desis network - transformative social innovation …...transit – grant agreement n. 613169 5...

DESISNetworkTSINarrative

ThisprojecthasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnion’sSeventhFrameworkProgrammeforresearch,technologicaldevelopmentanddemonstrationundergrantagreementno613169

Transit–Grantagreementn.613169 2

Date: [version1–13February2015;

updated–07April2015)Authors: [CarlaCipolla,RitaAfonso]Contactperson: [CarlaCipolla, [email protected] UniversidadeFederaldoRiodeJaneiroUFRJ-Coppe]


1 DESISNetworkDESIS is as an acronym for “Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability”. The DESISNetwork(oneofthetransnationalnetworksunderstudyinTRANSIT)isanetworkofdesignschoolsordesign-orientedschoolsinuniversities,anddefinesitsmainaimasusingdesigntotrigger,enableandscale-upsocialinnovationthroughdesignthinkinganddesignknowledge.Itworkswith local, regional and global partners, to co-create socially relevant scenarios,solutions and communication programs related to social innovation to face the greatchallengesofcontemporarysociety.Sinceitsinceptionin2014,DesisNetworkoperatesasaculturalassociationatPolitecnicodiMilano. It is chairedbyEzioManzini, a former fullprofessoratPolitecnicodiMilano,whoworksasvisitingprofessorinmanyuniversitiesaroundtheworld,andmainlywithactiveDESISLabs.PolimiDESISLabisoneofthelocalgroupsunderstudy.TheotherDESISLabisNASDesign (NúcleodeAbordagemSistêmicadoDesign)at theFederalUniversityofSantaCatarina,Brazil.ThisTSInarrativepresentsthecaseofDESISNetworkasawholeandthelocalexamplesinBrazilandItalyasshowninFigure1:

Figure1:overviewoflevelsofDESISNetworkThereisnodirectrelationshipbetweenPOLIMIDESISLabinItalyandNASDESIGNinBrazil.However,thereisacommonidentity;theyareworkinginthesamedirectionbutwithspecificstrategiesandconsideringtheirrespectivelocalcontexts.


DESIS Network offers the possibility to promote joint initiatives between Labs and theparticipationintheNetworkdevelopmentisstatedasaformaldutyformembersofDESISAssociation. Polimi DESIS Lab performs an active role in supporting and building thetransnationalnetwork.NASDESIGN’sparticipationinthetransnationalnetworkisnotactiveeven if, togetherwith Polimi DESIS Lab, it actively develops projects alignedwith DESISNetwork aims. Language is a key barrier for theBrazilian Lab:NASDESIGNmembers, ingeneral,arenotfluentinspokenandwrittenEnglishandexpensivetranslationsarerequired.AlongsidePolimiDESISLab,thereisasmallgroupofLabsinDESISNetworkthatareveryactive,composedofmembersintheUS,Brazil(notonlyNASDESIGN),China,BelgiumandtheUK.TheinterpersonalrelationsbetweenthesemembersandEzioManzini-inhisroleasthe key actor promoting knowledge exchange between nodes -was crucial for the initialdevelopment of the DESIS Network and its consolidation. The establishment of DESISAssociation,whichgaveDESISlegalstatus,andtheintensificationofjointinitiativesbetweenDESISLabs,representsanewphaseintheNetwork’sdevelopment,inwhichitstartstorelyprogressivelylessonthekeyroleperformedbyitsfounder.Today,theimpressivenumberofLabsonseveral continentsattests to the reputationof theoverallnetworkandofeachDESISLab.

1.1 DevelopmentofDESISNetwork

Figure2:developmentofDESISNetwork


POLIMIDESISLabdirectlyinheritedtheknowledgedevelopedinthefirstresearchprojectsondesignforsocialinnovation,underthecoordinationofEzioManzini(DESISNetworkfounder)atPolitecnicodiMilano.Today,POLIMIDESISLab,coordinatedbyAnnaMeroni,playsaleadingroleinthedevelopmentofDESISNetwork.TheideaofDESISNetworkhasitsbeginningsin2008.POLIMIDESISLabwasfoundedin2011.Between2008and2011thenetworkfollowedaveryinformaldevelopment,basedmainlyontheworkofEzioManziniinspreadingthewordandconnectingthenodes,withasmallamountofinformalhelp.FormerPhDstudentsfromPolitecnicodiMilano,dispersedallovertheworldandfoundedthefirstLabs(China,Brazil,Chinaetc.),undertheformalname“DESIS”.Inaddition,previouslyestablishedLabsincreasinglyjoinedthenetwork.ThefoundationofPOLIMIDESISLabin2011andthesignificantnumberofLabsthatjoinedthenetworkbetween2008and2011werekeyinfosteringtheprocessofformalizationandinstitutionalizationofDESISNetwork.Thisstartedin2012,withtheinitialinformalaffiliationsandself-organizedinitiativesdevelopedbyDESISLabs,andfinishedin2014,withtheestablishmentofDESISNetworkasanon-profit“culturalassociation”underItalianlaw.TheDESISLogohasbeencopyrighted,butisfreetousefornetworkmembers.Alltheknowledgegeneratedinthenetworkisopenlyavailabletointernalandexternalmembers.

2 Aspectsofchangeandinnovation

Figure3:DESISNetwork–gamechangers,systeminnovationsandsocialinnovations


DESISNetworkisworkinglargelytodefineswhatthedesigndisciplineanddesignschoolswillbe(orshouldbe)inthefuturetobeabletobringabouttransformationsinthecurrentunsustainablewaysoflivinganddoing.DESISNetwork.What.Changes required for the transition towards sustainability are to be designed throughbottom-upprocesses.DESISintendstoidentifyandempowercreativityinsociety.Thissocietalcreativityisexpressedinthegrassrootsinnovationsfrombelow(socialinnovations),whichanticipatepossibleandalternativefutures,butitalsoincludesotherexperimentsandsolutionsdevelopedcollaboratively. Here, thedesign schools (DESISLabs)havea role toplay,bybeingopentosociety,participatingandempoweringthiscreativityandperforminganactualrole(developingprojectsthateffectivelypromotechangeatthelocallevel).Theseprojectssimultaneouslypromotechangeandrevealandconsolidatenewdesignknowledgeandpractices.Societyisavastlaboratoryforcreativityandchange,whichrequirescentres(labs and potential solutions) that enable this creativity to flourish and develop. Designschools (DESISLabs)aim toparticipate inandempower theseprocesses,bybeingoneofthesecentresorbeingconnectedwithotherexistingcentres.Inthisway,DESISLabs,beingbasedinuniversities,havetheflexibilitytoexploreandconsolidatenewfrontiers,butatthesametimetostimulatetheuniversitiestobeopentosociety.HowTheDESISnetworkpromotesthisprocessisbasedonfourpillars:

• Students-educatethemtopromotechangeincollaborationwithsociety,effectingtheshifttowardsamoresustainablefuture;

• Paradigmaticprojects–projectsdevelopedincollaborationwithsocietyandwhichindicatethatitispossibletooperatetheshifttowardsnewwaysoflivinganddoing(andtocreatethedesiretodoso)basedonsocietalcreativity.Italsoincreasesthedemandforthesenewprofessionaldesigners;

• Anewdesignknowledge– tobeproducedtosupportboththestudentsandnewprofessionalpracticesbutnotonlythis:italsoconstitutesadesignknowledgethatisabletohelpindividuals,communities,institutionsandcompaniestodesignfeasiblesolutions and takepart in a complex social learning and creativeprocess towardssustainablechanges;

• Internationalnetworking–tointensifytheabove-mentionedprocesses,toimprovethereputationatlocallevel(DESISLabs)andtoenablejointinitiativesbetweenDESISLabs.

LocalmanifestationsandtheirprojectsSpecificallyregardinglocalLabsinBrazilandItaly,andtheirrespectivelocalprojects,NASDESIGN works with groups of people focusing on their social needs (income, job anddevelopmentneeds)andsometimesopportunities(whenthinkingabouttheirlocalcultureasanopportunity).Incontrast,POLIMIDESISLabisfocusedonsocietalchallengestowardscreatingnewstructurestosociety(BEPA,2011).Inthis,Polimiismoreconnectedwithandmoredirectedtothefuture,whileNASDesignismorelocal,stronglyconnectedtotheregionandorientedtowardsthepresent.


DESISNetworkmembersTheideaofchangemotivatesmanyNetworkmembers.Indeed,itwasmentionedthatDESISNetworkwantsto‘maketherevolution’.SomemembersstatethatDESISnetworkisakindof‘movement’,adisciplinarymovementinwhichpeopleregardthemselvesasa‘differentkindofdesigner’.Itisguidedbya‘technicalandprofessional’visionfostered(instudents)andoriented(inprofessionals)topromotechange.Oneoftheinterviewshighlightedthatthisis the difference between DESIS and other SI networks (like Transition Towns): DESISNetworkhasthepoint-of-viewofaspecificdisciplineandtask.‘Passion’wasakeywordinone of the interviews used to describe the motivation behind the DESIS Network Labs.Passion to follow ‘visionary’ projects that are able to express a culture of change, oftransformation.2.1 SocialInnovationDesignandcreativityareconsideredabilitiespossessedbyeveryone(particularlyingroupsor communities) that can be supported and empowered by expert designers. Sociallyinnovativesolutionsarebuiltbynon-professionaldesignersandexpertdesignersthroughcollaboration,fromthebottom-up:ateaching-learning-researching-designingprocess,thatstartsinthebroadersocietyandarrivetouniversitiesthroughDESISlabs,generatinganewdesignknowledge.Thisissignifyinganewrolefordesignersanddesignlabsinuniversities.Design, as an organizational function that has been a tool ofmarketing andmanagementactivities, shifts toanewpracticeandanewrole,actingata strategic level. It isstrategicdesign for social innovation. This strategic approach todesign is extended to thewholeofsociety, includinggovernments,NGOsandcommunities.Forexample:basedongrassrootsinnovations, design oriented scenarios provide visions of possible futures to feed a sociallearningprocesstowardsamoresustainablefuture.DESISNetwork,indealingwithsocialinnovationsandsettingupstrategiesandsolutions-particularlywithregardtoservices-tomakethemgrowandspread- keepsinfocusthatsocialoutcomesarenot‘products’thatcanbeeasilymadetoformulaandpackaged1.Infact,oneof thekeynarratives ofDESISNetwork is how to growand spread, but to retain theoriginalqualitiesthatsocialinnovationsbringtolight.2.2 SystemInnovation

Level1:DESISseekstofosterchangesindesigneducation,withdevelopmentsintheformaleducationsystemandtheuniversities inwhichDESISLabs/designschoolsarebased.Itupdates university practices and aligns them with societal capabilities, creativity anddemands. It aims to boost and support the teachers´ and students’ action (from ideas toeffectiveaction)todesign“within”and“with”thesociety,andtopromoteeffectivechange.Level2(DESISLabprojectsatthelocallevel):Throughtheirlocaluniversities,DESISLabscanchangeanumberof systems,which includesareasofknowledge,and thepracticesof

1http://youngfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Davies-Simon_Growing-social-innovation_ISIRC-2013.pdf


companiesandgovernments.Itispossibletoobserveexamplesofinfluenceattheselevels.Theco-housingproject in Italy,developedbyPolimi (before the formalestablishmentofPolimiDESISLab)andotherpartners,inapproximatelysevenyears,movedfrombeingthefirstprojectofitskindinItaly,tobecomeawidelyreproducedandrecognizedpracticeforhousing.Thisfosteredchangesinthehousingsector, impactingfromsmallcompaniesandsocialorganizationstomajorbrands,localgovernments,andeducation.Localmanifestations(DESISLabs)actatthelevelofcities,mainlyinurbansettings,wheretheyseektopromotesysteminnovation.Atthislevel,therelationshipwiththepublicsectorisakeyissue.2.3 Game-changers

These are: the demand for sustainability, and the network seeking to enable sustainablefutures.Itispossibletoidentifyothergamechangers,suchasthe‘sharingeconomy’andthe‘spreadofnetworks’basedonthe‘ICTrevolution’(andthedistributed,open,peer-to-peerorganisations it generates). This is particularly evidentwhen considering the theory andpracticeofthe“collaborativeservices”thathavebeenextensivelydevelopedovertheyearsinDESISNetwork.Theselastgame-changershaveenabledtheexistenceofDESISNetworkitself.2.4 Narrativesofchange

DESISNetworkhasaconceptualandtheoreticalbase,continuouslyunderdevelopmentbyDESISlocalLabswithotheractors,andpresentedthroughdifferentnarratives.EzioManzinihad (andstillhas)akeyposition indeveloping themetanarratives forDESISNetwork,byassemblinglabsthatidentifiedsimilaritieswiththeirownnarrativesandjoinedthenetwork(e.g.NASDESIGNinBrazil).DESISLabsaredevelopinginitiativesthatfavouraknowledgeexchangeprocesswithother Labs, and therefore, are increasingly able to buildnew jointnarratives.TheinitialmetanarrativesthatguidedthetransformativeprocessesDESISNetworkaimstofosterincollaborationwithsocietyarelistedbelow:The SLOC scenario (small, local, open and connected), a distributed production andconsumption systemwhere the global is a “network of locals”. It amesh of connected localsystems,thesmallscaleofwhichmakesthemcomprehensibleandcontrollablebyindividualsandcommunities.Itisrelatedtothenarrativesofthedistributedandopensystemsandcosmopolitanlocalism(enabledbyICTs,referringtothepossibilityofactinglocally,butbeingglobally connected). Focus is given to solutions able to foster interpersonal relations andcollaborationsbetweenpeople.Thisishighlightedinthenarrativeofthecollaborativeandrelationalservicesandorganizations,whicharethosethatrelyonparticipants´ownskillsandcapabilitiestoachievecommonlyrecognizedresults.Itmeansashiftfrompassiveusersorconsumerstoparticipativemembersinanewgenerationofservicesandorganizations.Resilience is another narrative of change that is being progressively developed in thenetwork.Allthesepracticesarefosteringanewdesignculture.Adiffuseddesignabilityisrequiredbythetransitiontowardssustainabilityandformsanewdesignknowledge,tobedevelopedthroughavastresearchprogram,thatinvolvesnotonlyexpertdesignersbutalso


otheractors in society.All this canbe imaginedasagreat co-creationphenomenon,wheredifferentindividualsandcommunitiesinteractinamorewidespreadprocessofsociallearningandinnovation:onewhichgenerates,andisitselfregeneratedby,anewdesignknowledge.2.5 Societaltransformations

Thetransitiontowardssustainabilityrequiresthegerminationandconsolidationofnewideasofwell-being.ThisplacesahugechallengetothedesigndisciplineandisoneofthemaindriversofDESISNetworkdevelopment.Thereisalsothewilltocreateashiftindesigntheories and practices, from being part of the problem (by contributing to unsustainableconsumption and production patterns) to being part of the solution (changing thesepatterns).Therecognitionofcreativeabilities,diffusedamongmembersofsocietyasakeyresourceto promote sustainable change (expressed in social innovations)was another driver thatsignalledthebeginningsofDESISNetwork(2007).These two drivers have guided DESIS Network until now in terms of the socialtransformationsitaimstopromotethroughdesignschools(DESISLabs).

3 Aspectsof(dis)empowermentGOVERNANCEAffiliation to an international network affords a reputation for DESIS Labs, whichenablesthemtoinnovateatalocallevel.ThisreputationallowsaDESISLabtooperateinauniversity(asisthecaseinBrazil)andhelpstopromoteafavourableperceptioninsociety,bybeingpartofaworldwideinitiative.

The key role of the founder has gathered DESIS labs around common objectives andnarratives.DESIShasreliedheavilyontheleadershipofitsfounder,however,thisischangingwith the establishment of the DESIS Association (DESIS Network legal form is anassociationundertheItalianlaw)andintersectinginitiativestakingplacebetweenDESISLabs.

TheNetworkitselfiskeptaslightaspossibleanditsmaingoalistoempowerDESISLabs. Practically, the “centre” (international coordinator) alone manages the website,organizes the annual general assembly and defines a specific program for his/hermandate.Allspecificinitiativesareself-organizedbetweenDESISLabsthemselves,followingtheconditionsdefinedintheDESISassociationstatute.

DESISLabsarebasedinuniversities,andtheirinitiativeskeepuniversities’practicesuptodateandbringtheminlinewithsocietaldemandsandnewtrends.WhileDESISLabsare empowered by being based in well-recognized institutions, this institutionalframeworkcouldalsorestrictDESISLabsinitiatives.Therecouldbealackofrecognitionofanewdesign theoryandpractice (aspracticedbyDESISLabs)among local colleagues,whichwould result in disempowerment. Academic demands could also restrict thewayDESISLabsoperate.


SOCIALLEARNINGDESISboostsSIissuesinaEuropeanandinternationalcontextanditisconsideredtobethefirstnetworkondesignforsocialinnovationandoneofthefirstfocusedonSIissuesworldwide.Onotherhand,thereisalackofrecognitionofthesenewdesignpracticesamongsocietyasawhole,whichdonotfitwiththeexpectationsofthesocial,government,businessandmanagementsectors.Paradigmaticprojectsare,therefore,alsodevelopedtodemonstrateotherwise.

DESISempowersstudents,professorsandprofessionalsastransformationagents toparticipateinthesociallearningprocessesrequiredforthetransitiontowardssustainability.

DESIS supports non-designers to design by supporting citizens in expressing theirideasandincollaboratingtosolvetheirownproblems.Someprofessionaldesignersandprofessors canbeopposed to this viewofdesignpractice, which, according to them, candiminishthepowerandrecognitionofexpertdesigners.

RESOURCINGAffiliationtoaninternationalnetworkempowerssomeDESISLabstofindpartnersforsubmittingproposalsforfunding. Thereisahugepotential forworldwideprojects(forty-eightlabsinseveralcontinents,andincreasing).However,thenetworkismonodisciplinary(onlydesigners)andthismaybeaproblemtogetfundingforsocialinnovationprojects.

The DESIS Association statute does not allow the association to manage financialresources (it makes it easier for the association to be managed and does not create aconcentrationofpowerandresources)butthisdoesnotallowtheNetworktobefundedasawhole,onlyasindividualLabs.Thus,allfinancialresourcesaremanagedbytheLabs,whichcan,however,gatherwithotherlabsforjointinitiatives.AmemberofaDESISLab(electedasinternationalcoordinatortoaccomplishatwo-yearmandate)managesDESISNetworkusingitsownresources.

Universities’operationsandresourcesempowerDESISLabsandDESISNetwork,whichare realised in the professors´ duties, student’ activities and universities´infrastructures. Specific financial resources for projects are raised by DESIS Labsthemselves. On the other hand, if there is a lack of local resources and infrastructure inuniversities,thisrestrictsthepossibilityforDESISLabstoconnectandcollaboratewiththeoverallnetwork.

MONITORINGThemonitoringprocessinDESISNetworkenablesknowledgegeneration.Itintensifiestheproductionof(acommon)knowledgebetweentheDESISLabsbyanalysingtheimpactsofthelocalprojectsinanumberoffields(governance,jobcreation,etc.).However,thereisalack of networkmonitoring process to verify the consequences of DESIS processes instudents (now and in their future professional practices) and in teachers. ExistingmonitoringprocessesinuniversitiesdisempowerDESISLabswhoseactivitiesmaynotfitwithintheexistingevaluationmetrics.

desis network - transformative social innovation …...transit – grant agreement n. 613169 5...

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