S
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Content
Forward
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Reflection
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Research
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Statement
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Proposal
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Bibliography
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Thank you
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3
Forward
This project proposes to empower social enterprise to be the best it can be with the assistance of design thinking and techniques. This book finds the project at the turning point between immersion and action. The first half of the year involved extensive investigation into the overlap between social innovation, design and enterprise (SIDE). The next half of the year will be about acting upon these learnings by working with social enterprises to fulfil the proposal.
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Reflection Reflection
Hello
9
My practice
11
Projects that led me here
13
Hello
My name is Lucy. I have had the desire to design for as long as I can remember. Initially drawn like a moth to the gleam and shine of lighting design, studying industrial design has shown me that design can be so much more. Both a blessing and a curse, lighting is no longer enough. I now see design as a catalyst for change. This is a notion that I haven’t quite figured out how to tackle just yet, but it is a perception that powerfully influences every aspect of my work and keeps me hungry for more.
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My practice
Welcome to my world. In relatively few years of designing, I have found things that I like and I want my work to embody. These include design that is smart, simple and not too serious. In more recent times, I have added local, collaborative and socially sustainable to the list. My skills lie in seeing problems as opportunities and finding unexpected, yet cleverly simple, self sustaining, long term solutions. I thrive on working with people from various disciplines, and I believe in co-designing with stakeholders.
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Projects that led me here
My interest in socially sustainable innovation was sparked by a 2010 studio collaborating with interior design students and The Social Studio, a social enterprise based in Melbourne. Working with a team to design and build a market stall bike (shown above) for the studio showed me that design skills can be applied to bigger ideas Disillusioned with my original dreams of lighting design, I began looking for projects with more powerful results. The next opportunity that arose was working with UNSW design professor Mariano Ramirez to write a paper proposal looking into social sustainability in design competitions. Our definition of ‘social sustainability’ gave me clarity in the uncharted territory of socially sustainable design.
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...continued
A study abroad semester to India soon afterward allowed me to work with Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), an organisation producing and distributing the Jaipur prosthetic foot to amputees (shown above). They brought in design students to help standardise their product for easier distribution. We learnt how to work for a client and how design can help enterprise be the best it can be. Finally, another studio (following page) investigated social norms and behaviour expectations. We pushed these boundaries by inviting the public to join us in activities where the only commitments where a donation of time and conversation. Simply creating a line of communication between ourselves and the public received a great response. People were keen to talk, share and collaborate. These projects have landed me with a full blown obsession with social innovation, design and enterprise.
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Research
Investigation
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Chats
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Case studies
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Survey
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Investigation
Initially I needed to gain a general understanding of social enterprise and design thinking. I needed definitions and clarity. In these fields, definitions are many and varied, but I found the best to be as follows: Social Enterprise ‘When entrepreneurs or businesses use market forces to deliver goals of social or environmental change...’ Nic Frances, The End of Charitya Design Thinking ‘...a set of principles that can be applied by a diverse people to a wide range of problems.’ Tim Brown, Change by Designb
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Social Sustainability
Social Enterprise
Socially Sustainable Design
?
Enterprise Design Firms
Industrial Design
...continued
I quickly discovered that while there are extensive resources on social enterprise and, more recently, design thinking, the ground where they overlap has scant coverage. I would have to do my own investigations and come to my own conclusions. This, combined with the freedom of a university degree, gave me the opportunity to undertake an immersive approach and dabble in a little propositional design.
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Alyssa, FYA
Emma & Ella, Activating Change
Raph, Better Boards
Yoko, DESIS
SIDE Justin, Justin Hutchinson Design
Lisa, Social Traders
Mark, Social Traders
Kate, Social + Sustainable
Leeanne, CoDesign Studio
Mindy, Social Traders
Chats
The greatest resources have been the people that share a passion for social innovation, design and/ or enterprise. One of the beautiful things about working in the area of social innovation, is that the people involved are people people. They are keen to chat with and support other social changers. It is a very strong community. I have spoken to a range of disciplines including designers, social changers, professors and business people. This has given me a wide understanding of various stakeholders in the area and what they want to see happen.
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SE Case Studies
There are three types of social enterprise, as defined by Social Tradersc: 1. ‘Businesses that provide employment, training and support for marginalised groups.’ 2. ‘Businesses that create or retain services in direct response to social or economic needs in the community.’ 3. ‘Businesses that generate profits to support other community or not for profit organisational activities.’ There are a great deal of types 1and 2 in Melbourne, so I grabbed my bags and went on a socially sustainable shopping spree. A bit of participant observation and few conversations with staff members produced some great insights to what makes these stores successful, not to mention material for my presentation.
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SE + D Case studies
As there is minimal research published on the topic of social enterprise and design, I looked at businesses that had successfully applied design to social concerns and how they made it happen. Luckily with most SE’s in this field their processes are open source, and they encourage replication. I looked into: TACSI CoDesign Studio Participle Project H Design IDEO.org Image 1.
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architecture and “ Theaccessibility of an
“ No idea.
establishment. What does the term ‘design’ mean to you?
Invention or the “process of making a physical model based on a concept.
not involved in “ AstheI’mdesign industry I
What does the term ‘design thinking’ mean to you?
have no idea
“ Can’t describe.
“ Unsure Understanding of aesthetics
Strengthening brand identity
Please select skills that you believe design could uniquely contribute to your enterprise.
Innovative thinking
Enhancing positive community impact
Opportunity identification
Defining value
More effective product/service
Please select skills that you believe your social enterprise could uniquely contribute to designers or design consultancies
Balancing social and business goals
Developing a sense of community within the business
Interaction with society
Survey
My final research for design technique was an online survey, one for SEs and the other for designers. Though I only had a few responses out of the the twenty SE who agreed to participate, there were some wonderful insights, a few shown above. Both SEs and designers were each asked the same questions about their relationship with the other. There were some interesting similarities in their responses.
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Statement
Insights
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What SIDE looks like now
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What design brings to the table
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Vision for the future
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Insights Social Enterprise
• Social enterprise is not a new concept- over 60% of Australian SEs are 10 or more years old, and they have been around under other names, such as a cooperative. • Writing on the topic began in the mid 2000s • A successful SE must first be a successful business, they cannot just rely on their SE status • SEs often struggle to balance their financial and social goals • SEs do not communicate much with each other • SEs, like any business, need a good incentive to spend money, they need to be able to see the value added • The general public has only a basic understanding of what an SE is • There are many non-profit organisations supporting SEs • There are many organisations in Australia supporting SEs with business and finance help Image 2.
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Insights Social Enterprise and Design
• ‘Design thinking’ is a buzzword in business, and more recently, social enterprise • Most SEs have not heard of design thinking and do not know what it is • Most SEs do not have a clear understanding of what design is • Most SEs describe their business as innovative • Very few SEs have hired design services in the past or have interest in doing so in the future SEs have a very tight cashflow, so are often unwilling to put money into design • SEs believe that design could contribute to their business. Designers agree. • SEs believe that they can contribute to designers/design consultancies. Designers agree.
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Collaborative Radical redesign Toolkits IDEO.org Global TACSI Local CoDesign Studio
Action
Project H
Assisted engagement Big ideas Experience based
Participle Workshops Framing ASIX
Open IDEO
SIX Community
Inter discplinary Replicable Tele conferencing Design thinking tools
Innovation Cloud Open source CSI Community development DESIS
Prototyping/pilots Social science
Centre for Civil Society Support
Changing behaviours Scalable
Social Traders Systemic FYA
RMIT SEEDS
Design Assisted engagement Connect people Public speaking Challenge:Solution
Inights Successful Processes
You can see above some of the techniques that designerly social enterprises use to achieve long term, successful solutions to social challenges. A few of the key and common techniques include: • • • •
See problems as challenges Design together Be intimately familiar with the challenge Continuously reassess- think, create, test, repeat • Make the process and solution open source, replicable and scalable • Document the before, during and after, so you can see the change and how it was done
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What SIDE looks like now
From the previous insights, you can see that SIDE is a recently formed, but quickly growing field. As social enterprises are being increasingly recognised for their self sustaining positive impact, it is a good time for design to give SEs an extra boost. By proving their success whilst in the spotlight, SIDE can cement itself in the public eye and set a glowing example for others to join. Organisations that support SEs are plentiful, but when it comes to SIDE, the only examples are individual enterprises, not external supportive bodies. Image 3.
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What design brings to the table
Over the course of my degree in industrial design, the topic has broadened to become a study of design, and broadened again to the point where I will probably graduate with a Bachelor of Problem Solving. This is essentially what is unique about design, it sees problems as challenges and finds creative, innovative and inclusive ways of overcoming them. When surveyed, both SEs and designers agreed that when it comes to SIDE, design can bring the following: • • • • •
Understanding of aesthetics Opportunity identification Innovative thinking More effective product/service Strengthening brand identity
These skills, and many more, are a direct result of using design thinking techniques including: • • • •
Idea generation Mapping innovation Intensive workshops Mock-ups and prototypes
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Vision for the future
This project has a bright future planned for SIDE. It is a world where every business is a SE. The public expects their suppliers to have a triple-bottom-line approach. A market cost is assigned to social concerns and therefore solutions have a tangible value. Every short and long term project is undertaken with a team made up of stakeholders and experts. Design is employed to help SEs recognise and maximise their value and to problem solve in innovative ways. SE’s have easy access to tools, resources and their community. Progress is documented, celebrated and shared. Increased government support of SIDE, including supportive policy. 47
Proposal
Making the vision reality
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Next
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Making the vision reality
At mid semester, after initial research, the only way I could see of fulfilling the project vision for SIDE was with a design consultancy specialising in social enterprise. YESS was born. It had great momentum at the beginning, but then continued to come against road blocks. The idea was not innovative, simply applying an old idea to new knowledge and new scenarios, and people kept telling me that unless the added value was very clear, SEs would not invest. I could not clearly define what the value add was, so it was time to try something different. YESS is still an option for a time in the future when design thinking is a clearly understood concept in the SE community and I have developed a greater understanding of the value added.
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Empowering SIDE
Traditional design consulting to SE
In-house designers in SEs YESS
Design SIDE processes
Address specific social concerns with tailor-made solutions
Design and start up new SEs
A guide to applying design to SE SIDE mentors in SEs
...continued
Turning to Soumitri, designer and social entrepreneur, for guidance, he helped me see that there is more than one way to make the project’s vision a reality. Backcasting allows an endless variation of paths that would point SIDE in the right direction. The image above shows the three that resonate greatest with me and my SIDE experience. The long term project vision is for all businesses to practice SIDE. Therefore the action taken must be replicable and scalable. From what I have seen and investigated, a model that SEs can apply themselves, or requires only a short term commitment to another organisation would be optimal. ‘Designing SIDE processes’ would allow for this, and would also be applicable to wide range of scenarios, including design consultancies and SE start ups.
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Next
The next step in the SIDE project is to get my hands dirty. I will be working with a SE on a short term project to apply all the knowledge I have gained and see how the theory transfers to reality. These learnings will guide the development of a SIDE model, advising designers and enterprises on how to apply the concept to their practice.
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Bibliography
Images 1. TACSI (2011) Radical Redesign: Family by Family. Page 3 of 19 2. “Social Traders Blogger Profile.” Retrieved 19th March, 2012, from http://www.blogger. com/profile/03068683619307357710. 3. Burkett, I. (March 23, 2012). “From the Editor.” Autumn 2012: Design and Social Innovation. from http://knowledgeconnect.com. au/2012/03/autumn-2012-design-and-socialinnovation/. Quotes a. Pg 57, Frances, N. (2008). The End of Charity: Time for Social Enterprise. Crows Nest, Allen & Unwin. b. Pg 7, Brown, T. (2009). Change By Design. New York, HarperCollins Publishers. c. (2009). “Social Enterprise Typology.” Retrieved 20th April, 2012, from http://www.socialtraders.com.au/social-enterprise-typology.
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General • . “The Crunch.” Retrieved 24th May, 2012, from http://www. thecrunch.socialtraders.com.au/. • . “A Life We Want.” Retrieved 31st May, 2012, from http://www. alifewewant.com/display/HOME/ System+Change. • . “Yoko Akama Academia profile.” Retrieved 12th May, 2012, from http://rmit.academia.edu/ YokoAkama. • . “Our People.” Retrieved 12th May, 2012, from http://www. socialtraders.com.au/our-people. • . “Raph Goldsworthy Profile.” Retrieved 12th May, 2012, from http://readmill.com/designdroplets/following. • . “Change It Up.” Retrieved 25th April, 2012, from http://changeitupau.wordpress.com/. • . “Facebook Images.” Retrieved 30th May, 2012, from http://www. facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10 150732296410639&set=t.57454 2768&type=3&theater. • . “Architects Without Frontiers.” Retrieved 30th May, 2012, from http://www.architectswithoutfrontiers.com.au/site/people.html.
• . “Social Traders Blogger Profile.” Retrieved 19th March, 2012, from http://www.blogger.com/profile/03068683619307357710. • (2010). FASES: Social Enterprise in Australia: a preliminary snapshot, Social Traders • The Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, Queensland University of Technology: 16. • Ambrose, G. and P. Harris (2010). Design Thinking. Switzerland, AVA Publishing. • Blossom, E. (2011). Material Change: Design thinking and the social entrepreneurship movement. New York, Bellerophon Publications, Inc. • Burkett, I. (March 23, 2012). “From the Editor.” Autumn 2012: Design and Social Innovation • . from http://knowledgeconnect. com.au/2012/03/autumn-2012design-and-social-innovation/. • Hutchinson, J. Retrieved 10th May, 2012, from http://justinhutchinson.com/#/about/bio. • Jain, S. C. and S. Vachani, Eds. (2006). Multinational Corpora-
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tions and Global Poverty Reduction. Massachusetts, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. Murray, P. (2011). The Sustainable Self. London, Earthscan Ltd. Perrini, F., Ed. (2006). The New Social Entrepreneurship: What Awaits Social Entrepreneurial Ventures? Cheltenham. Phillis, Y. A. and V. S. Kouikoglou (2009). Fuzzy Measurement of Sustainability, Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Pilloton, E. (2009). Design revolution : 100 products that empower people New York, NY, Metropolis Books: D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers. Price, R. M. (2005). The Eye for Innovation. United States of America, Robert Price. Purbrick-Herbst, J., Ed. (2011). From where I was to where I am: Seven people talk about working in a social enterprise. Melbourne, Social Traders, with Jobs Australia. Schon, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. London, Basic 59
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Books Inc. Shea, A. (2012). Designing for social change: Strategies for community-based graphic designers. New York, Princeton Architectural Press. Stickdorn, M. and J. Schneider (2011). This is Service Design Thinking. Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Simmons, C. (2011). Just Design: Socially Conscious Design for Critical Causes. Ohio, HOW Books. Steffen, A., Ed. (2011). World Changing: A user’s guide for the 21st century. New York, Abrams. TACSI (2011) Radical Redesign: Family by Family. 19 Victionary, Ed. 100 Eco Ideas + Eco Designs, Love Earth. Wilson, C. and P. Wilson (2006). Make Poverty Business. Sheffield, Greenleaf Publishing Limited. Wustenhagen, R., J. Hamschmidt, et al., Eds. (2008). Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Thank-You
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Social Innovation Design + Enterprise +