Utopian or Dystopian Futures? - Rethinking Applied Design Research

Utopian or Dystopian Futures? - Rethinking Applied Design Research

We are pleased to invite you to NADR2025, an interactive afternoon dedicated to exploring how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the work of designers, the design process, and applied design research.

Generative AI is transforming the field of design. Designers and applied design researchers are discovering what it means to create in a world where machines can generate, analyse, and decide. NADR@DDW 2025 brings together contributors, peers, and partners to share insights, present contributions, and collectively explore the questions that will shape the future of our profession.

Over the past months, design researchers and practitioners have responded to our call for contributions on the evolving relationship between Applied Design Research and AI. At this event, we will bring these insights together — not to provide final answers, but to deepen the questions that matter most for our field.

This event is part of NADR’s 2025 knowledge cycle on the evolving relationship between Applied Design Research and Artificial Intelligence. During this session we will not search for quick solutions — instead, we will refine and deepen the questions that matter most.

Preliminary Programme

13:00 – 13:15. Welcome and introduction

13:15 – 13:30 Framing the theme: AI and Applied Design Research

13:30 – 14:30. Presentation rounds: short talks and Q&A

14:30 – 14:45. Break and transfer to workshop locations

14:45 – 16:30. Collective feedback and synthesis in separate sessions

16:30 – 17:00. Closing plenary and next steps

https://nadr.nl/events/utopian-or-dystopian-futures/

Location: Microlab Eindhoven Strijp-S

Host or Publisher Network Applied Design Research