Following the submission process for the second cycle of the World Design Impact Prize 2013-2014, the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) announced today that 26 projects have been nominated for consideration for the award.

Submissions were received from 15 countries and ranged from research projects and pilot programmes to more established industrial design driven initiatives. Aiming to build capacity and engage and empower citizens, the projects use processes like permaculture, co-design and participatory planning to create products and systems based on universal design principals utilising indigenous technology and reverse innovation. Topics covered included medical technology, irrigation systems, smartphone apps and livestock care, to name but a few.

At its core, the World Design Impact Prize creates a platform to talk about industrial design as a means to creative problem solving. It also aims to recognise and stimulate socially responsible design projects that support Icsid’s mission to create a better world through design. Through this initiative, Icsid hopes to engage in an open conversation about how the industrial design discipline is changing in the 21st century and spread the message of good design as it strives to recognise those projects that highlight the use of industrial design beyond the creation of products and demonstrate that it is also about creating systems and experiences. Nominated by various Icsid Member organisations around the world, the projects are excellent examples of community empowerment that could drastically improve the quality of life in their communities.

All project submissions can be viewed at www.worlddesignimpact.org where detailed project descriptions present the challenges that these project address, the metrics involved to gauge their impact and how the World Design Impact Prize will help them further their objectives. By making public the criteria that the World Design Impact Prize Review Panel will be using to shortlist the finalists; Icsid hopes to encourage a discussion on the paths these projects have taken – inviting individuals to share the projects through their social networks and join the discussion about how these projects’ impact can reverberate. Some projects are open-source and by sharing their thoughts and information about the projects, individuals are invited to contribute to making them better by sharing them with societies that could benefit from these concepts.

In October, members of the Review Panel will deliberate and evaluate the submissions to determine the finalists. Icsid will announce the shortlist of projects moving onto the final stage during its 28th Icsid General Assembly in Montreal (Canada) on 18 November 2013. The winning project will be selected by the Icsid Members through an anonymous voting process and announced in February 2014.