As new and systemic complexities are challenging our societal structures more and more, the role of design in shaping and influencing spaces of governance, business, and innovation is becoming more important.

This track delves into the intertwined narratives of design of governmental policies and the emergence of designing for alternative economic frameworks. It also reflects on the fluid borders of today’s creative industry, ranging from design in corporations all the way to design entrepreneurship. To face the challenges ahead, strategic, design-driven decision making needs to be a more significant part of our collective future. If this is to happen, we need to develop new ways to critically evaluate our work. How can designers influence business decisions? Can the impact of designs be measured? What works, what doesn’t? Considering the agency inherently present in design, we aim to deliver a discourse on the evolving position of design in contemporary contexts.

Potential themes

• Governmental and intergovernmental policies
• Design for post-growth economics
• New business models and financing strategies
• Innovation and design
• Corporate design cultures
• Entrepreneurship
• Borders and boundaries of the creative industry
• Strategic design and design leadership
• Measuring design
• Open design and creative commons
• Sharing economy and peer-to-peer networks

Track chairs

Tamás Fogarasy

Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest

Viktor Malakuczi

Sapienza University of Rome