Founded in 2007, the Design Principles & Practices Research Network grew from early collaborations among universities and professional communities seeking to understand how design operates across cultural, technological, and social systems. Over nearly two decades, the Network has become a leading interdisciplinary platform for examining design as a mode of inquiry, a driver of innovation, and a catalyst for social and environmental transformation. Its work brings together designers, educators, researchers, and practitioners to explore how design generates knowledge, shapes experience, and intervenes in complex real-world contexts.
The International Conference on Design Principles & Practices convenes annually with a new host institution, creating a dynamic forum for cross-disciplinary dialogue. Previous hosts include Universitat Politècnica de València, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Sapienza University of Rome, and institutions across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The conference welcomes presentations in both English and Spanish, reflecting the multilingual and international character of contemporary design research and practice.
The Design Principles and Practices Journal Collection publishes peer-reviewed research examining the theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, and practical implications of design. Articles explore design’s roles in innovation, systems thinking, material and immaterial practices, cultural production, and human-centered inquiry. All submissions undergo double-anonymous, rubric-guided peer review, with constructive feedback designed to strengthen conceptual rigor and relevance to interdisciplinary audiences. The Collection maintains a clear pathway from conference participation and Knowledge Community contributions to full peer-reviewed publication and accepts submissions in both English and Spanish.
The Design Principles & Practices Book Imprint publishes monographs and edited volumes that investigate design as inquiry, intervention, and social practice. Volumes bridge research and applied creativity, addressing topics such as design ethics, systems design, design for social innovation, participatory approaches, and emerging design methodologies. English- and Spanish-language projects are supported, including regionally grounded studies that contribute to global design scholarship.
The Design Principles & Practices Research Network’s Member Knowledge Community on CGScholar is a year-round hub for member engagement—keeping profiles, projects, and conversations in motion. Built for collaboration, it features a multimodal authoring environment and light, community-guided review to strengthen clarity, purpose, and relevance before sharing. Works in progress sit alongside programs, recordings, and calls, connecting conference presentations with our journals and book imprint, and offering structured pathways for ongoing participation and publication across design research, methods, and professional practice. A dedicated Spanish-language community supports members who wish to post, review, and publish entirely in Spanish.
The Network is co-chaired by Prof. Lorenzo Imbesi and Dr. Loredana Di Lucchio, both of Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy. Their leadership reflects the Network’s dual commitment to design theory and design practice—bridging academic rigor with creative experimentation and cross-cultural collaboration.
Partnerships extend the Network’s member-based, scholar-led mission—linking universities, design schools, cultural institutions, and professional organizations that share our commitment to advancing design knowledge and practice. Through these collaborations, the conference, our journals, and our book imprint form a continuous, global conversation on design as both inquiry and application.
