Design Thinking Frameworks for Sustainable and Inclusive Health Promotion Strategies in China

JDSSI 2025, 3(3), 26-45; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.0825a38 - August 25, 2025

Abstract: The delivery of social healthcare services is transitioning from a focus on curative measures to a more proactive approach prioritizing social health promotion. A Health Promoting Hospital (HPH) would ideally evolve beyond the conventional hospital roles of treating illness and managing chronic conditions, encompassing prevention strategies and actively fostering the overall health and wellbeing of patients and community members both within and outside the hospital setting.

In terms of design application within Chinese Health Promoting Hospitals (HPHs), existing studies indicate that hospital management often regards design as a final stage solution rather than embracing a design research perspective that comprehensively and holistically influences the entire process. One approach for all-mass media and graphic design are primary communication approaches for health promotion: marginalized and vulnerable groups are, however, excluded in this approach.

This research proposes three all-encompassing design-thinking frameworks—designerly ways of knowing, thinking, and doing HPH—which serve to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of design ontology, epistemology, and methodology within the context of Chinese HPH. These design frameworks aid Chinese HPH practitioners in understanding and applying a systematic and holistic view of design thinking for HPH implementation. The ultimate objective is to transform Chinese HPH stakeholders’ understanding of design from a focus on the concrete to the abstract, and from a partial to a more comprehensive perspective within the health promotion context.

This paper provides a showcase on how a comprehensive framework can be constructed through thorough exploration and integration of theoretical and practical aspects across design and non-design domains. It also identifies the three types of design frameworks, offering researchers a valuable resource for understanding the typology of design framework, guiding the development methods of effective design frameworks tailored to research objectives.

Abstract: In recent years, the development model that integrates intangible cultural heritage with tourism has been strongly emphasized in national cultural policy, especially in villages and towns with intangible cultural heritage. These areas have enhanced their market attractiveness and competitiveness by developing tourism branding. However, tourism branding projects in China often face issues such as fragmented brand images and inadequate exploration of local culture. The study addresses the brand image of intangible heritage tourism from the perspective of narrative design. Focusing on Lianzhou Township in Guangdong Province, China, it explores the composition and design application strategies of tourism brand imagery by examining a narrative design framework that includes the narrative theme, structure, channels and visual expression of cultural and tourism brands. Through literature and field investigation, the study found that boat-dwelling culture -rooted in historical changes, traditional skills and local customs-serves as an important narrative element in shaping the cultural tourism brand of the town. Based on this finding, the study validates a narrative design strategy for brand development. Unlike conventional branding approaches that focus on visual image, this study aims to propose a new narrative design approach to tourism brand construction in intangible cultural heritage villages, offering meaningful insights for advancing rural revitalization.

Exploring the Narrative Design Strategies of Intangible Cultural Heritage Tourism Brands: The Case of Linzhou Boat-Dwelling Culture

JDSSI 2025, 3(2), 45-62; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.0623a36 - June 23, 2025

See Instructions for Authors for manuscript requirements. 

Submitting Your Manuscript: jdssi-editor@michelangelo-scholar.com; jdssi.editorialmanager03@gmail.com

or Online Submission System: https://ojs.michelangelo-scholar.com/index.php/JDSSI/about/submissions

May 7th, 2025

JDSSI is an international scholarly journal that was registered in February 2023 and is dedicated to the publication of high-quality original design research (published quarterly in print and online simultaneously). JDSSI implements a double-blind peer review process and a no-fee open access policy (we do not charge any fees for either authors or readers), with a focus on design innovation issues in multidisciplinary fields for social services.

Thematic research articles, literature reviews, and book reviews are the three types of original articles accepted by the journal. Among the subjects addressed are design service and assessment, social innovation theory and practice, and design as a driving strategy for social and cultural construction. JDSSI aims to share innovative design ideas and solutions, explore issues such as sustainable design and consumer services, and promote design for harmonious social development and multicultural exchange. 

Call for Articles

PUBLISHED BY MICHELANGELO SCHOLAR PUBLISHING LIMITED

JDSSI Editorial Office Address: C401, School of Design, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Binhu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, PRC

TEL: +8618612359672 

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Our Core Themes: From Design Thinking to Social Thinking

• Traditional Design Focus

     Aesthetic and stylistic elements

• Design Thinking Emergence

     Human-centered problem solving

• Participatory Design Practices

     Collaborative creation processes

• Social Thinking Integration

     Design for a changing world

The evolution from traditional design methods to social thinking represents a fundamental reconceptualization of design's role and purpose. By integrating design into broader social contexts, practitioners can better address complex "wicked problems" that resist conventional solutions.

This transformation moves design beyond merely creating attractive products toward becoming a powerful tool for tackling multifaceted social challenges. The new method's participatory nature ensures that stakeholders become active co-creators rather than passive recipients of design interventions. JDSSI showcases interdisciplinary collaborations that leverage diverse expertise to develop comprehensive responses to entrenched social problems.

Abstract: This paper provides a comprehensive examination of a design philosophy pioneered and institutionalized by the National Institute of Design (NID) in India. It is argued that for a nation as complex and multifaceted as India, a successful design methodology must be inherently linked to its distinct cultural heritage, economic realities, and foundational ethical principles. The analysis begins by exploring the profound influence of Gandhian philosophy—particularly its tenets of simplicity, self-reliance (swadeshi), and decentralized “production by the masses”—on this design framework. The paper then systematically delineates the core pillars of Societal Design: the promotion of indigenous innovation, the application of frugal engineering principles, and the strategic empowerment of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the traditional crafts sector. By analysing NID’s role as a trans-disciplinary Centre of Excellence, this research demonstrates how Societal Design transcends conventional commercial objectives, positioning itself as a potent and people-centric catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable national development.

An Institutional Approach to Sustainable and Inclusive Development: The Indian Lens on Societal Design

JDSSI 2025, 3(3), 46-53; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.0918a39 - September 18, 2025

Exploring the Strategic Factors and Moderating Variables of New Product Development: A Meta-analysis

JDSSI 2025, 3(2), 31-44; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.0528a35 - May 28, 2025

Abstract: Design orientation has emerged as a critical strategic factor for companies seeking to achieve a competitive advantage and plays a pivotal role in the process of new product development (NPD). However, the understanding of the interaction between product design and other strategic capabilities and how design orientation strategically affects new product development is still limited, and the existing literature and empirical results are fragmented and controversial. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategic factors affecting new product development and the contribution of design to strategy, this study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature. The study extracted effect values from 15 international journals for analysis and found that strategy factors significantly influence NPD success. Moreover, in the exploration of moderating variables, it was found that firm size, firm type, innovation type, and design orientation play a significant moderating role in new product development, and design-oriented involvement provides a significant competitive advantage for firms in NPD. The findings provide new theories on NPD decision-making and design orientation, as well as practical references for managers.

Post-Growth Innovation Practice: Techno-empathetic and Critical Insights from Mindful Design Studio

JDSSI 2025, 3(3), 1-25; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jdssi2025.0801a37 - August 1, 2025