Design Thinking
Strategy
Technology
January 29, 2025
The role of design in global emergencies
Focused on creating functional solutions, the area helps implement systemic responses to address even political and environmental issues
The design, much like the concept of zeitgeist, reflects and shapes the ideas and behaviors of an era. Currently, we live in an age marked by global emergencies, such as climate crises and social inequalities. Solving these problems is imperative for the continuity and well-being of humanity, and design, as a discipline, possesses extraordinary potential to bring clarity and address complex issues. However, a superficial or mistaken interpretation of what design is can underestimate the impact that design practices and professionals can have.
In this article, I invite the reader to rethink the role of design and its professionals as catalysts for the implementation of strategies and solutions in the face of the complexities of our time and to seek answers to the following question: how can design be re-signified to deal with problems that seem insurmountable?
Often, design is mistakenly associated only with the aesthetic aspect, when, in fact, it is an area that goes far beyond that. In its essence, design is a science focused on creating functional and human-centered solutions, designing or improving functional, ergonomic and visual aspects to meet human needs and desires. It is not limited to creating visually appealing services or products; design is a strategic approach capable of structuring and implementing systemic solutions that have the power to transform realities. Even today, however, it is more common for people to see design as a styling tool or as the origin of major problems than as a way to solve them.
In Brazil, the word “design” does not have a direct translation, and this foreignism can reinforce a limited view of the scope and potential of this discipline. In English, design can be both a noun and a verb, with varied meanings such as “project”, “drawing”, “to design”, or “to plan”, depending on the context (Flusser, 2024).
When the first higher education course in the field emerged in Brazil, in the 1950s, the use of foreign words to name courses in national universities was prohibited. For this reason, degrees related to design methodologies and studies received titles such as “Industrial Design” or “Visual Communication”. Decades later, in discussions about design education in Latin America, the International Council of Design (ICoD) began to consider the terms “graphic design” and “visual communication” as synonyms.
In 2010, Tim Brown popularized the concept of design thinking in his eponymous book, in which he systematized the approach used by designers at IDEO (a consultancy where he was CEO) to solve people-centered problems. In the book, he presents a creative process based on three pillars: collaboration, empathy and experimentation. In summary, the methodology begins with the identification of a problem or challenge and seeks a deep understanding of the context, exploring different perspectives. Based on this initial investigation, the team refines its vision for the project, defining what needs to be done.
From these definitions, the team develops several alternatives to solve the problem, evaluating the pros and cons of each. After this analysis, the ideas are refined and adjusted, with attention to the necessary details to deliver an effective solution. This process is often represented by the iconic “double diamond” infographic, illustrated in the following image.
From the publication and popularization of the book, design thinking proved to be an extremely efficient methodology, being rapidly adopted by teams worldwide. More than an exclusive tool for designers, the method transcended its origin and began to be widely used by professionals from various fields. The book not only helped to disseminate the term “design”, but also demonstrated how the way of thinking of designers can add value and generate practical results, even in disciplines that until then had no contact with this field. It highlighted the importance of prototypes, experimentation, and, above all, of continuously listening to the people for whom we are creating. IDEO maintains on its website a summarized material on the updates and applications of the methodology, available at: https://designthinking.ideo.com/
Collaboration, empathy, and experimentation are central pillars of various design methodologies, and designers, in essence, live or should live these principles. Design thinking is just one of the approaches that exemplify how to create functional, people-centered solutions. Other authors, such as Jesse James Garrett (2002), also highlight the designer’s role in transforming abstract ideas into concrete solutions. Whether in the field of visual communication, object design, technology, wearable devices, or many other products and services that surround us, design acts as a means of translating concepts into tangible and impactful experiences. Nevertheless, many new professionals end up reducing design to its aesthetic dimension, treating it more as an artistic practice than as a functional and strategic approach.
In an era marked by acronyms such as VUCA, BANI, TUNA, and RUPT, we perceive a trend in the contemporary zeitgeist: the representation of uncertainties, insecurities, and doubts. In this context, an empathetic and collaborative methodology that offers clarity and transforms abstract ideas into real solutions becomes not only relevant but essential. Design presents itself as an approach capable of inspiring and engaging organizations around the world. It brings, in addition to effectiveness, a renewed sense of hope.
The very act of designing is a future-oriented exercise. While it is a deeply present discipline, design always keeps its eyes forward, seeking to shape what is to come. A phrase often attributed to Tim Brown expresses this idea well: “Whenever we are shaping the world to meet our needs, we are designing.”
Several studies show that design also generates expressive results for businesses. According to McKinsey, design-oriented companies outperform their competitors in the market, generating twice the revenue. A 2015 study by the Design Management Institute (DMI), which analyzed a decade of data, revealed that companies that adopted design in their business models were more successful in sales, profit margins, and market share growth. These companies performed more than 200% better than their peers in the S&P 500.
Design can act at various levels within organizations — from operational to strategic. Many people and groups have used design as a tool to address global urgencies, proving that it can be an agent of transformation in different contexts. After all, as Alice Rawsthorn, award-winning design writer and critic, said, “designers should be in the service of the great questions of their time.” Rawsthorn is co-founder of Design Emergency, a research platform on the role of design in building a better future.
Cases like the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the 2023 natural disasters clearly demonstrate the crucial role of design in humanitarian emergencies. In 2014, during the Ebola outbreak in Africa, a group of researchers applied design thinking to develop a data collection and reporting system, which originated the Global Ebola Laboratory Data. This system was essential to guide national and international actions related to the epidemiological and logistical situation in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. In 2023, earthquakes devastated Turkey, Syria, and Morocco, while torrential rains and floods hit Libya, generating global repercussions. In response to these events, researchers and designers from Middle East Technical University in Ankara (Turkey) used design to create contextual solutions, generating ideas and visual elements that helped clarify the critical moment and the necessary steps for responses to these crises.
Beyond these examples, there are notable cases of organizations that use design in projects of high positive impact, such as Brave New Alps, Fairphone, and Mass Design Group. An Italian design studio founded in 2005, Brave New Alps develops initiatives that employ design to address political and environmental issues, promoting significant changes in various communities. Fairphone, an electronics company based in Amsterdam, uses design to transform the way smartphones are produced. The company created the most sustainable phone ever developed, using recycled materials, establishing a responsible production chain, and offering an accessible market for spare parts replacement. Thus, it reduces waste and encourages more conscious consumption.
Another inspiring example is Mass Design Group, an organization founded in Rwanda with the mission to create architecture that promotes justice and human dignity. With over 200 collaborators spread across the world, the group adopts sustainable techniques to build community-focused infrastructure, which actively participate in the design process, from conception to execution.
Christian Benimana, one of the organization’s leaders, believes that architecture should be a dignified process capable of generating long-term impact. He also seeks to form a network of African architects to face the continent’s challenges, such as rapid population growth and accelerated urbanization. His 2017 TED Talk reflects these values, inspiring professionals to adopt design as a tool for social transformation.
Even when applied pragmatically, to solve problems on other scales, design cannot be dissociated from its responsibility towards environmental sustainability and socioeconomic consequences. Every decision made by a designer carries an impact, and ignoring these dimensions means neglecting the role of design in the current context. As Alice Rawsthorn reflects in “Design as Attitude,” the fragility we face today leaves no room for doubt: it is fundamental to align design with ethical values and responsible practices.
Victor Papanek, an Austrian designer and educator, already highlighted this responsibility of design since the last century, summarizing it powerfully in one of his most famous phrases: “You are responsible for what you put into the world”. To help solve humanity’s great problems, professionals are needed who, besides being aware of the urgencies, understand the impact of their work and seek values that guide their actions, after all, a project, action, or product can never be disconnected from the values and ideologies that originated it.
Designers shape our daily lives every day, creating not only in the digital environment (pieces for social media, code, and interfaces), but also in packaging and services — even eyebrows now have design. However, a crucial question arises: when creating, are we truly considering, with the necessary depth, people, environmental impact, and ethical limits?
With tools and methods that promote the understanding of human needs, group collaboration, and experimentation, design generates significant impacts. It is up to us to decide whether these impacts will be positive or negative.
Design offers a way of thinking capable of understanding and transforming the world. However, for this practice to be truly meaningful, it is essential that it be based on ethical principles and aligned with the emergencies of our time. By reframing design beyond its aesthetic association, we embrace its true potential as a discipline focused on problem-solving complex issues. Thus, design can fulfill its role as an agent of transformation and hope, contributing to the construction of better futures.
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Who wrote this column
Lucas Tangi
