Fundamentals of Design Competence for Our Digital Future

Project Information

DCODE

Grant agreement ID: 955990

DOI

10.3030/955990

Project closed

EC signature date 13 August 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 31 December 2024

Funded under

EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 4 206 200,40

EU contribution

€ 4 206 200,40

4 206 200,40

Coordinated by

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DCODE (Fundamentals of Design Competence for Our Digital Future)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31

DCODE project trained a cohort of 15 PhD students (early-stage researchers, or ESRs) from design, engineering, social sciences, and humanities, and equipping them – against the backdrop of current developments in AI – with the knowledge and skills needed to prototype radically new design competences. The project sought to integrate 5 key challenges as means to lay new foundations for designing with AI:

(1) Anthropological study and principled engineering of algorithms
(2) Design of trusted interactions across decentralised systems
(3) Sustainable approaches to value creation in data-driven models
(4) Democratic mechanisms for data governance and deliberation
(5) Future design practices upholding anticipatory approaches

The project brought together an exceptional team of internationally leading researchers in the required subject areas, and non-academic partners from different sectors that brought societal, economic, and political practice to the project and provided multiple platforms for the dissemination of results and best practices. To foster the holistic understanding necessary to design with AI, the project introduced a postdisciplinary mode of working called prototeams: teams of PhD students working in real-world contexts to prototype future professional design competences and practices, including the integration of knowledge across disciplines.

DCODE launched in January 2021, successfully navigating COVID-related challenges through online collaboration. Despite initial hurdles, all milestones were achieved, with recruitment and project setup prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, earning recognition through the DEWIS Diversity Award and TU Delft’s International Women’s Day 2023.
The first phase of the project focused on developing theoretical and methodological approaches while identifying common research themes. ESRs benefited from regular summer and winter schools that fostered autonomy and critical reflexivity. Collaborative prototeams, pairing ESRs with Associated Partners, enhanced interdisciplinary learning and teamwork. DCODE Labs further promoted creative engagement, resulting in award-winning MSc graduation projects.
In the second phase, individual ESR projects became the core focus, with continued summer and winter schools supporting writing, communication, and ethical discussions. A second round of prototeams enabled knowledge transfer and the development of exploitable outcomes.
The project concluded with a final event in Amsterdam (attended by over 200 people) and the publication of an edited book summarizing key concepts. By the end of the project one ESR has graduated, three submitted theses, and all four secured employment. Research was widely disseminated through conferences, workshops, and industry events such as Ars Electronica and Dutch Design Week, with all outcomes made open access, ensuring broad impact.

OUTPUT FIGURES -- #
Number of DCODE summer/winter schools -- 7
Number of DCODE network acting as speaker -- 90
Number of people reached by the DCODE Network -- 7800
Number of podcast episodes and listeners -- 5 | 217
Number of scientific peer-reviewed publications. -- 63
(Conference papers 53)
(Scientific Journal Papers 10)
Workshop papers --10
Book | downloads -- 1 | 1800
MSc Theses -- 3
Dissertation -- 1
Design Experiments and Exhibitions -- 23
Workshops Organised -- 50
Website editorials -- 15

DCODE has significantly advanced digital design research by training 15 PhD students to become leaders in academia, industry, and civil society. Through world-class graduate programs, interdisciplinary supervision, summer and winter schools, and collaborations in prototeams, ESRs gained expertise in research methods, ethics, leadership, and communication. By engaging with industry-leading organizations, they developed transferable skills and practical knowledge applicable across sectors.

The project has made substantial progress beyond the state of the art, particularly in redefining digital design and AI research. ESRs developed innovative frameworks addressing major societal challenges: an inclusive digital futures framework that moves beyond traditional algorithmic interaction; a decentralized interaction model that rethinks human-machine interfaces; and a data valuation approach integrating feminist, indigenous, and sustainability perspectives to foster societal equity. Research also explored democratic governance in the digital age, emphasizing the balance between technological speed and the stability of democratic processes. Ethics was redefined as an ongoing process rather than a fixed problem, influencing new methodologies for responsible design.

DCODE has sought to shape public discourse by engaging with a variety of audiences including industry, communities of interest and practice, and digital activist groups. The DCODE Conversations podcast (with over 200 listens) and the open-access book Rethink Design: A Vocabulary for Designing with AI (downloaded over 1800 times) have extended research accessibility to broader audiences.

The project's impact aligns with EU priorities on human-centric AI, emphasizing fundamental rights and sustainable digital futures. By integrating social and technical perspectives, it will contribute to the development of ethical AI systems. The high employability of ESRs, with several securing positions before graduation, reflects the success of the training program.
DCODE has championed inclusivity, ensuring intersectional perspectives in AI research. Sensitivity training, discussions on postcoloniality, and studies on marginalized communities’ experiences with AI have addressed structural inequalities in technological systems. Open science principles have been upheld, with research findings made openly accessible through Zenodo.