DJCAD Research Presents 2

DJCAD Presents Part 2: 'DJCAD Conversations - Interrogating the Value of Design Research for Change' was an all day event as part of DJCAD Research EXPO that I have curated and chaired with Jen Baillie. The sessions were framed using the UK Design Council’s Design Value framework – a new resource for measuring part of their Design Economy research to make visible and help measure the social, cultural, environmental, and democratic impacts of design. Until now, the Design Council’s Design Economy reports have focused on design’s financial and economic contribution when assessing the value of design. But over the past couple of years, events such as the global Covid-19 pandemic have changed how we all value things. Likewise, universal concern about urgent issues such as the climate and biodiversity crises, racial and cultural inequalities and the impact of artificial intelligence and other technological developments has prompted us to think more holistically when we gauge the impact of any sector. If we want a future where we value the health of people and the planet, we must design more explicitly for this type of value, make it visible and measure it.
This session will provide opportunities to share and discuss how design might contribute to the climate emergency, persisting social inequities, and a newfound emphasis on wellbeing and place-making and design-led support for businesses, communities, and public sector.