As a concept, social innovation has growing currency in society, government, academia and business. It manifests itself in many different ways in different contexts. Its meanings extend from public service and policy innovation to initiatives in assistive technology and to aspects of civic participation and creative entrepreneurship.

In all of these areas, design has a key role to play. It can make policy visible and participation possible.

In particular, inclusive design can deliver innovations of social value to communities and markets.

The Include 2011 international conference at the Royal College of Art seeks papers on all design aspects that catalyse social innovation, in particular:

• Organisation - what design tools, techniques, frameworks and networks support and enhance social innovation?
• Origins - how has social innovation emerged as a design construct and in what ways does it manifest itself?
• Outputs - research studies and design exemplars of social innovation, drawn from public space, health, transport and other key domains.

Include 2011 is particularly interested in papers that explore the direct relationship between inclusive design and social innovation.

Details for registration and submission of papers can be found here

More details on the Include conferences can be found here