Thinking about Indigenous Design (Queensland Design Summit)

Today I’m speaking at the Queensland Design Summit at QUT. Wearing my SEQICC hat, I’m interested in exploring further, the way in which design thinking can stimulate Indigenous businesses participation in the economy.

One of the other questions I’m interested in is, is there an Indigenous design methodology? Is there a way that design is conducted by Murri people that is different from White Australia? My initial response is that it is quite possible that a methodology exists but we’re not at a point where we can articulate it in an explicit sense. The number of Mob working (I’m thinking here of graphic design, interior, architecture, urban design etc) in design is quite small, and the number of those folks engaged in the academy (or more importantly in the area of comment and critique) is even smaller.
There is big picture work being done however in the Indigenous architecture space. Separately both Kevin O’Brien and Linda Kennedy continue to ask important questions around practice.

 

With so much buzz around innovation, startups and big ideas!! I’m always reminded that the Australian playing field is not equal. The gaps in all the social indicators are too wide, and in some cases getting wider.
It’s imperative that for all our work in this area, we remind ourselves that the focus also has to be in making sure that all our people have the opportunity to play in the space. If not this generation then the next.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *