What we do

Design United actively participates in policy development and serves as a point of contact for industry partners and businesses. Deeply rooted in academia, Design United partners with CLICKNL and the Dutch Design Foundation to disseminate scientific design knowledge.

Shifting needs and design

Design is a powerful tool to understand and respond to a rapidly evolving world and increasingly used to shape the future. With this power comes a responsibility for designers to work together. Design United does just this

Design research

Design United is at the forefront of design research, bridging the gap between academia and industry through knowledge building and dissemination. In order to meet the growing challenges of an ever-changing world, design practitioners must be equipped with the latest tools, concepts, and methodology with a primary focus on people, technology, and business. Design Research plays a pivotal role in developing innovative solutions to these complex social and economic issues. As a relatively young academic discipline, it combines and integrates knowledge from different fields, providing context and insight to the design process.

Mission

Design United is committed to helping design practitioners in the Netherlands gain a stronger and more strategic position in the field of design through the development and dissemination of knowledge. Design United fosters a shared understanding of Design Research, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and experiences in the design community, and significantly contributes to enhancing the quality of design research.

As the platform for Design Research in the Netherlands, Design United is the leading authority in its field. The organization actively participates in policy development and serves as a point of contact for industry partners and businesses. Design United partners with CLICKNL, the knowledge and innovation network for the creative industries in the Netherlands.

Activities

In order to bridge the gap between design research institutes and the design community, Design United performs the following core activities:

Organizing researcher-targeted events geared toward the exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of Design Research.

Disseminating new and existing knowledge within the design community through various initiatives such as the Design Research & Innovation Festival, knowledge symposia, exhibitions, and publications.

Initiating roundtable talks between (senior) 4TU researchers and leading representatives of the design sector and industry to identify the demand for knowledge within the community, formulate research topics and establish consortia.

Responsible for all communication, networking, and organizational activities of the Research Centre.