Introduction to the Proceedings of RSD9—Systemic Design for Well-Being

The RSD9 symposium theme was Systemic Design for Well-Being: From human to humane, marked by compassion and empathy not only for humans, living beings and our cultures but our natural world and surroundings.

RSD9 Week was hosted by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India. It was held October 9-17, 2020, representing a full week of online paper presentations, workshops, complex visualizations (Gigamaps), panels and conversations.

The RSD9 Symposium was planned as the first Asian conference in RSD history, attendant to huge anticipation for its hosting by Praveen Nahar and faculty and students of the National Institute of Design. As with most conferences held in 2020, the plans and presentation styles were completely reimagined due to the pandemic. Not only did the conference proceed with an innovative online format and experience, but it was also attended by nearly double to typical RSD attendance, with 535 registered participants, due to the accessible online format.

RSD online was a truly experiential, participatory, mindful, and networked community event available across the globe. The event made the very best of the challenge of testing new formats for sharing, learning and networking creatively and innovatively, providing a high-quality, inexpensive, and travel-free experience for all. Proof of the quality of the experience is found in the extraordinary and vibrant materials and videos of the event.

RSD9 Photos