The values underpinning the global textile industry are continuing to transform because of globalisation, sustainability and technological progress. This is enabled by the changes within the discipline of design itself, through the impact of design thinking on business management and leadership (Cooper et al, 2015), a move towards co-creation rather than individual authorship (Sanders, 2013; Sanders and Stappers, 2014), smart technologies (Taylor and Robertson, 2014), and greater attention to how we meet today's social needs through design (Thackera, 2013; Manzini, 2015). This paper is concerned with the impact of transformation upon the role of the textile designer and design educator. Discussion draws on recent design research in Smart Textiles, E-Co Textiles and the sustainability agenda, future craft and designer's thinking, revealing a set of values underpinning the contemporary craft of textile design, facilitating a conversation as to how they relate to the active concept of authenticity.

Design has a potential to envision alternative futures for health care through new forms of innovation. In this paper, we propose a strategic framework for fostering a culture of design thinking for social innovation in health care. Drawing upon the theory of design (and its thinking), in conjunction with global and national health care strategies, and policies, we critically reflect on two pedagogical approaches for enhancing the curriculum in design as a means of discussing the need for new thinking in health (namely Design Sprint and Product Design). Findings to date suggest that new mechanisms of knowledge acquisition, application and exploration are needed to address the complex challenges facing social and health care. Referring to the national health care strategies, connections are made with design thinking, social innovation, health and social care to facilitate a transition from applying design as a process to applying design as a strategy for cultural transformation.

The increasing complexities of societal problems require the involvement of multiple stakeholders, in both business and governmental processes. A lot of personal ice-breaking exercises, which create empathy amongst stakeholders, have been proposed to improve results of collaborative processes. Next to this, tools have been developed to inform multi-stakeholder collaborating groups about their value network. However, there is lack of methods and tools to facilitate 'professional empathy' among different stakeholders, which means stakeholders do not know of one another what they are willing to give and take within this collaborative environment. This paper synthesizes research from both organizational theories and case study results, in which the prototype 'Empathy Hive' was used, to propose optimal conditions for the creation of 'professional empathy' in the early stages of multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Abstract:Purpose: this paper assesses the effectiveness of a research and development programme on improving craft practice through the provision of mentoring by academic practitioners, studio space and advice on marketing techniques.Design/methodology/approach: following an initial focus group investigation of issues which impinge on contemporary craft practice, recipients of a bursary associated with the research and development programme were assessed with respect to how their craft and marketing competencies have developed.Findings: practitioners can now reflect on their skills, experiment with techniques and consider the effectiveness of their approach and attitude towards marketing.Research limitations/implications: the programme only extends to practitioners working with one art and design institution but has implications for those concerned with creative practice elsewhere. Practical implications:there is wider potential to reinvigorate artistic and marketing practice across the creative and cultural industries, and the small and medium enterprise community in general.Social implications: the role of the third level art and design institution extends into the social world through its ability to challenge existing practices and develop more creative and innovative alternatives. Originality/value: this is a novel programme which challenges experienced practitioners to extend their creative abilities in craft and approaches to marketing.

Knowledge economies possess a number of key characteristics that require designers to work and cope with the growing occurrence of unpredictable scenarios. To mindfully engage in an uncertain world, student designers must develop critical thinking, social interaction and the ability to manifest design in a diversity of professional and industrial sectors. They need to develop the ability to equip themselves with the skill of sustaining and renewing knowledge throughout their careers. This demands that design extend its teaching beyond revealing the origins and nature of design to include skills of interrogation, which allow individuals to challenge existing and established theories and practices.The intention of this paper is to articulate a teaching and learning philosophy for contemporary design, and exemplify practice through design projects and skill development from one postgraduate design programme. It discusses the philosophy of mindfulness and refers to the activities of rhetoric and visual thinking as means of nurturing communication of the designer's thinking. The nature rather than the content of teaching and learning is of key concern, and as such the practicalities of teaching and applying mindful learning are referred to but purposefully not described, analysed or argued for. In closing, a new strategy for design teaching and learning is proposed.