Connecting Design Schools and companies in Portugal [Encontro Ciência 20′]

The project “Towards a Design Observatory in Portugal: Models, Instruments, Representations and Strategies” aims to collect, map and interpret data on the Design ecosystem in Portuguese territory, to promote the discipline and influence public policies. Starting from existing European Design ecosystem models, we demonstrate through a numerical study carried out with Design doctorates undertaken in Portugal, the importance of being the community – actors of the design ecosystem – to observe and interpret the productions carried out in Design, in a participatory effort. It is an analytical study that uses numerical evidence at the service of Design, to develop and propose concrete actions in order to improve its communication. After the conclusion of this first cycle of observation and representation, in which we navigate between systemic (top-down) and participatory (bottom-up) approaches, the observation scope was enlarged to Design companies in the country. This project is in line with SDG#9 “industry, innovation and infrastructures” and aims to reinforce research and innovation in Design.

Costa, N.; Branco, V.; Costa, R.; Borges, A.; Modesto, A.; Cunca, R.; Silva, A. (2020), Connecting Design Schools and companies in Portugal, Encontro da Ciência, 3-4 November, Lisbon, Portugal