Solving Critical Design Problems: Theory and Practice

By Tania Allen

A mix of design thinking, application and case studies, Solving Critical Design Problems: Theory and Practice is a practical resource book for beginning designers to engage in more critical practice.

It explores how design is increasingly used to solve large, complex, modern-day problems that span design disciplines and worldviews. With myriad examples and 16 case studies from various fields this book demonstrates how various types of design thinking have historically been used to address design challenges, and how designers can implement them with a critical eye. With examples and concepts from international leaders, this book will help readers find novel ways of engaging in design research, problem-framing and ideation by breaking old habits of mind, biases and assumptions to rethink new approaches to old problems. This new edition includes deep discussion on how to decolonize your mindset and design practice, integrations of topics such as artificial intelligence, data collection, surveillance and monitoring, and health care. New global case studies include the Masai Cow Corridor by cave_bureau, Ice Watch by Olafur Eliasson and Black Diaspora's by Kholisil Dhilwayo.

With over 100 images to help support and explain the ideas presented in the text, this book will appeal to students in design studios, industrial and product design, as well as landscape and urban design.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1041005741
• ISBN13: 9781041005742
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 272 Pages