#38 | Robert Fabricant | Driving social innovation

Designdrives

“Design is a privilege - As designers we have been given a space to question. And a belief that we have a role to play in changing the world around us. And most people don’t come in with those opportunities.” Robert on both opportunity and reponsibility of being a designer.

In episode #38 we talk with Robert Fabricant, Co-Founder & Partner at Dalberg Design in New York, and former VP of Creative at Frog.

With 25 years of experience in design, including 15 years co-leading the design team at Frog, Robert’s design work has spanned everything from interactive environments and virtual worlds to medical devices and civic services.

Most recently he is using his experience in human-centred design to work on social issues, social innovation through collaboration and empowering local stakeholders in the process.

In this episode, Robert shares about the process, importance and outcomes of social design and innovation.

These days he is leading design teams at Dalberg Design, a unique design and innovation practice focused on social impact, with teams located in London, Mumbai, Nairobi, and New York, aimed at making positive social change for and with under-served communities around the world.

Their projects have been recognised in the 2019 Fast Company World-Changing Ideas Awards. We also discuss his highly acclaimed book, “User Friendly - How the Hidden Rules of Design Are Changing the Way We Live, Work, and Play”, released in 2019 and selected by Amazon as one of the Top 100 books for 2019. Written in collaboration with Cliff Kuang, “User Friendly” unpacks how design has changed the world, and how it shapes our behaviour.

Told through fascinating stories such as what the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island reveals about the logic of the smartphone, “User Friendly” is a must-read for designers and innovators.

Read more about Robert and his work on his website: https://www.fabricant.design

Thank you Robert for the great episode and thanks to Interaction 20, where the episode was recorded and IXDA for the support.

About Interaction 20:

Interaction 20 is the annual Interaction Design conference organized by IxDA - the largest community dedicated to interaction design - and in 2020 hosted by the IxDA Milan & Turin local group. Interaction Week 2020 brought together the brightest minds in design, as well as science, philosophy, psychology and business.

Interaction 2021 will happen fully online. You can get more details here: https://interaction21.ixda.org