Design with Dialogue has hosted two Kaos Pilots in recent months, founder Uffe Elbaeck in October and Bruce Mau KP intern Jonas Skafte. We admit to being enchanted with their loosely-defined Chaordic project process and their action-oriented learning preference.

In recent discussions I have asserted the Kaos Pilot program is one of the best design thinking schools in the world. Perhaps it is the best pedagogy. Because if “design thinking” is ever going to reach beyond the abstractions of thinking and into the understanding of participation, it needs an arena of trial and performance. Their recent Social Innovation – A Travel Guide presents a series of guidelines, experiences, programs, and innovators in the SI landscape. Maybe you’re in there. We have posted it here with KP blessing.

The redesign-of-design now taking place in curricula around the world misses the point. The redesign of social change institutions, movements, and networks is an emergent process that evades easy designerly labels.  While graduate design and business education programs are attempting to fit social and systems transformation into their programs, no discipline is big enough to contain a people’s movement. We are compelled to participate, commit to action in communities and organizations, and learn and continue.  The KP project model places the Pilot in front of action by articulating Idea, Needs, Purpose, Values, Concept, Roles, Structure, Practices. Let their Travel Guide help you find the way.