With design disciplines and territories expanding rapidly, and design being positioned as a potential means of responding to grand global challenges, graduates of today are increasingly expected to work in dynamic and fluid ways; able to approach any wicked problem creatively. The authors of this paper contend that a design innovation approach is about developing agility and flexibility to be able to respond to any complex scenario where design could be employed or required.

Using an action research approach within a single case study, which draws upon a current PGT Programme in Design Innovation, we propose that there is value in training students in 4 key areas: i) understanding a context before responding, ii) engendering empathy, iii) crafting appropriate research methods and iv) bringing form to the intangible complex.To illustrate how this operationalised, the paper will draw on the experiences of a residential student trip, where design innovation Masters students worked with cohorts from two international schools.

We fully acknowledge that one learning experience, despite being shared by 3 institutions doesn't mean that solid and scaleable conclusions can be drawn, but we offer our insights to date for discussion, and to inform future learning activities and curriculum designs.