Design for next Challenges

As we know, several contemporary shifts in society, technology, production are reframing Design processes, approaches and tools. And while professionals, educators, researchers are questioning about Design methods, tools, experiences, moving from to study the near past to define the next stage of innovation, Design as knowledge is evolving as a wide-open field with many applications and meanings. According to this awareness, when for the Twelfth edition of the International Conference of the European Academy of Design (www.designfornext.org), it has been launched the topic 'Design for Next.', the aim was to tackle the social, technological and industrial shifts of the future. But in 'Design for Next.', 'next' is not only a question of future, it implies the concept of proximity as well as of destination, related to time and to physical space. Asking to the international Design community 'What is Design for the next? And what is the next' focus of Design?', we would like to discover future fields of investigation and practices in Design.