Abstract
The state of design faces an existential crisis. Traditional paradigms are being disrupted, as noted by Bruce Mau (2024), who describes a significant shift: “(A) shift from the old world, where design was a subset of business, business as a function of culture, and culture happened in a natural context.” Mau argues that design carries a profound responsibility to shape the world. However, it faces numerous challenges: the growing influence of the volatile gig economy, unprecedented technological advancements, the uncertain role of designers in an AI-driven world, and the blurred lines between practice, professionalism, and expression. Moreover, design must contend with social acceleration and shifting priorities across finance, healthcare, and politics—an ephemerality that can be termed the Transient Economy. In light of this transitoriness, what position should design education adopt to prepare the next generation of designers? How can we design today to create a preferable future for the designers of tomorrow? This paper seeks to offer insights by examining signals and drivers from various design research and pedagogical approaches in design education, as well as findings from a series of design futuring workshops.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
DESIGN FUTURES, DESIGN EDUCATION, DESIGN PEDAGOGY, SPECULATIVE DESIGN, TRANSIENT ECONOMY
