Designing the Transition

The urgent need for sustainable transformation calls for innovative approaches that integrate design as a strategic force for systemic change. Designing the Transition explores how design can build capacities for individuals, organizations, and ecosystems, enabling them to navigate the complexities of sustainability transitions. Structured in two parts, the book first introduces the ECODeCK project, a design-driven capacitybuilding model developed to support sustainable transitions in the manufacturing sector. This section outlines its theoretical underpinnings, including the Sustainable Transition Competence framework and the role of design in transformative learning.
The second part articulates seven key design perspectives, each addressing a critical dimension of sustainability: participatory action, collaborative systems, regenerative creativity, organizational culture, circular manufacturing, learning processes, and systemic change. These perspectives illustrate how design can facilitate innovation, cultural shifts, and strategic interventions across different levels, from individual behaviours to broader systemic transformations, positioning design not only as a problem solving tool but as a mindset capable of enabling transitions toward a more resilient and sustainable future.