Exnovation and Power Dynamics

Stine Moons, Esther Noëth, and Maud Gruyters

This workshop is part of the research that looks into the ways design strategies can be used to “design the end.” Apart from defining the essential features of the old system that need to be maintained, as is already described in the Three Horizons framework (Sharpe et al., 2016), we looked into additional approaches to “design away” the established practices.

An exnovation process consisting of different design strategies was developed, taking into account the characteristics of socio-technical transitions and the specificities of Horizon 1 and existing of four main stages, i.e. (i) diagnosing the system and evaluating the status quo, (ii) visualising an empty future, (iii) designing the destabilisation, (iv) designing (for) the end (Noëth et al., 2023). We use the work of Flor Avelino (2021) to look at the exnovation process from a power dynamics perspective.

Changing power structures is an inevitable part of exnovation: the power in the system will be diffused, (de)centralised and/or recentralised throughout different parts of the process. Moreover, the impact and the direction of the exnovation process will be strongly determined by who sets the agenda. Handling these changes in power structure with deliberation and intention is critical for a successful transition. Apart from other actors, the designer also holds power over the direction, nuances and criticalities of the process, especially during analysis, visualisation, or as a facilitator. As a final discussion, the question of the role of design in exnovation processes and in depowering regimes is debated.

KEYWORDS: transition design, power dynamics, three horizons framework, exnovation