Sparks of Innovation 2024

Masterclass by Josina Vink (Associate Professor at Oslo School of Architecture & Design)

May 2 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Italian time)

Online, via Cisco Webex

Social structures are sets of shared norms, rules, roles, values and beliefs that guide how we interact and live. They are usually taken for granted. However, they are a powerful transformative force for social systems change. The fourth masterclass of “Sparks of Innovation” focuses on a new conception of service design. The service ecosystem design is a theory and practice supporting operators who intentionally shape social structures for long-lasting change. The lecture looks at case studies and practical approaches to devise desirable futures.

Key concepts: Systemic service design, new methods for long-term social change, practical approaches to build awareness of social structures, strategies for intentionally shaping social structures, critically assessing the consequences of shaping social systems.

For students and alumni of Politecnico di Milano and POLI.design, the Service Design 2024 Masterclasses are free upon registration here

For external participants, there is a €20 administration fee as a small token of commitment to encourage participation. Register here

Masterclass by Marzia Aricò (Design Leader – Solopreneur)

April 17 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Italian time)

Online, via Cisco Webex

Understanding the organizational context within which design operates is crucial to ensuring its outputs and outcomes can achieve long-lasting results. Too many times, designers struggle to juggle organizational policies and structures that seem to hinder all efforts. The result is disenfranchised teams with little influence and, thus, general frustration. In this masterclass, Marzia Aricò explains the basic composing elements of modern corporations. She shows how designers can leverage this knowledge to achieve tangible and sustainable impact. She shares her experience based on fifteen years of working in large organizations globally, as well real examples from various sectors.

Key concepts: Organizational structures; Organizational logics; Operating model for design; Strategies for design-driven impact; Leading through uncertainty.

Masterclass by Tobias Revell (Design Futures Lead at Arup Foresight)

March 28 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Italian time)

Online, via Cisco Webex

The Masterclass introduces the core principles, tools and methods of Speculative and Critical Design in an applied context. Through the lens of tracers, projectors, and exploits, the lecture shows how design can reveal hidden or obscured tendencies and assumptions in designs, users, and systems, as well as how design can provoke informed thinking on alternative futures. After the introduction of concepts, the session focuses on where these techniques from critical design can be applied and the impacts and outcomes they can produce for design research, engagement and production.

Key concepts: Introduction, approaches, projects and issues of Speculative and Critical Design. Three approaches to speculative design: tracing, projecting and exploiting. Examples of the use of speculative and critical design techniques.

For students and alumni of Politecnico di Milano and POLI.design, the Service Design 2024 Masterclasses are free upon registration here

For other individuals, there is a €20 administration fee as a small token of commitment to encourage participation. Register here

Masterclass by Ralitsa Diana Debrah (Design Educator & EdTech Practitioner)

February 23rd from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Italian time)

Online, via Cisco Webex

African design cultures are a catalyst for transformative service ideas and social innovations. The masterclass focuses on the vibrant tapestry of creativity embedded in Afrikan traditions, weaving a narrative that extends beyond aesthetics to embrace the profound philosophy of Ubuntu – the rule of shared humanity and interconnectedness. Participants will discover the roots of innovation that have long been nurtured across the continent. Examples from Open Design Afrika (ODA) look at some community-driven service developments. The presentation invites you on a journey through stories in which tradition and modernity are seamlessly blended. Ralitsa Diana Debrah pays tribute to the genius of the place as a source of inspiration and authenticity. Through this perspective, the profound impact of African cultures as a driving force for positive change in the world is considered.

Key concepts: Ubuntu guiding principles, genius of the place, cultural hybridity and innovation, narrative-driven innovation, community-driven design, Global Impact of Afrikan Design.