A Conversation on Civic Design and Social Innovation

During the live session, the discussion explored how civic design, social innovation, and cross-cultural leadership are shaping the future of service design. Drawing from his experience leading multidisciplinary projects across governments, nonprofits, startups, and international organizations, Onur shared perspectives on how design strategy can strengthen public institutions, foster civic engagement, and support systemic transformation.

Through his work at Studio Karun, an iF Design Award–winning design strategy studio operating between New York and Istanbul, Onur highlighted the intersection of research, policy, and design, emphasizing the role of design as a strategic tool for advancing democracy, equity, and long-term public value.

Key Questions from the Discussion

The session invited the global SDN community to engage with critical questions shaping the future of service design, including:

• What role does civic design play in advancing equity and justice?

• How can international perspectives enrich global design movements like SDGC?

• Why is designing for democracy more important than ever?

Part of the SDGC25 Global Dialogue

As part of the countdown to Service Design Global Conference 2025, the conversation reflected the dynamic and diverse voices contributing to the evolution of the global service design community.