Explore our cutting-edge research projects at ImaginationLancaster. We conduct interdisciplinary design led research into current and future challenges, providing fresh perspectives on real world issues that focus on devloping novel creative methods and approaches. As we are constantly adapting our focus to remain at the cutting edge we come together around specific interests at specific times. Please browse our current research themes to find more about there focus and associated researchers.
Co-designing resilience. Working with ‘Together an Active Future’ (TaAF) and the ‘Family Hubs’ in Blackburn with Darwen local authority.
Designing Educational Toolkits to Accelerate Digital Circular Economy Education Within Local Communities
Embedding research, design and innovation behaviours in the everyday work of the V&A Museum’s Learning Team.
Imagination in £2million Horizon project to help communities work with 100 living labs across Europe to improve our soils.
Using Locally Sourced Materials for the Creation of Community-Involved Coastal Protection
using design-led approaches for planning, implementing, and monitoring interventions for climate adaptation in coastal areas.
exploring equity, sustainability and resilience in people’s relationships with and through digital technologies
Research Project: Youth, Democracy and Sustainable Citizenship | Dr Mirian Calvo | 28th May 2022
Research Project: Youth, Democracy and Sustainable Citizenship | Dr Mirian Calvo | 28th May 2022
Innovations in capturing and communicating observations of light pollution in an area of natural beauty
ImaginationLancaster investigates major areas of modern life from health to travel to help shape the future of two local districts
the World’s First Open Data Standard for reusable packaging
Unlocking the potential of traditional material cultures and ensuring they are relevant and meaningful to contemporary needs
A Study of Co-Presence in a University Architectural Studio using Bluetooth Contact Tracing Technology
Exploring the Role of Physical-Digital Technologies in Shaping Future Local Sustainable Repair Ecosystems
Connected Everything ii: Feasibility Study
Comparing Distinction, Homogeneity and Integration Values Using Small Graph Matching and Inequality Genotypes
A barometer to understanding and activate social wellbeing through micro-gardening
Enacting more careful urban approaches with community-led developments and policymakers’
Co-constructing understandings of the good city in pursuit of new models of urban governance
Reimagining the City and Empowering Young People through Engagement with Policy-Makers
Understanding the Impacts of IoT Cybersecurity and Datafication to Co-design a Sustainable Edge
Analysing the Social Networks of Coliving Community Inhabitants
Navigate through the co-design experience of three people living with their personal data.
Dr Carlos López Galviz, who now works with the Department for Transport and T2M
Participants at a Leapfrog and World Design Weeks workshop at Dutch Design Week 2019
A Generative Methodology for the Design and Implementation of Social Distancing Measures in Public Buildings
Global design response database for COVID-19
Socio-Technical Design Research for 21st Century Technologies
Enabling schoolchildren to become actors of change for hygiene and hand-washing in their community
Accelerating the adoption of circular sanitation demonstration systems for improved health outcomes
Design sustainable, healthier, safer, high-quality ready-to-eat seafood products to meet the 65+ adults’ needs and reduce food loss
Empowering local communities and Government in Malaysia in addressing social issues in ageing and disabilities
Participatory design and community engagement Network on WASH in Lusophone and Francophone African Countries
The Bank of Imagination: enabling academics and partner organisations to do good stuff for communities
An interactive conference, which took place on the 26th and 27th of September 2013 that explored academic engagement with the creative sector as part of The Creative Exchange project
Research into the exchange of knowledge exchange structures rather than the exchange of knowledge itself
Enabling children and young people at the margins of society to tell their own stories
Service Design for Innovation (SDIN) is a European Training Network for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs)
Working with designers, businesses, academics and the public to promote innovation through new types of Knowledge Exchange
Using design fiction to help politicians and community groups imagine the future implications of policy initiatives in creative ways
Inter-disciplinary project evaluating efficacy of navigational instructions in sat-navs
Exploring wellbeing and people’s understanding of data by co-designing a wearable open-data device
Helping industry, educators and policy makers think about sustainable futures
The aim of New IDEAS is to develop, refine and disseminate highly innovative knowledge exchange approaches to local, academic, creative industries and stakeholders that are not dependent on delivery by staff from Imagination for success
Stimulating reinvention and influencing economic growth across the North
Creating a blueprint for to map and analyse their design innovation ecosystems
Ambitious £5m project to inspire and support growth in the digital industries
Lancaster University is embarking on a new initiative to leverage its global reach for the benefit of UK businesses
PROUD are designing tools for creative public consultation in a collaboration with Lancaster City Council aiming to improve the uptake, creativity and effectiveness of public consultations
A series of 3 workshops aiming at introducing Design to manufacturing SMEs with a particular focus on the role of Service Thinking and Service Design for Innovation
A project to help Lancaster University academics undertake high impact, excellent research
Investigating new forms of social sensing and participatory observation of local environment and climate
Scoping global challenge research in understanding real world interactions (of dust-born infections) in the home in Ghana and the UK through combining innovative design research with health data
Exploring the roles design can play in innovation and the conditions enabling those roles
A scoping study into the contributions Service Design to Service Innovation and Development starting from service idea generation toward service implementation and measurement
Design For Europe aims to increase the use of design for innovation and growth across Europe
Evaluating and Sharing Design Innovation Policies for European Growth
AHRC Design Innovation Development Award
Co-designing interactive and playful ways to encourage dementia-friendly exercise and movement
Exploring new creative directions in product design to include sustainable principles
How can designerly approaches develop innovative ways of engendering empathy between commissioning and procurement?
Imagining the future implications of policy initiatives in creative ways
a HEIF funded project led by Professor Leon Cruickshank from Lancaster University
Exploring internet connected sensors to improve health and wellbeing
IsITethical? is an invitation to take time, and together support creative thinking for the complexity of ELSI challenges and opportunities. Through co-creative processes we are developing live, lived and living guidance and forming an strategic community intended to support practices in practice
Working with manufacturing and high-tech company partners to co-design new, locally tailored innovation, design and training
Learning how obesity is organised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Understanding the home as a source of infection of AMR bacteria carried by dust by exploring hygiene practices in different home environments in Ghana
The Leapfrog project will be a close collaboration with public sector and community partners to design and evaluate new approaches to consultation.
This £1.5 million EPSRC funded 4 year project examines the role of new technology in citizen led innovation looking specifically at Manchester and Derry as sites of innovation. The project includes innovation researchers from Computing, Design Sociology and management, all based in Lancaster University.
Testing of a new improvement process to support a collaborative redesign of the leapfrog tools