About this report

This report was produced by the Design Council. It summarises learnings developed through the Designing London’s Recovery programme, and picks out insights for audiences interested in commissioning or delivering mission-based innovation. The report also discusses how mission-based innovation can support stakeholders from diverse sectors in coming together to address complex, societal challenges, and how this type of systemic design offers an exciting opportunity for the design sector more broadly.

About the programme

The programme was delivered with LEAP funding and in Partnership with the Mayor of London and UCL’s Centre for Complex Urban Systems for Sustainability and Health (CUSSH). Addressing four of the nine recovery missions defined by the Mayor; Building Strong Communities, Helping Londoners into Good Work, A Green New Deal and High Streets for All, the programme supported innovators from a wide range of sectors to initiate positive change and piloted a new way of collaboration for London’s public, private and third sectors.

Programme structure

The programme was delivered across two phases during which participating teams received support and coaching from Design Council Experts and Greater London Authority (GLA) Mission Leads. Following an open call, twenty innovation teams were selected to join the first phase of the programme to develop their ideas, explore systems thinking, and begin co-designing solutions with communities. Eleven teams progressed to the programme’s second phase which focused on prototyping and testing the innovation teams’ ideas with Londoners. Teams also received support on how to influence the wider system and scale successful ideas. A full list of teams can be found in Appendix 1 of this report.