s transformative potential, and (2) main strategies that can be employed to navigate them. Our analysis reveals that barriers interrelate across the three levels of design activity, and that design’s inherent transformative qualities can be leveraged to navigate them. Together, these insights suggest that design can function as a mode of transformative governance that operates through a small wins logic.