Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

Building a Team103Design LeadBeing a leader means knowing when to listen and when toask for help, and being able to break deadlocks by making aconfident decision. We recruit strategic designers who exhibitthese qualities and are comfortable working in a subject areaon which they do not necessarily possess any specific expertise.The Design Lead’s job is to keep the Studio focused andmoving. In some cases this includes stepping in to make decisionswhen differing opinions amongst the Studio team areinhibiting the synthetic process. In this manner, the DesignLead role is more active than that of a facilitator.In contrast to a facilitator, the designers are part of theteam rather than outside of it. They are expected to bringtheir expertise and experience to the table by actively contributinglike everyone else. This includes guiding the synthesisprocess as well as being able to comment on the cultural andsocial consequences of material decisions.The background of these individuals will be varied andthere is no particular field of design that is more likely toattract those who exhibit the qualities we have mentionedhere. Currently, even the world's best design schools are notyet educating designers specifically for this kind of work.Broadly speaking, the best designers for this role willhave the ability to conceive of and critique systems, a deepunderstanding of material culture, and be able to respectfullylead the conversation during the week.IncentivesDepending on who you recruit for the Studio, the questionof incentives is likely to come up. Although we paidthe participants in our 2010 Studios and believe that it is anessential part of respecting the time of your Studio members,you are likely to find that the opportunity to approach issuesfrom a new angle and to experience a new way of working isitself very attractive when offered to the right individuals.