Creative Briefs: Community-Centred Design
Join us for an evening about design and community. We’ll look at how designers can support communities through their work, and how design communities help practitioners learn from each other. The evening includes guest speakers, a moderated discussion, and casual networking time.
Whether you’re a designer, educator, community organiser, student, or simply interested in how people learn and build together, come meet the community and join the conversation.
Schedule 🗒
5:30pm – 6:00pm — Arrival, registration & light bites
6:00pm – 6:10pm — Welcome & introduction
6:10pm – 7:20pm — Speaker presentations
7:20pm – 7:45pm — Moderated discussion & audience Q&A
7:45pm – 8:25pm — Networking and chillaxing
8:25pm – 8:30pm — Closing & feedback
The schedule is a guideline, and timings may shift slightly depending on the flow of the talks and discussion.
Talks ⚡
Design for Good
with Benjamin Xue, Justin Neo, and Tommy Cheong
Through real-life case studies, see how design can improve communities: an eating aid for people living with dementia, student-led projects developed alongside locals in Laos, and a public recycling bin designed to reduce contamination. Together, the projects examine what it takes to understand people, work with partners, and turn an idea into something that works in the real world.
Benjamin Xue is Assistant Director (Design and Partnership) at the School of Design & Environment, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and chairs the ETC Lab. He connects students with industry and community partners to turn classroom work into real projects.
Justin Neo is an Experience Designer at the ETC Lab. He focuses on understanding people, building trust with partners, and making sure the things his teams design can work in practice.
Tommy Cheong is an Academic Section Manager at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and an industrial designer. His work explores how physical design can guide behaviour and improve public systems.
Built in the Room: How Design Communities Make Designers
with Collin Hadley
Learn from US-based speaker Collin Hadley about what makes design communities work and why the best connections often happen across disciplines. Expect stories, a few experiments, and ideas to borrow from the New York scene.
Collin Hadley is a professional product designer and co-organiser of New York Product Design, where he helps create discussion-led spaces for practising designers to exchange perspectives on design, careers, and leadership.
Presented by
Singapore Product Design
Singapore Product Design is a practitioner-led community connecting designers through curiosity, shared learning, and meaningful professional relationships.
Supported by
DesignSingapore Council
DesignSingapore Council (Dsg)’s vision is for Singapore to be a liveable, loveable, and limitless nation by design. As the national agency for design, our mission is to develop the design sector to be globally competitive, champion the use of design for innovation and growth in Singapore, and make life better in this UNESCO Creative City of Design. The Dsg is a subsidiary of the Singapore Economic Development Board.
Important Notes
🎟 Free registration. Capacity is limited, and registrations may be subject to approval. Please provide accurate information when registering.
🍴 Light bites and refreshments will be provided. Available while supplies last.
📸 Photography, audio, and video recording may take place. By attending, you acknowledge that you may appear in event documentation.
💜 We are committed to creating a respectful and inclusive environment where curiosity and meaningful connections can thrive, free from harassment of any kind.