USID2011: Design for Social Innovation & Sustainable Development
5th India International Design Innovation & UX Conference
(2nd~ 5th November, 2011 Auroville, Tamil Nadu, INDIA)
2011 marks the fifth year anniversary of the USID Foundation (Universal, Sustainable, Innovative Design for social change) www.usidfoundation.org. It will also be the fifth year of our annual India International Design, UX & Innovation Conference.
The conference theme for USID2011 “Design for Social Innovation & Sustainable Development” maintains the strands of interest that were established in the earlier conferences since 2007, and places emphasis on Universal, Sustainable and Innovative Design for social change both in design practice and research.
Huge energies and resources are devoted to innovations in science and technology. Even though there have been intense periods of social innovation due to new technologies getting accepted in societies, very little attention has been paid to social innovation in diverse fields such as healthcare, education, poverty, and climate change, etc., that could help the sustainable development.
For any society and its development, social innovation is immensely critical to meet its social needs and offers solution to a social problem. We need to provide a solution that is effective, efficient, and sustainable and thereby continue its development and sustainability. Social innovation offers a change in the way individuals or communities act to solve a problem or to generate new opportunities.
Design creates a bridge between technology and human beings, but the focus on design is limited to the technological innovations, and the new opportunities offered by the technological innovations. In the current scenario, the design professionals need to revisit their role on how they think and practice design.
It has become very critical that the design professionals must look at the social innovation, identify potential cases, use design thinking, sensitivities, capabilities, processes, tools, and skills to design new artifacts. Design professionals should develop new directions for technological innovations that are helpful for the human lives, development of our societies, and its sustainability.
The 2011 USID conference will serve as an opportunity to discuss and present the needs and trends for social innovation by focusing on the following:
- How social innovation can help bridge the gaps between the society, people, and business?
- Is there any framework that can help to accelerate the social innovation?
- What can design and designers do to trigger and direct social innovation?
- Are there any social innovation framework specific to design and designers?
- How can the designers conceive and develop favorable contexts and enable solutions?
- How can the designers facilitate the convergence between new technologies and emerging social and community needs?
- How social innovation helps in the sustainable development?
USID 2011 conference will open at 5PM on 2nd November and will include the following events:
- 12+ speakers sessions
- Academic Showcase - presenting selected student projects from reputed design and technological institutions.
- Films & Documentaries relevant to the conference theme
- Chingaree (Spark) - small talks which can generate spark and inspire
- Innovation JAM
- Call for papers- selected paper presentations
- Breakout sessions
- Design Challenge
- Music and performances
- Networking events
Glimpses of USID2010 Conference
