Research as the methodological backbone of design for social innovation: a three-phase model

Abstract

Contemporary social, economic, and environmental challenges require methodological approaches that integrate research, creativity, and participation to foster social innovation. Although design has evolved into a strategic discipline for addressing complex societal problems, research is often treated as a preliminary or complementary activity rather than as a process that informs the design intervention. This theoretical-conceptual study proposes a methodological model for design-driven social innovation based on a critical review of the literature, a comparative analysis of methodological approaches, and the authors' academic and professional experience. The proposed model comprises three interrelated phases: pre-design research, which aims to understand the problem and its context; creative exploration, which generates and refines intervention alternatives through co-creation, modeling, and experimentation; and post-design research, which evaluates outcomes and impacts while generating knowledge for future interventions. Rather than representing a linear sequence of stages, the model frames design as a continuous process of understanding, creating, and learning. By positioning research as the methodological backbone of design for social innovation, the model provides a conceptual framework that integrates knowledge production, creative intervention, and evaluation within a continuous methodological process.