HCII Seminar Series - Kees Dorst
Speaker
Kees Dorst
James Wei Visiting Professor at Princeton University (the Keller Center) and Professor of Transdisciplinary Innovation at the University of Technology Sydney’s TD School
When
-
Where
Newell-Simon Hall 3305
Description
The Logic of Design – How to create space for deep change
Shaping deep change is the great challenge of our time: 'business-as-usual' is failing us and ‘innovation-as-usual’ doesn’t work anymore. In this three- part talk, Kees proposes to embrace a different logic, using design-based practices to go beyond ‘fixing problems’. In several case studies he will show HOW this can be done. Then theory and practice will be brought together in an innovation infrastructure that creates the space for ongoing and deep change.
Speaker's Bio
Kees Dorst was educated as an Industrial Design Engineer at Delft University of Technology, and studied Philosophy at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Currently, he is James Wei Visiting Professor at Princeton University (the Keller Center) and Professor of Transdisciplinary Innovation at the University of Technology Sydney’s TD School.
Kees is one of the most quoted authors in design research. He is considered one of the lead thinkers developing the field of design, valued for his ability to connect a philosophical understanding of the logic of design with hands-on practice. As a bridge-builder between these two worlds, his writings on design as a way of thinking are read by both practitioners and academics. He has published widely in the professional press and written several bestselling books in the field –including ‘Understanding Design’ (2003, 2006), ‘Design Expertise’ (with Bryan Lawson, 2009, 2013), 'Frame Innovation - create new thinking by design' (2015) ‘Designing for the Common Good’ (2016) and ‘Notes on Design – How Creative Practice Works’ (2017). Last year he published two new books: ‘Deep Change - Creating Space for Meaningful Transformation’ (2025), and ‘Reinventing Strategic Innovation’ (2025, with Rodger Watson and Barbara Doran)
He lectures at universities and design schools throughout the world, keynotes at the major conferences and is a member of Scientific Advisory Boards and Accreditation Committees, Editorial Boards etc... The research centres that the founded and led, (a.o. the Design Innovation and Designing Out Crime Research Centres) have attracted about 8 mln AU$ in the last 10 years in consultancy and research funding. He has been instrumental in setting up six innovative degree programs: Interaction Design (HKU, 1991), Industrial Design (TU Eindhoven, Ba 2001, Ma 2004), Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (UTS, 2014), Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Innovation (UTS, 2016) and the Master of Creative Intelligence and Strategic Innovation (UTS, 2020). He is now working on the new Design Minor at Princeton University.
Over the years his focus has developed to the use of designerly ways of thinking outside the traditional design domains – in particular as applied to the hyper-complex problems of the networked society. He has developed a set of methodologies to support these processes, experimenting with them in practice through the research centres and degree programs he founded.
Host
Jodi Forlizzi