Systems + Sustainability + Design
About The Disruptive Design Method
In 2014, as Leyla was finishing up her PhD and preparing to launch the UnSchool of Disruptive Design, she was practicing as a creative change-maker and frustrated that there wasn’t a cohesive understanding of the tools individuals need to make change.
She began asking: what if we could create a jigsaw puzzle of tools that, once put together, would create all of the practical knowledge sets that an individual would need to be able to then apply change in the world?
Drawing on the years of academic, professional experience and research she had done to date, she iteratively developed and refined a learning system containing 12 core components of the Disruptive Design Methodology set.
From there, a more streamlined three-phase approach emerged as the Disruptive Design Method (DDM) emerged as she worked with different groups around the world.
A systems-based approach to creative problem solving for tackling complex social and environmental issues, the DDM combines sociological inquiry methods (Mining phase) with systems explorations (Landscaping phase) and design and creativity approaches (Building phase). The method is built on systems, sustainability and design, allowing for a three-dimensional perspective shift of a problem arena to ensure that interventions create positive change as the right/available leverage points within the system.
Now, more than a decade since its inception, the DDM has evolved from a bold experiment into a globally recognized framework for creative problem-solving. Having taught it to thousands of people around the world, it has been adopted by educators, entrepreneurs, NGOs and corporate leaders alike, guiding thousands of individuals through a supportive scaffolding for tackling the world’s most pressing problems.
For Leyla, the DDM is simply a scaffolding that is used whilst learning to apply a systems approach to problems and after used a few times will no longer be needed as the framework explicitly, but more so becomes a new set of skills that supports systems based world.
Through the UnSchool people can learn the DDM as a full online Masterclass, or individual modules can also be taken separately. Leyla and her team have also developed a certification process for those who wish to become certified Practitioners or Educators of the DDM and she wrote the Disruptive Design Handbook and has a free facilitation guide on the DDM produced for Oxfam.
“The Disruptive Design Method, with its iterative process of Mining, Landscaping, and Building, was particularly enlightening. It encouraged me to explore problems from multiple angles, fostering a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation. This method has profoundly influenced my approach to problem-solving, making me more adept at identifying and implementing effective interventions. Moreover, the cognitive sciences modules were incredibly engaging. They delved into the intricacies of human behavior, biases, and attitudes, providing valuable insights into how these factors influence design and systems. This knowledge has been instrumental in enhancing my ability to create user-centered designs that are both functional and empathetic.”
— Beau Smith
How she did it
When Leyla was the Disruptor in Residence at the Center for Social Innovation in New York, she had the opportunity to work with incredible participants during lunchtime learning sessions that she hosted.
She originally designed 20+ different modules of content that she found relevant for an individual who wanted to activate change in the world, whether that be through social entrepreneurship, within a company or as an educator.
She incorporated feedback and refined the knowledge set into 12 core modules, designed to be easily accessible and fit together to form a comprehensive practice set that enables people interested in making change to quickly access relevant tools to do so.
Leyla then also developed the more streamlined three-part process of the Disruptive Design Method, which emerged after working with so many people and needing to rapidly think through systems, sustainability and design with them.
Intentionally choosing memetic construction references, the three parts combine sociological inquiry methods (Mining phase) with systems explorations (Landscaping phase) and design and creativity approaches (Building phase).
“A streamlined way of helping individuals who are interested in making change in the world develop the skills they need to be able to go and get shit done.”
"The Masterclass not only helped me reconnect to that which I am most passionate about - systems thinking and sustainability, but also gave me such valuable tools and information to use in my experiential education programmes. And the best part?... it was fun."
Karen Vickers
“The DDM is more well-rounded than many of the methods that I have come across. It is not just another toolkit or stepwise approach but really encourages you to further define your individual changemaking skills and take ownership of them.”
Myrthe Lanting
“This approach unified my diverse interests and skills into a cohesive methodology, complementing my existing methods while refining my understanding. It transformed my relationship with systems thinking.”
Esme Rottschafe
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