56 

 

 

 
 

 

 
https://www.designforsocialchange.org/journal/index.php/DISCERN-J 

 

ISSN 2184-6995 

 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 

International License. 

 

  

 

 
 

Book review: Design for social innovation: Case studies from  
around the world 
 
Claire Pillar 
 

Published online: May 2023 

 
To cite this article:  

Pillar, C. (2023). Book Review: Design for social innovation: Case studies from around the world.  

Discern: International Journal of Design for Social Change, Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 

4(1), 56-58. 
 

 

  



 

57 

 

Book review: Design for social innovation: Case studies from around  
the world 
 
Claire Pillara 

 
aArt + Design: elearning lab, Cyprus University of Technology. claire.pillar@gmail.com 

 

      

              

 

Amatullo, M., Boyer, B., May, J., & Shea, A., Eds. (2022). Design for social innovation: Case 

studies from around the world. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003021360 418 pp. 

 

Featuring 45 case studies from 6 continents, this book is a snapshot of design for social innovation. An 

extensive introduction from the editors considers the boundaries and difficulties in projects based on 

design for social innovation: “With countless pilot projects, startups, and labs that have come and gone, the 

question is how the sustainability of design for social innovation practices can be enhanced. If that’s a 

question you care about, this book is for you”, they note. 

 

The editors’ intention for this book was to understand how design for social innovation can be sustainable. 

The case studies included resulted from a global survey and include projects from Africa, Asia, Europe, 

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003021360


 

58 

 

North and South America, Oceania and a few cross-continent projects. 

 

A key concern is measuring the impact of design for social innovation projects. The editors found 37 

different methods of measuring the impact of design for social innovation work, and ask: Is it reasonable to 

use the logics of yesterday to assess outcomes that represent elements of tomorrow? Issues their panel 

discussion identified were that DSI takes place at the intersections of disciplines and sectors with the 

involvement of many stakeholders; consultancy-based work is mismatched to goals of DSI initiatives and 

many factors are worked through as such projects progress.  

 

While the projects presented in the book were mainly funded by government or the third sector, the 

editors were encouraged that a third of the cases were funded by fee for service.  

 

The volume is a useful combination of ‘how we did our design for social innovation’ with panel discussion 

on issues facing design for social innovation. 


	https://www.designforsocialchange.org/journal/index.php/DISCERN-J
	ISSN 2184-6995
	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
	Book review: Design for social innovation: Case studies from  around the world
	Claire Pillar
	Published online: May 2023
	To cite this article:  Pillar, C. (2023). Book Review: Design for social innovation: Case studies from around the world.  Discern: International Journal of Design for Social Change, Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 4(1), 56-58.
	Book review: Design for social innovation: Case studies from around  the world
	Claire Pillara
	aArt + Design: elearning lab, Cyprus University of Technology. claire.pillar@gmail.com
	Amatullo, M., Boyer, B., May, J., & Shea, A., Eds. (2022). Design for social innovation: Case studies from around the world. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003021360 418 pp.
	Featuring 45 case studies from 6 continents, this book is a snapshot of design for social innovation. An extensive introduction from the editors considers the boundaries and difficulties in projects based on design for social innovation: “With countle...
	The editors’ intention for this book was to understand how design for social innovation can be sustainable. The case studies included resulted from a global survey and include projects from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, Oceania and a ...
	A key concern is measuring the impact of design for social innovation projects. The editors found 37 different methods of measuring the impact of design for social innovation work, and ask: Is it reasonable to use the logics of yesterday to assess out...
	While the projects presented in the book were mainly funded by government or the third sector, the editors were encouraged that a third of the cases were funded by fee for service.
	The volume is a useful combination of ‘how we did our design for social innovation’ with panel discussion on issues facing design for social innovation.