What challenges should designers face now, as found at the GOOD DESIGN AWARDs.

One of the important roles of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD is to discover the possibilities and challenges for the next society. The Focus Issue was created to fulfill this role, and is an initiative dedicated to deepening the important issues that design should face today.

In the Focus Issue, we set “issues" as themes that we believe should be explored through the judging process. While observing the submitted entries, the judges will reflect on the possibilities for the future of society and the role and significance of design, and present their findings as final recommendations after judging.

STEP
1
Discover the possibilities and challenges for the next society from the subjects of application
STEP
2
Determine the issue
STEP
3
Research and analysis based on the issue, and hold discussions with award winners and experts.
STEP
4
Present final recommendations
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Listening to non-human voices to reconstruct the communities along the river – Mattauw Earth Triennial “Gong Jow-Jiun x Yutaka Nakamura”

Yutaka Nakamura, a researcher for the 2023 Focused Issues, mentioned “One Thousand Names of Zeng-wen River, 2022 Mattauw Earth Triennial,” which won a GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD, as an intriguing work from the perspectives of design as well as anthropology. How did they produce the art festival, which reconstructed the communities of humans and non-humans in the basins? Nakamura asked Gong Jow-Jiun, the general curator of this festival, about the production process of the art festival.

2024.03.21
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Why design is expected to be “brave” and “organic” now—Background of the theme of 2023 FOCUSED ISSUES

“Brave Attitude, Organic Design”—This year, GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOCUSED ISSUES has started afresh, with a renewed purpose and process. With a vision of being a “think tank of design,” Focused Issues will capture the “wave” of design behind award-winning works and determine a theme every year. The 2023 theme “Brave Attitude, Organic Design” was determined through a series of screening processes. This article will explore the intention of these words in detail.

2023.10.25
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Brave Attitude, Organic Design: FOCUSED ISSUES theme decided

This year, GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOCUSED ISSUES has started afresh, with a renewed purpose and process. With a vision of being a “think tank of design,” FOCUSED ISSUES will capture the “wave” of design behind award-winning works and determine a theme every year. The 2023 theme “Brave Attitude, Organic Design” was determined through a series of screening processes. What is the intention of this theme?

2023.10.12
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focusedissues2022

2022 - Re-examining the ever-changing “present day”

FOCUSED ISSUES are activities to consider and recommend new possibilities for design through the GOOD DESIGN AWARD screening process. In the FOCUSED ISSUES, we set “issues” as themes that we believe should be explored through the judging process. While observing the subject entries, the directors, selected by the jury, will reflect on the possibilities for the future of society and the role and significance of design, and present their findings as final recommendations after judging.

2023.07.27
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focusedissues2023_001

New Chairperson Talks about Outlook for 2023 Be a “think tank” of design: Why the GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOCUSED ISSUES was renewed—Seiichi Saito, New Chairperson

FOCUSED ISSUES is an activity that considers and recommends new possibilities for design through the GOOD DESIGN AWARD screening process. The GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2023 will see a major change in its structure. Seiichi Saito, this year’s newly appointed chairperson, talks about the updates to FOCUSED ISSUES and the thoughts that went into it.

2023.05.23
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focusedissues2022_1_iishi

Restore the democratic sense of changing something by oneself. Design in which the initiative is passed on and connected

The world is now experiencing a series of unintended events, such as economic upheaval, pandemics, and wars. In a world where the future is uncertain and social values are rapidly changing, what kind of design will be flexible enough to suit changing situations? How can we nurture something important for several decades ahead?

2023.03.09
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focusedissues2022_2_suzuki

Leave space, and leave it to someone else in the end. Trust in users results in the creation of products that people can live with for a long time

The role of design is to find a “just right” relationship between people, the environment, and technology

2023.03.09
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focusedissues2022_3_dominique

Respect for “me” and collaboration between “us”:designing for compatibility between these two

How will the cooperative entity of “we” arise given the assumption of a unique “I”?

2023.03.09
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Everyone becomes a maker and keeps updating “the provisional first place.” Design to solve complicated problems

Complicated problems cannot be solved in a top down manner

2023.03.09
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focusedissues2022_5_laila

A friendly society starts within 10 feet of you. Design that creates a stir through questioning common practices

The path to true inclusive design

2023.03.09
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