Conference Agenda

Designing for transformation, transitions and systemic change is taking off, and there are dozens of methods and theories that support transdisciplinary teams in designing for transforming practices. However, in practice, it proves to be a major challenge to evaluate, interpret and discuss the quality, success and impact of such complex changes. Designing for transition and transformation seem to be becoming new buzzwords, with the risk of becoming empty phrases if there are no clear criteria for quality. Transformation occurs at many different levels, on different time scales, in different contexts and cultures, by different actors, and this plurality has contributed to the fact that there is not (yet) an adequate language or approach for assessing and discussing (the qualities of) transformation. 

In this Explorations session, we will share a selection of the developed approaches to explore with all participants, which creative forms and transformation indicators resonate with them, to discuss and evaluate transformation. Through exploring and combining the outcomes of various participatory ‘creative stations’ we aim at finding a common language and understanding of transformation, which can spark both transformation processes and a thriving regenerative society, leading to the following research questions:

• How can different forms of art and design (e.g. performances, visual poetry, mutants) qualitatively extend our ways of seeing, doing and knowing, to explore alternative quality criteria for designing for transforming practices from a minor key perspective? 
• How to describe, visualise, express “minor key” qualities of transformation such as fractal notions of resonance between the small scale and systemic change? 
• How can Key Transformation and Thriving Indicators (KTIs) be developed to meet the needs of evaluate transformative design practices over time?