Defining Design – Building a Stronger Voice for Emerging Occupations

Help shape Australia’s emerging design sector. Join sector leaders redefining service and strategic design in national classification frameworks. Last year was the first time the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had reviewed professional occupations in depth since 2006.


The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) instigated a working group to respond to the review, appointing as Chair Dr Laura Kostanski, Principal Strategic Design at CSIRO, and Simon Goodrich, co-founder of Portable as a member of the working group. As part of the DIA submission, the emerging sector was surveyed. Over 400 designers responded validating the growth in Strategic Design, Service Design, and related disciplines and the need for these categories to be recognised in the updated Occupation Standard Classifications Australia (OSCA). 

At this online presentation, Laura and Simon will talk with Chris Hinchcliffe, Director, OSCA Review Program at the ABS about how the emerging disciplines of service and strategic design can be introduced into the professional profiles, how they should be defined and what minimum qualifications should be required.

Plus CEO of DIA, Jo-Ann Kellock, will get into the details of the work DIA is doing in this space and what it might mean for attendees.

Insights from the sector survey conducted in 2024 will be shared and the next steps for creating a clearer, more unified representation of design in national frameworks.

This is an important opportunity to get involved, learn how you can contribute, and help shape the future of design recognition in Australia.


Speakers

Dr Laura Kostanski, Principal - Strategic Design (CSIRO)
Jo-Ann Kellock, CEO (DIA)
Chris Hinchcliffe, Director of the ANZSCO Review Program (ABS)
Simon Goodrich, Co-founder (Portable)

Event Details

3 June 2025, 12pm – 1pm AEST
Online


Why attend

In this 60 minute webinar we will cover:

  • Hear from leaders in the design and standards sector.

  • Learn about findings from a major national survey of designers.

  • Understand how better sector definitions will unlock future funding and government support.

  • Connect with like-minded professionals passionate about growing the design industry.

The panel will also make time for Q&A.


Who should attend?

  • Designers across all disciplines

  • Educators and researchers in design fields

  • Industry advocates and sector representatives

  • Anyone interested in growing the impact of Australian strategic and service design

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