Inspiring open designers of the future

Designers are increasingly involved in tackling complex, wicked problems that arise from complex societal challenges. Such involvement results in rapid change in design practice as it enters and expands into new territories, highlighting the importance of rethinking design education to better prepare future designers. This workshop aims to consider ways in which we can equip designers with the necessary skills to engage members of the public in co-creation and participatory design, drawing upon the international and multidisciplinary perspectives afforded through the conference. Using the approach of Experience Labs, this session aims to engage delegates to share their practice, experiences and insights from their respective disciplines, towards preparing future designers. Experience Labs employ a design-led participatory approach to innovation within the health and care context. To date, the Labs have developed and evolved as a way to provide a space for creative collaboration. However, the Lab approach has been recently applied within the context of design education to foster interdisciplinary collaboration within Art and Design disciplines. Delegates attending the workshop will be asked to form groups around four design education challenges: (1) Engagement, (2) Sustainability and Impact, (3) Empathy through design, and (4) Ethics by design. The workshop will produce insights for the themes addressed and will provide the opportunity to gain an international perspective on these challenges within design education. It is anticipated that the workshop could also generate a network/community of interest for design education specifically related to the themes addressed throughout the workshop