Making design knowledge democracy happen

This paper’s objective is to envision new design teaching and learning systems, offering a vision through the exploration of a model based on the “Research Through Co-Design” (RTC) theory, in order to understand how the model and the related perspectives can improve future design education experiences whilst encompassing equal, peaceful and inclusive societies. We propose a reflection based on the concept of “design knowledge democracy” as a reference point for thinking about innovative training and education systems in design. We argue that contemporary design research should take into consideration the concept of knowledge democracy before embarking on how to train people to be sensitive to design. Therefore, this paper tries to explain how the RTC model can represent a knowledge strategy for envisioning future design education systems based on the RTC theory and the concept of design knowledge democracy. The RTC theory is based on the control system theory and research through design mechanism as a second order cybernetics system. This paper reports findings and reflections discussed in two international conferences where the model was used as a speculative design. During this speculative research process, findings highlighted the opportunity to consider the co-design process in the RTC process as a neural network (a brain) of the system. Therefore, the RTC theory can support the introduction of the design knowledge democracy through the RTC model that can facilitate the building of knowledge strategies for envisioning future design research, education and practice paths. Finally, some implications for new design education systems are also discussed.