Terry Irwin

This paper outlines an emerging Transition Design approach for addressing “wicked” problems (such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, crime, poverty, pollution, etc.) and catalysing societal transitions toward more sustainable and desirable futures. Wicked problems are “systems problems” that exist within large, socio-technical systems and therefore require new problem solving approaches. The Transition Design Framework brings together an evolving body of practices that can be used to: 1. visualize and “map” complex problems and their interconnections and interdependencies; 2. situate them within large, spatio-temporal contexts; 3. identify and bridge stakeholder conflicts and leverage alignments; 4. facilitate stakeholders in the co-creation of visions of desirable futures; 5. identify leverage points in the large problem system in which to situate design interventions. Rather than a fixed, templatised process, the Transition Design Framework provides a logic for bringing together an evolving set of practices relevant to designing for systems level change. This paper reports on how this approach is being tested on a community based project that was informed by classroom based coursework.

Este documento describe un enfoque emergente del Diseño para la Transición para abordar problemas “perversos o intrincados” (wicked problems: cambio climático, pérdida de biodiversidad, delincuencia, pobreza, contaminación, etc.) y catalizar transiciones sociales hacia futuros más sostenibles y deseables. Los problemas perversos son los “problemas de los sistemas” que requieren un nuevo enfoque de resolución de problemas. El marco del Diseño para la Transición, reúne un conjunto de prácticas en evolución que pueden utilizarse para (a) visualizar y “mapear” problemas complejos y sus interconexiones e interdependencias; (b) situarlos dentro de grandes contextos espacio-temporales; (c) identificar y crear puentes para los conflictos de las partes interesadas y sus líneas de apalancamiento; (d) facilitar a los interesados la creación conjunta de visiones de futuros deseables; y (e) identificar puntos de influencia para el cambio (localizaciones en donde situar las intervenciones de diseño) dentro del wicked problem y los sistemas socio-técnico-ecológicos que forman su contexto

Design as a discipline has evolved and is expanding its impact from individual physical objects and spaces to experiences and organizations. An emerging question is 'how will the increasing influence of design impact the future of design education and create value for its stakeholders as well as for the discipline of design?' Probably a more critical question is 'how can or should design education prepare future designers for this expanding sphere of design influence?'Design education is at the crossroads and faces an uncertain future. some say “If design is to live up to its promise it must create new, enduring curricula for design education that merge science and technology, art and business, and indeed, all the knowledge of the university”. What is the promise that design has to offer? How can design schools lay the foundation to deliver that promise?It is time to take a comprehensive look at the current state of design education and start a conversation about its future.

(2015). Transition Design Provocation. Design Philosophy Papers: Vol. 13, Transition Design, pp. 3-11.