The first exhibition of the SocialDesignSite at DesignMai was also
the first chance to present the work and projects to the press and
general public. The aim of the event was to promote the site and raise
awareness of social design to a wider audience. In addition, the event
aimed to bring project owners together and establish contacts.
Flyers, e-mails, invitations, USB sticks, all containing detailed information about the exhibition, were some of the media largely circulated both around press and the general public, with positive response and enthusiasm.
The Open Space event was a success. Around 30 participants had the opportunity to discuss topics concerning Social Design. It proved to be a lively discussion, which lasted throughout the 4-hour event. During the workshops, participants raised various questions:
Is the term “Design” chosen properly in this context? How can
“Social Design” really help people? What is “Social Design” really good
for? Is “Social Design” a mirror of society? “Social Design” – are we
really the creators of our own social reality? Where are the interfaces
between Social Design and Product Design? These questions were
explored in different workshops during the forum and the results of
each workshop were presented to all participants at the end.
The Open Space as an example of a social design technique was also considered in one of the workshops. The participants found the Open Space to be a helpful method to interact, participate and learn about various topics that could be of public interest in open and democratic societies.
