Abstract
Design students are expected to engage with wicked problems as part of their learning. Since these problems have no definitive solutions, the learning process can be challenging and may negatively affect students’ wellbeing. Cultivating resilience becomes critical. Although the conceptualisation of designer resilience has gained attention, it remains underexplored. This paper proposes a new conceptual model of resilience in design education, suggesting two capacity clusters: one emphasising short-term recovery and balance restoration, and the other focusing on long-term sustained engagement. It further frames resilience cultivation in design education as a wicked problem in itself, characterised by the inherent complexity within the design education system, the uncertainty in measuring resilience outcomes, and the potential value conflicts with designers, stakeholders, design, and institutional goals. This paper concludes by calling for further empirical and exploratory studies to validate and deepen the understanding of designer resilience.
Keywords
design, education, resilience, student wellbeing
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2409
Citation
Quan, Y., Isherwood, M., and Han, J. (2026) Support designer’s wellbeing: Understanding resilience in design education as a wicked challenge, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2409
Creative Commons License
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Included in
Support designer’s wellbeing: Understanding resilience in design education as a wicked challenge
Design students are expected to engage with wicked problems as part of their learning. Since these problems have no definitive solutions, the learning process can be challenging and may negatively affect students’ wellbeing. Cultivating resilience becomes critical. Although the conceptualisation of designer resilience has gained attention, it remains underexplored. This paper proposes a new conceptual model of resilience in design education, suggesting two capacity clusters: one emphasising short-term recovery and balance restoration, and the other focusing on long-term sustained engagement. It further frames resilience cultivation in design education as a wicked problem in itself, characterised by the inherent complexity within the design education system, the uncertainty in measuring resilience outcomes, and the potential value conflicts with designers, stakeholders, design, and institutional goals. This paper concludes by calling for further empirical and exploratory studies to validate and deepen the understanding of designer resilience.