Dipartimenti di Eccellenza
The Department of Design is among the 180 Italian departments selected and funded by MUR as part of the Dipartimenti di Eccellenza initiative with the project Design for Systemic Change. The designation is a recognition conferred upon departments distinguished by the quality of research produced and the development project presented.
Design for systemic change
The ‘Design for Systemic Change’ project is set in a context characterised by the challenges raised by the ecological and digital transition; these challenges call for systemic changes and an integrated approach involving different disciplines. In this context, design emerges as a tool able to address complex problems through design experimentation in real contexts and situations.
Design applied to systemic change is at the heart of this project as an approach capable of guiding transformation towards the development of systems, products and services that observe the principles of circularity and sustainability.
The project is divided into three research domains:
- Design for manufacturing systems and systems for the fruition of products and services, with particular attention to the transformation of Made in Italy towards more sustainable models
- Design for public and social systems, to develop public services centred on citizens' needs and promote social inclusion
- Design for creativity and culture systems, to enhance cultural production and fruition in a sustainable and inclusive way
Through research and experimental activities, the project aims to produce evidence on the effectiveness of the design-led systems approach and to develop new theoretical models and methods for the sustainable transformation of production systems, public services and cultural production.
The project aims to achieve its objectives through several actions: enhancement of research competences through recruitment, training and internationalisation of researchers and lecturers; creation of new infrastructures, including laboratories focused on user experience and sustainability, and spaces for co-design; development of new courses and doctoral fellowships dedicated to exploring design as an approach to systemic change.
Research projects
National and international research projects have been launched within the framework of the project that can be traced back to the three main domains.
- Design for systems of production and use of products and services, with a focus on the transformation of the Made in Italy industry towards more sustainable models
- Design for public and social systems, to develop public services centred on the needs of the population and to promote social inclusion
- Design for creativity and culture systems, to enhance cultural production and access in a sustainable and inclusive way
Actions
The department has defined a portfolio of actions aimed at strengthening the coherence of the project and achieving the overall objectives.