DESIS-lab Melbourne is a space to talk, share ideas, approaches and opportunities. This enables to think differently, be inspired, be excited and hopefully tackle the various ‘wicked problems’ we encounter in work/lives in a more effective way.
As part of the international network, Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability (DESIS), DESIS-Lab Melbourne was established in 2012 and has focused on building partnerships with design practitioners, academic researchers, industry and public institutions to collaborate, share knowledge and make the contribution of design for social innovation and sustainability visible at a national and international platform. DESIS-lab Melbourne currently has over 200 members and is supported by major design academic institutions in Melbourne including RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria University, Melbourne University, Monash University.

One of the DESIS-lab projects is the ‘Designing for future designers’ builds on a course piloted with final year Communication Design students in 1st semester 2014 at RMIT University. Developed in partnership with Oxfam’s Design for Change program, students designed communication strategies to engage Australian youth on climate change and food security. The teaching was integrated with research expertise and introduced human-centred design methods to assist student’s learning of design’s role in addressing complex issues.