Please introduce yourself, your role in the DRS and your research.
I am an Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Research in the Division of Industrial Design at the National University of Singapore. I lead the Service Design Lab Singapore, a research group focused on conducting constructive design research through service design projects as interventions. In 2024, I was elected as a member of DRS’ International Advisory Council (IAC).
Prior to joining Singapore, I did my doctoral study in Finland, at Aalto University, after my BSc and MSc studies at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). During this journey across the continents, I had a long-term interest in observing how design logic is developed in certain parts of the world and imported by other parts of the world, and how it evolves- or dissolves- in distinct ways. This exploration led me to publish a book on “Plurality and Cultural Specificity of Service Design in Asia”. My recent work applies service design principles to emerging technologies, such as AI, digital twins, and autonomous vehicles, aiming to inform the co-creative, ecosystemic, and ethical development.
Could you talk about the initiatives you’re involved with in the DRS and any upcoming events you’d like to share?
As a member of the IAC, I am involved in the working group of “Plurality, Diversity and Inclusion (PDI)”, aiming to embed PDI approaches within all DRS events and publications. I will also be assisting the development of a new journal alongside the wonderful fellows of the IAC. One of my interests for the DRS community is to promote pluralistic approaches in design—particularly in service design—across diverse regions. This initiative aims to advance the decolonization of service design practices, establishing them as dynamic and contextually responsive capabilities. It is essential to cultivate reflective sensitivity within communities, especially those adopting external design practices, encouraging them to critically assess their approaches and strategize for sustainable impact.
The upcoming IASDR 2025 conference in Taiwan will be a pivotal event to amplify underrepresented voices, raise awareness, and collaboratively envision future directions. I will serve as one of the co-chairs of the “Service Design for Public Service Policy” track at the conference.
What do you see as the benefits of being involved with the DRS and how can those interested become more involved in the Society?
My involvement with the DRS keeps me informed on the latest and most critical discussions within design research communities, continuously enriching and shaping my own research programs—particularly through conferences, SIGs and publication archives.
DRS offers practical opportunities for collaboration with like-minded individuals internationally through SIGs, affiliated conferences like DRS, IASDR, or NORDES, and various events such as PhD courses, seminars, and reading groups. For PhD students and early-career researchers, I highly recommend attending the biannual DRS conferences to engage with emerging topics in design, network with established and up-and-coming scholars, and increase your visibility in the field.
DRS Digital Library Picks
Prakash, S. (2022) Preparing for the pluriverse: Embracing critical self-reflection in service design practice, in Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, 25 June - 3 July, Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.566
- If you’re interested in the notion of pluriversity in service design and public sector design, this is a go-to paper. Prakash addresses how public sector service designers can integrate a culturally pluralistic perspective in their work, particularly when dealing with diverse communities. The paper highlights a gap in design practice where the cultural assumptions of designers may not align with those of the people they serve. The author offers a model helping a feedback loop of critical self-reflection within design, to help bridge this cultural gap.
Nilsson, F., and Vink, J. (2024) Critical Design Soaps: Resisting the Aesthetic Hygiene of Popular Design Methods, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.207
- Design communities have observed an overreliance on methods, especially with the widespread of Design Thinking among non-design practitioners. This paper offers a thought-provoking critique of mainstream design methodologies and explores how the "aesthetic hygiene" embedded in popular practices often limits the depth of critical engagement with social and cultural issues. The authors propose a playful yet rigorous approach to disrupt normative design aesthetics and foster meaningful dialogue. And it is a purely enjoyable read.
Baek, J., Yee, J., and Akama, Y. (2018) Editorial: Designing Social Innovation in Cultural Diversity and with Sensitivity, in Storni, C., Leahy, K., McMahon, M., Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Design as a catalyst for change - DRS International Conference 2018, 25-28 June, Limerick, Ireland. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.007
- This is an Editorial piece from one of the DRS’18 Special Tracks facilitated by colleagues who are co-founders and participants of a research network called Design and Social Innovation in Asia-Pacific (DESIAP). This Editorial, along with the papers featured in this Special Track, draws inspiration from postcolonial theory, feminist studies and cultural theory, and challenges an entrenched legacy of research towards replicable, generalizable knowledge and the Eurocentric design logic. The editors highlight the significance of embracing a pluralistic approach to design situated in diverse cultural contexts, and I believe this perspective represents a critical step toward the sustained growth of design as a discipline and a field.
Kim, S., and Park-Lee, S. (2024) Why we failed: Exploring the context of establishing a living lab in Korea, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.760
- This is one of the rare papers that contribute an Asian discourse on the role of design in the public sector to the global literature. This paper provides a critical examination of the challenges and complexities encountered in implementing a living lab within the Korean context. The authors assert the significance of understanding cultural, institutional, and contextual barriers that can hinder collaborative innovation initiatives and offer insights into how living labs must be tailored to align with local socio-cultural dynamics, rather than relying on generalized models.
Jackson, D., Sievert, J.R., Kim, M., and Bhatnagar, S. (2022) What legal design could be: Towards an expanded practice of inquiry, critique, and action, in Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, 25 June - 3 July, Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.1083
- This Editorial from the DRS’22 Conference Theme Track sheds light on a new contribution area of design, i.e. the law. The Editorial, along with the papers of this track, explores the transformative potential of “legal design” beyond traditional applications. The editors advocate the reimagination of how design can engage with legal systems and emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address systemic issues, democratize access to legal knowledge, and challenge existing power structures. This paper makes a significant contribution to expanding the scope and impact of design, prompting us to reflect and ask, “What’s next?”