Centre for Design Innovation launches at Swinburne

‌‌The Centre for Design Innovation (CDI) has officially launched at Swinburne University of Technology’s Hawthorn campus.

The CDI provides a client-focused research capability in response to the demand for serious design research and development.

It is a hub that links researchers with industries and communities to enable user focused, design led innovation

“How successfully our world and systems work for us is a question of design,” Centre Director, Associate Professor Kurt Seemann, says.

“It’s one thing to design, it’s another thing to have that design used and valued, and this means more carefully targeted research.”

Associate Professor Seemann sees the CDI as a place to investigate and validate the key factors that underpin designs of products, services, systems, habitats and symbols to help drive user uptake and impact. 

“With the CDI, we are nurturing a new breed of design innovation researchers who are specialists in applied synthesis to maximise meaningful outcome for clients and communities.”

Innovative research underway

The CDI is working on a variety of projects including:

• Smart Cap and Gear that looks at sensing devices and smart wearables designed to monitor and improve health and sports performance.
• Humanitarian Habitat and Design thataims to understand the human experience design factors that affect how people respond to both established habitat design, including urban and rural towns.
• Future Self and Design Living Lab that looks at design for ageing in the context of real facilities – this project has received international recognition from the European Network of Living Labs.
• Project Geldom that looks at the use of new materials to increase condom usage and decrease the spread of sexually transmitted infections. 

Keep up to date with the CDI and view the full list of projects.

Media enquiries