The Secret Story behind Social Design
How industrial (product) design engineers became civil servants, and what value they add.
The text above is still subject to change as I get to the core of the book.
Yes, you're correct; this is a stock photo. And indeed, the white teeth and red lipstick are also distracting me. I need a picture here, but I'm lacking inspiration! Any ideas on what this picture should be?
About the Book
Prototyping the pay off
Version 2.0
Your backstage pass toward social design
Social design is as hot as a jalapeño in a sauna. An increasing number of
designers have ethical issues with creating more products to feed into mass consumption. They want to create impact, not products. These designers use their design principles to work on societal challenges. But they are not creating the impact they want to create.
Social designers love plunging into the chaotic complexity of new situations. They want to understand the context and the mechanisms at work. Ironically, social designers don’t understand their professional
situation and struggle to articulate their value. “It’s like, we use a Design
Approach,” or they say, “It’s kind of like Design Thinking, you know?”
But let’s face it, those explanations are about as clear as mud in a foggy
swamp.
Designers lost track of their roots or their design bubble made them forget not everybody is like them. Besides, designers missed the social studies class on how governments work.
So, we’re telling the stories that shed light on the roots of this new
profession and peel back the layers of assumption. Let’s reveal the secrets of social design and find out how designers working in the social domain can create impact.
Your input is valued
I'm working on the pay-off of the book. If you have specific needs to address, questions, or ideas. I really would like to hear it.
About the author
Willemijn Brouwer
Educated as a strategic product design engineer myself, I've always felt designers could bring value to governments. At the same time, I recognize the struggles designers in governments experience.
I've been talking to designers in governments, and been looking into research on creativity, design, organizing, and public administration for the past thirteen years. Moreover, I work in a semi-government myself.
I believe with this book I contribute to designing in governments.
Yours truly,
Willemijn Brouwer
Strategic Product Design Engineer
Lecturer of Creativity theory & Creativity in social contexts
Facilitator of workshops
Hobbyist philosopher
Dutch world-citizen
Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Friend
Human being (not resource, thank you)
Author of this book-in-progress
Visuals
The cliché of 'a picture says more then 1000 words'
I will use many visuals in my book. Herewith some examples of the work-in-progress on the visuals. I will also share some of these visuals on LinkedIn. (Working on upgrading the resolution.)
