co-productionbydesign

My PhD research, being undertaken at Northumbria University School of Design (Department of Media and Communication Design) grew out of varied experience. I have worked in trade unions, universities, NGO’s, offending behaviour programmes drug and alcohol charities – all work which demands collaboration of one sort or another and has a central aim of change in many forms. I have thought for some time that whatever change we are seeking demands an appreciation of complex dynamic systems but also a sensitivity or awareness of ‘the way we go about making change’ with the emphasis on the we and the making.  This is not simply an understanding, in a theoretical sense, but in both a practical and theoretical sense – often referred to as praxis.

My research, research I hope to develop, share and involve others in developing – centres on bringing together design and social innovation. A focus on the boundary between design process and practice and social innovation process and practice comes from an appreciation of this boundary as ‘ecotone’ – in ecological studies the areas between two ecological systems, in this case between design ecology and social innovation ecology. I will write further posts on where these concepts have taken me in developing the research.