Design for social innovation involves creating new ideas that address social needs while fostering collaboration and community engagement. There is a growing interest in this approach to tackle complex social, environmental, and economic challenges through co-design and participatory methods. The document outlines various case studies demonstrating the application of design in sectors like health, education, and emergency management to empower communities and enhance their capacities.

1. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Design ! Design for social innovation
@pennyhagen

2. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
A definition:
Design for Social Innovation

3. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
“New ideas (products, services and
models) that simultaneously meet social
needs and create new social relationships
or collaborations.
In other words, they are innovations that
are both good for society and enhance
society’s capacity to act.”
social innovation,
co-design,
social labs,
systems design,
social design,
participatory design
A Definition
THE OPEN BOOK OF SOCIAL INNOVATION
NESTA & THE YOUNG FOUNDATION

4. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Useful Names:
NESTA (Geoff Mulgan)
The Young Foundation
Tepsie www.tepsie.eu
DESIS – Ezio Manzini
A Definition

5. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Growing interest in social
innovation nationally and
internationally

6. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Why?
Growing interest nationally and internationally
Social, environmental and economic challenges that are growing in scale
and complexity
Current approaches aren’t getting us the outcomes we need, even when
large amounts of time, resources, effort and money have been applied
Often it’s the way we’ve designed the system and services themselves
that trip people up.

7. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Where is design for
social innovation
happening?

8. S M A L L F I R E.Where is design for social innovation happening?
Redesigning the
disability sector
Rethinking aged care
services
Public sector
Innovation
Policy Co-design

9. S M A L L F I R E.
The Future of
Libraries
Tackling Poverty &
Homelessness
Where is design for social innovation happening?
Patient-centered
Services
Social business &
social enterprise

10. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
What does design
social innovation for
look like?

11. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Tacsi
Family by Family

12. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Challenge: How can a new service enable more
families to thrive and fewer to come into contact
with crisis services?
The Design Challenge

13. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.TACSI: Family by Family
http://familybyfamily.org.au/

14. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.TACSI: Family by Family
COULD IMPROVE
ple to develop & visualise
ons that could improve
instorm scenarios for new
doing.
1 Co-designing solutions
to family stress with all
members of the family
2 Designing scenarios
for family camp
3 Early materials for the
idea that became
Family by Family
(1)
(2)(3)
We try out our ideas, with people, in context.
First we try things out on paper. Then we
try things out for real - at a small scale. We
rapidly learn what works and what doesn’t.
4 PROTOTYPE INTERACTIONS
WHAT INTERACTIONS SHIFT
OUTCOMES?
We designed, tested and
rejected over 15 different
versions of measurement
tools for Family by Family
before we got to something
that worked for most
families.
http://vimeo.com/channels/familybyfamily/50653317

15. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Innovate Change
Young people
thriving in Te Hiku
With Ministry of Social Development and the
Community of Kaitaia

16. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Challenge: How might we encourage positive
behaviour, and reduce bullying in Te Hiku.
The design challenge:

17. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Innovate Change: Young people thriving in Te Hiku
http://www.innovatechange.co.nz/tehikuyouth

18. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
"Youth were able to be heard through this approach and
be part of the journey all the way through. I saw this as
empowering and true co-design."
Community Investment Advisor
"It's empowering, having young people have their say...
they often feel like they don't. To be able to create the
prototypes based on their visions was very cool."
Young person
Innovate Change: Young people thriving in Te Hiku

19. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Community in
Emergency
Management:
Enabling a community-based
innovation (RMIT, Yoko Akama)
Yoko Akama - RMIT

20. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Challenge: How might we build the capacity of
communities for bushfire preparation.
The Design Challenge

21. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Community in Emergency Management
From: vcoss.org.au/documents/2015/08/Codesign-paper-Jul15_Final.pdf

22. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Tāmaki Health &
Wellbeing Project

23. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Challenge: How can we work with local community,
social agencies and local providers to create a new
experience of mental health and wellbeing support in
Tāmaki.
The Design Challenge

24. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Tāmaki Health & Wellbeing Project
Creating wellbeing together
http://www.tamakiwellbeing.org.nz/

25. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Social Labs
http://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/our-work/current-work/innovation/social-
innovation-labs

26. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
http://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/our-work/current-work/innovation/social-
innovation-labs

27. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Design ! Design social innovation

28. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
What underpins design in the
context of social innovation?
What is similar and different?

29. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
We still: Frame & Reframe - look for new & different
And we need to be even more aware of how our framing
shapes the potential solution

30. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
Prototypes are live, and involve systems, and
relationships as well as things
We still: visualise, prototype and iterate

31. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
We are still: Human Centred
But collaboration and co-design is baked in, as is a much
greater attention to people and relationships.

32. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
But also systems-centred
Image: http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2009/10/guest-post-by-steve-waddell-systems-mapping-for-nonprofits-part-1.html

33. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
We are also strengths-based.

34. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
Change happens and is sustained in communities, by
communities.
Place-based.

35. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
And outcomes and impact focused.
http://www.designaffects.com/practice/might-integrate-measurement-realm-social-impact-design/

36. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Design ! Design social innovation
Social Innovation
Process –
From the Open Book of
Social Innovation (Nesta)
www.nesta.org.uk/publications/open-book-social-innovation

37. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
What are some of the
challenges?

38. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Some of the challenges
Learning to change together
Image from DSI symposium 2015, Auckland

39. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.Some of the challenges
Improving our tools
http://www.uws.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/476330/Young_and_Well_CRC_IM_PD_Guide.pdf

40. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Measuring change and impact
Output ! Outcome

41. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.In Summary
Design ! Design for social innovation
It’s still emerging.
Happening in lots of places and lots of ways.
It applies design to build the capacity of people, places and
systems.
It asks us to deeply engage with questions of power and how we
see the world.
And be accountable for the outcomes achieved.

42. S M A L L F I R E.S M A L L F I R E.
Thanks
penny@smallfire.co.nz