Have "design thinking" and "social innovation" become permanently intertwined? You'd have to think so based on Tim Brown's book and the prevailing discourse at any major design/innovation conference (SXSW, PICNIC, GEL, GAIN, LIFT). There seems to be a firm belief that you can't establish any cred as a designer these days if you haven't applied design thinking to a major social issue of some sort (health, energy, education...). Similarly, it would seem that social innovation (or social entrepreneurship) is hopeless without a designer at your side.
So I find myself in an odd spot as I board the 18-hour flight to Tanzania for the World Economic Forum on Africa. While I am committed to using my skills as a designer to engage in social issues, particularly health care, I am finding the discussions at many design conferences to be repetitive and naive. Yes, design can help. But can designers?
To read the full, original article click on this link: 8 Lessons for Creating Social Impact | Fast Company
Author: Robert
Fabricant
