Challenges: Stimulating innovation

Design is a tool that can be used to solve tough problems.

When knotty challenges can’t be solved by business or government alone, design is the means to stimulate innovation, solve some of society’s problems, and grow the economy by creating new markets and business opportunities.

Open innovation competitions

Police in AandE

Reducing violence and aggression in A&E has developed solutions that reduce the human and financial costs of violence and aggression in hospital A&E departments.

An independent older woman

The Keeping Connected Business Challenge (part of the Independence Matters programme) is looking for design solutions to enhance independent living and quality of life for older people.

Living well with dementia image

Our Living well with dementia challenge is asking designers to make the lives of people affected by dementia

Past challenges for the design industry

The hospital environment

Health

With the Department of Health we've run Design for Patient Dignity and Design Bugs Out to solve tough problems in hospitals.

Design Out Crime illustration

Security

The Design Out Crime project with the Home Office tackled problems with crime related to alcohol, business, hot products, schools and homes.

Low Water Living design research

Environment

With Southern Water we ran the Low Water Living project which showed how information and interaction designers could help people change they use water.

Dott Cornwall illustration

Communities

With Dott Cornwall and Dott 07 we showed how local communities could lead on design projects to improve their lives.

Inspire + Connect

The Design Council presents a series of events that give you the chance to:

Find – information about our current challenges
Hear – from luminaries in the world of design thinking and doing
Meet – collaborators to partner with on our latest Challenges

Find out more about these events

Design challenges for schools

Design is a tool that can be used to solve tough problems and drive economic and social renewal. To help develop skills for the 21st century we support design teaching and experience in schools.

Keeping Connected Design Challenge

Water Design Challenge