Perspectives on Design Thinking for Social Innovation

Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2010

Frontiers in Sociology

Members of the public or community can play a significant role in the development of social innovations. When a social innovation is developed involving a scientific approach and the community, there is the confluence of two fields-citizen science and social innovation. Social innovations can be developed through the employment of design-thinking. In this paper, we advocate design thinking as an approach to marry the two fields for a desired outcome of improved community life in ageing housing estates in Tokyo. The two fields, citizen science and social innovation, are described in brief before the design thinking method is introduced and its utility in engaging citizens for social innovation is explored. The paper provides two case illustrations and the lessons drawn from them. We conclude with pointers for others who desire to employ this approach. When the resultant innovation and design-thinking approach are adopted by the community for future projects, there could be a change i...

Proceedings of ISIRC 2016 - Social Innovation in the 21st Century: Beyond Welfare Capitalism?, 2016

Social innovation is an interdisciplinary area, where many professionals work collaboratively towards public good. In the last decade, design practitioners in the UK have shown increasing interest in social innovation projects and much of the existing literature on design for social innovation (DfSI) is influenced by studies that draw from these practices. Theory to support practice--based studies is yet to be fully developed.

PhiLab Blog, 2020

This contribution aims to understand the specificity of thinking and making social innovation, within and through the design field and its practice. The first part of this paper frames the relationships between project and design, characterising their definitions and goals. Design is presented as a discipline and field of action, where both thinking and the project process are directed at reaching a sustainable change in society. The second part of the paper presents how social innovation by design leads to new epistemological questions and dimensions within design's practices and challenges. Consequently, the University of Nimes' pedagogical and research--driven design initiative illustrates how a commitment to social innovation by design has fostered new productive practices and knowledge, in turn leading to new forms of participation, collaboration and interaction between actors and users. In our experience, mixed methods and interdisciplinary dialogues are key elements in achieving social innovation by design.

ABSTRACT In this paper, I propose an approach to collaborative social innovation that draws upon principles of design-based thinking and the application of scenario methods to explore multiple possible and plausible futures. It encourages the broadest range of explorations of any complex and ambiguous social issue, accepting that this will likely lead initially into divergent rather than convergent thinking, with a deliberate intent to maintain and value difference in search of the most appropriate option for resolution of the problem. Development of this conceptual framework is grounded in Aristotle’s philosophy and his ‘intellectual virtue’ of phronēsis, or ‘practical wisdom’ – thinking to inform action for the ‘good of man’ (sic), with specific concern for issues of power. Keywords: Social innovation, strategic design, collaborative realization, scenario thinking, aesthetic knowing.

2018

Design has a long tradition of relation with the social. A recent British report classified social design into social entrepreneurship, socially responsible design, and design activism [1]. Social design has gained momentum in design research during the last ten years, a development which can be seen as having several roots. Some of these roots go back a few decades, to the writings of Papanek [2] in 1984, while others are of newer origin, as for instance in the area of service design that intersects with public sector innovation and the emergence of new societal challenges.

2016

Thus far, many contributions in the field of design have described design's role in the life cycle of a successful Social Innovation (SI). Design, in fact, has been proposed by many authors to be the most suitable approach to developing SI initiatives from their start-up to release. In particular, some authors have proposed Design Thinking as the best methodology for the development of new SIs; while others, promote Participatory Design as the best method to support SIs, heralding its process of collaboration, networking and coproduction. Nevertheless, many research results have demonstrated that the need to find a balance between social and economic objectives is one of the main barriers to SI. This paper discusses these general results as they have been elaborated in the context of the SIMPACT European project and focuses on the value of design competences to better design SI products, services and brands, which is explored through the discussion of two well established cases of SI in Europe.

2014

The paper discusses the connections between social innovation and design practice/research outlining possible challenges for innovating in the service field. Social Innovation is one of the most promising frameworks for delivering service innovation that is receiving increasing attention from governments, academy, and businesses alike. Design is described as a privileged path to innovation, because it can establish a link with creativity and outline more efficient processes. The paper aims to provide a platform for discussion and learning that can ground a connection between the two topics. Moreover, it offers a critique of what has been achieved while highlighting the main questions for future development.