Design and Policy: an attempt for disambiguation of concepts through issue mapping and digital methods

Abstract

Over the last ten years, design approaches have been appearing as a central issue in the public sector. At the same time, diverse actors in design but also in the policy disciplines have been producing content using the words design and policy from their own perspective. Consequently, these couple of concepts have been paired in diverse forms, creating new terms and variety of meanings.

This theoretical research aimed to identify the features of some of the terms resulting from the combination of the words design and policy. Seeking to outline the differences among them and contribute to a common basis for their use. For this purpose, the tools of digital methods and issue mapping (such as Google search engine) were used. These methods served to identify some of the terms in relation to the actors and their social significance.

As a result, five terms were identified: design policy, policy by design, design for policy, policy design and design in policy. The data processing and a further analysis allowed to characterize three main streams of significance. One, the inclusion of design in innovation policies. Two, the design of policies, and three, the use of design approaches in policy.