Applied Design Research

The Societal Impact

Koen van Turnhout, Peter Joore, Remko van der Lugt, Troy Nachtigall, Liliya Terzieva

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781040671924
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Technology & Engineering Research & Skills
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Applied design researchers are at the forefront of initiating and executing projects to catalyze societal change. But how exactly do they accomplish this? What are the various ways in which design research can contribute to societal transitions? How do these researchers bridge different system levels through their projects? Furthermore, how do they formulate research questions and deliver outputs that leave a lasting impact on society, and finally, how do design researchers navigate the delicate balance of incorporating different worldviews into their projects, while also considering their own perspectives? This book provides insightful answers to these questions, drawing on the expertise and experiences of established design researchers in the field.

Applied Design Research: The Societal Impact discusses the transformative power of design research in driving societal change. This publication offers valuable insights into addressing pressing global issues such as the circular economy, healthcare challenges, and sustainability. The book explores the multifaceted role of design in influencing various levels of systems, including materials, products, services, and socio-technical ecosystems. Examining the underlying theories of change illuminates how design interventions can spark significant ripple effects within broader societal change processes. Through a collection of practical examples and case studies, this book showcases how applied design research can yield tangible and enduring societal impact.

The book's Open Access format ensures widespread dissemination of knowledge, making it accessible to a diverse audience of designers, researchers, and policymakers worldwide.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Preface
• 1. Sweet Spots and Orchestrations: Examining the Societal Impact of Applied Design Research
• Part 1: Theory of Change
• Part 2: Connecting System Levels
• Part 3: Balancing Worldviews
• Part 4: Beyond Solutionism, Design without End: “Embedded in the core of design is an assumption of make-ability— the notion that no matter how convoluted the situation, creative possibilities always exist.”
• About the Editors
• About the Authors