Challenging Society

I guess I'm changing my intention not to blog about our vacation (for a while or maybe never again), but I do have to mention an exciting and engrossing exhibit that Ken and I saw at the Danish Design Centre called "Challenging Society."  In a word, the exhibit was extraordinary, as in extra-ordinary: for its breadth, for its thoughtfulness, for its intent.  The exhibit explored the social design process: its goals and methods and applications to societal problems. 

The range of social issues was comprehensive: from absenteeism by prison guards, to increasing positive interactions with government organizations, to increasing the use of libraries by young people, to preventing mistakes in hospital pharmacies. 

Reading, watching and learning, I found I was growing quite excited by the principles of the design-driven approach: 

• design has to be holistic
• it must be user-driven
• it considers the problem and its solutions in a future realm and not just in the context of the problems of the present
• and it takes a multi-disciplinary approach

The exhibit examined case studies in the areas of:

• health care
• communications
• elder-care
• exercise
• education
• employment
• mental health
• and the prison system

I'd strongly encourage you to read and see for yourself. 

And it's not in Danish.  English, my friends.