Design Made Better

The Labs

Health
A diverse group of designers and researchers dedicated to advancing the field of design for health. Using applied design-led methodologies to create products, services, experiences and interventions that improve health outcomes and promote wellbeing.

Circularity
The Circularity Lab aims to convene and empower Ireland’s design community to co-create innovative and circular design solutions to the most pressing environmental and societal problems of our time.

Learning
A dynamic and internationally-engaged research hub for design learning. Our researchers aim to push the boundaries of design education and learning, and foster innovative modes of engagement and impact beyond the academy.

Civic
A new national centre for applied design research in public sector transformation. Our work explores how we can (re)build trust in our public services, so that citizens and communities feel motivated and supported to participate in collective decision-making spaces.

How we work

Our design process considers the needs of both people and the planet. Working closely with professionals, institutions and users we draw on a range of perspectives and expertise. We use design tools to map and understand human experiences, to visualise service structures and to share and test new ideas. This approach allows us to develop solutions that are impactful, inclusive and sustainable.

Our research expertise spans a wide spectrum of design disciplines including: Service, Product, Medical, Interaction, Fashion, Jewellery, Textiles, Graphic, Illustration and Moving Image. The value of this diverse expertise can be seen in our ability to research, design and communicate for systems, services, digital interfaces, materials and products