Abstract
There is an emerging discourse on the adoption of design methods as a core practice across various fields (Coughlan et al., 2007; Mahmoud-Jouini et al., 2019). Despite shared goals, civil organizations often still operate in a fragmented manner, which limits their collective impact. Because of the lack of a shared language, barriers to collaboration between designers and NGOs remain a significant concern. Hence, creating easier pathways for collaboration should be a priority moving forward (Nandan et al., 2020). This study explores the role of social and speculative design in enabling NGOs to engage meaningfully in the design space. These organizations often encounter challenges in adopting co-design and co-creation frameworks because of a lack of design expertise and the fragmentation of stakeholder networks. The author proposes that a facilitative role for designers (Minder & Heidemann Lassen, 2017), involving a shift from creators to enablers, can support NGOs in navigating design processes more meaningfully by placing the emphasis on their autonomy. Using a case study of a feminist NGO ecosystem in Central Europe, the specificities of a network of organizations working on gender equality and women’s empowerment are analyzed. Through participatory research and interventions driven by speculative design and social design, the study demonstrates how structured facilitation fosters collaboration, enhances resource sharing, and aligns strategic goals. The findings suggest that by acting as intermediaries, facilitators, or trainers, designers can bridge gaps in knowledge, language, and process, empowering NGOs to become active adaptors of co-design principles. This approach strengthens inter-organizational cooperation, allowing civil actors to shape solutions rather than rely on external expertise delivered through training and practice.
About the Author:
Janka Csernák DLA is a social designer and design researcher currently leading the Society & Action Lab at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest. Her background of product design, concept design, and curatorship for diverse audiences has informed her work in social design since 2015.
Her research focuses on the relationship between gender and social design, speculative design, and social innovation. In addition to teaching multidisciplinary social design courses in Zagreb (ALU), Gent (KASK), Tallinn (EKA), and conducting workshops during hackathons and summer universities, she is also a co-founder of the Social Design Network. She received the Fondation Jacques Rougerie Award in 2013, and the Hungarian Design Award for several projects in 2014 and 2015.
Contact: csernak.janka@mome.hu
