From wicked problem to design problem: Developing actionable briefs and solution opportunities through a collaborative, multidisciplinary design-led approach

This paper argues that using a design-led approach is highly beneficial when tackling complex problems to transform ambiguity into actionable design briefs and solution opportunities. This is evidenced by way of an ongoing project with a large public-sector organisation. Northumbria University’s School of Design academic experts use design-led approaches to innovation that promote ‘creative fusion’ between diverse stakeholders in order to tackle ‘wicked problems’. The authors continue this work as part of an AHRC/ERDF-funded programme entitled Creative Fuse North East (CFNE), along with five regional universities, of which the project discussed here is a part. The main objective of which is to develop and deploy approaches to innovation that apply skills from creative graduates to benefit the wider creative economy, address barriers to innovation and promote growth and sustainability within and without of the Creative, Digital and IT sector (CDIT). It will be argued that to do this it is vital to convert stakeholders into co-creation activists empowered with the creative confidence required to speculate about uncertain futures.