Design as a 21st Century Skill

“We are at this moment where there is almost no societal institution that doesn’t need redesign.” — Tim Brown, IDEO.

As the world continues to evolve rapidly, the future of the society we find ourselves in becomes increasingly uncertain. Amid the chaos and disruption of the 21st century, the problems that emerge in society today are becoming increasingly complex and wicked in nature. The design process can aid us in navigating the ambiguous nature of these problems and assist us towards designing meaningful and valuable solutions. We must all nurture design as an essential skill for the 21st century.

We can argue that Higher Education Institutions have a duty to equip students with essential skills for their future, such as design and creativity. The educational task of these institutions can be regarded less as an epistemological task, but one that leverages a pedagogy for uncertainty and provides students with the confidence to solve problems creatively. An inherent element of design is creativity and in order to design with intent and create significant change we must nurture our creative confidence. We must recognise that we all have the capacity to be creative.

As more of us nurture design as essential skill of the 21st century, it transitions from solely a skill, to a universal language. Communicated by all, design as a universal language would have the ambition and capability to create meaningful solutions to complex problems and enact significant change.