ABSTRACT
Scientists have referred to the second decade of the 21st century as the decade of determination, in which the stakes could not be higher to come to terms with planet Earth’s finite nature and fragility. Climate emergency, economic pressures, systemic racism, and geopolitical strife have created a confluence of challenges and multiple crises that most of us have not experienced before in our lifetimes. As we increasingly observe the limitations of the existing mental models that often govern our traditional management practices, the cognitive flexibility we find in design as a field of knowledge and research promises new opportunities for optimism, learning, and hope. If we embrace design attitude as a holistic orientation that underlies design praxis, we can advocate for the concept of flourishing with renewed commitment. This promise is worth holding onto as we meet the challenge of the coming years with creative confidence—and by design.
