Design leads discuss imperatives to boost nature connectedness

“Our mission is to shift design activity to as early as possible in the innovation journey, because that is where it brings the most value,” says Innovate UK’s Head of Design, Harry Kerr who oversees the new ‘Design to Deliver’ initiative.

“But a major issue we have is in the understanding of why design is important,” he continues, explaining that many small businesses developing products or services focus solely on the solution they offer, rather than designing it around the needs of end users.

“For me, good design helps to make sure that what SMEs are doing is actually wanted, and is going to address a real world problem.”

Harry Kerr, Head of Design, Innovate UK

Harry adds that design can give small- to medium-sized companies (SMEs) a competitive edge; helping them to increase their understanding of customers’ needs and supply chains, and making their products more likely to be adopted. In the UK, there are 5.5 million SMEs, according to Government figures.

He points out that while most innovation fails, design done well can provide clear feedback as to why an idea may not have worked. He adds that “design is creativity, with intention driven by insight”.

Design to Deliver is a collaboration between three Catapult centres; and the programme is developed with and funded by Innovate UK. Design to Deliver also features three location partners and six design consultancies. Together, these organisations will work to develop solutions with 12 SMEs.

Earlier this month, the SMEs selected to join the first Design to Deliver cohort were announced. The programme is focussed around three challenges for SMEs to address; each overseen by a different Catapult. The challenges are ‘Collective solutions for wild urban places’ led by Connected Places Catapult; ‘Informed choices for nature positive actions’ led by Digital Catapult; and ‘Space-enabled information for a thriving world’ led by Satellite Applications Catapult.

Regenerating nature has been chosen as the focus for the programme as the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world (State of Nature report, 2023). It is hoped this can be addressed partly by designing products and services to reconnect people with nature and support data-driven
decision making.

Wild urban places

Connected Design Team Lead, Pete Broadbent from Connected Places Catapult says the programme will help to translate theoretical design principles and put them into practice; and prove to small companies “that their products and services will be better if they work closely with the design industry”.

He adds that SMEs do not tend to use design thinking to explore what problems they are trying to resolve, and that Design to Deliver will give innovators access to high calibre design consultants.

Pete adds that making use of location partners with identified challenges not only allows SMEs to apply their challenges to a specific place, but for their input to be monitored over time. Innovators working alongside Connected Places Catapult and chosen to trial their solutions for wild urban places will do so in and around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London.

“Part of the missing link here is understanding how local communities use urban spaces, and what is important to them; such as whether the grass should be grown longer to protect bees or cut to allow kids to play football.”

Pete Broadbent, Connected Design Team Lead, Connected Places Catapult

A successful outcome for Pete would be if solutions tried out at the Olympic Park can be scaled for use elsewhere and lead to commercial success for SMEs.

Nature positive actions

Challenge two in Design to Deliver is ‘Informed choices for nature positive actions’ led by Digital Catapult. Its Head of Design, Elmer Zinkhann says he is keen to “demonstrate the value of design to those who can benefit from the thoughtful approaches and confidence that's inherent in design interventions and decisions”.

When it comes to protecting nature and encouraging people to interact with it, Elmer says: “technology is out there, but the difficulty is lots of people don’t feel they are empowered by it, or see how it fits into their lives, or understand how they can change their behaviours or attitudes towards nature. Design can start to uncover behaviours and elicit the right ones.”

New ideas chosen for trial are set to be showcased at a housing estate called Knowle West in Bristol, described by Elmer as “a ready-made community of people that want to make a change to understand how innovation and behaviour change can support their community”. It is, he adds, “a space that requires innovation to thrive”.

He says that using new thinking to regenerate nature is important because “we are probably at a cliff-edge in time, where we need to make sure nature is there for us and future generations. We don’t want to live in an environment where it’s a rarity to see animals.”

When considering the companies developing their ideas through the programme, he adds that they are working towards allowing “for informed decisions to be made much better, and quicker”. Elmer adds that SMEs are often focused on solving problems, but those who engage with the programme could help to bring solutions to market faster.

Space-enabled information

The third challenge in the Design to Deliver competition is ‘Space-enabled information for a thriving world’ and is led by Satellite Applications Catapult.

Head of it's User Centre Design Team, Catherine Greene, explains that satellite monitoring is a key tool in helping to understand the health of an environment or habitat – such as the ocean or a heathland – by comparing what is there now with what has come before – and using that information as a benchmark for looking forward.

“We have so much data available, but the question is how that data can be made accessible to inform decision making,” she says. Catherine adds that through its location partner, many land owners, forestry and environmental groups will be consulted.

She adds that Design to Deliver will help SMEs to think through the problems they are trying to address, better understand how to prioritise what is important, and make decisions that help to ensure their product or service will be fit for market.

The potential value from Earth observation data could reach over $700 billion by 2030 according to the World Economic Forum and Deloitte, with over $550 billion of value tied to applications with sustainability benefits.

“A successful outcome for the programme will be if we can help push ideas forward so that SMEs can overcome the ‘Valley of Death’ curve – the period where a business has begun operations but is yet to generate revenue – and help create products that are commercially viable,” she explains. “With more data people, communities and organisations will be enabled to make more nature friendly decisions that have a positive impact on our environment.”

Catherine Greene, Head of User Centre Design Team, Satellite Applications Catapult

Read more about the SMEs selected to join the first Design to Deliver cohort. SMEs interested in future rounds of the programme are encouraged to sign up to receive updates via the programme page.