New challenges and new opportunities for designers

The overall theme for the Congress was based on the hypothesis that the user-centered, problemsolving focus of the designers’ profession should make them eligible for assignments far beyond their usual range of occupational engagements. The basis for this thinking being that there are so many challenges in our societies, which are being insufficiently solved by the traditional experts,bureaucrats, or whoever is trying to solve them, somebody with fresh eyes and a professional problemsolving background should be invited into on to the arena. Typical examples could be the national health service, public transport systems, criminal award systems, etc.

Those of us who were involved with organising the Congress, felt that even though the challenges were recognised, may be the agenda was a little premature.

However, looking back at all of this, and at the same time looking at our present global challenges, the heading above seems even more relevant, as today’s agenda focuses (apart from the ongoing financial crises) on sustainability and energy-questions.

At our annual Design Day Conference in March, the Norwegian Design Council had among its renouned international speakers, professor doctor Michael Braungart, who many of you may know as the co-author of the book “Cradle to Cradle.”

The essence of Mr. Braungart’s presentation was that with so many environmental wrong-doings, which are being committed by local as well as multination companies, there is one group of professionals, who has a particular responsibility, but who at the same time can contribute considerably to the improvement of mankind – the designers.
This is because – as professor Braungart puts it – so much has been so wrongly designed.

In this moment of a major international financial crises, let’s look at other long-term challenges, and put forward the unique competences which designers possess, to contribute to sustainable improvements for human life.