Reflections from the BEDA Design Forum 2026: Beyond Thoughtless Design

On 8 May 2026, the Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA) convened the European design community in Munich for the BEDA Design Forum 2026, hosted at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy as part of “Munich Creative Business Week“, a flagship event of Bayern Design. Under the title “Beyond Thoughtless Design”, the Forum explored how design policy, regulation, and standards can shape more inclusive, accessible, and responsible products, services, and systems across Europe.

Bringing together designers, policy specialists, researchers, and institutional representatives, the Forum addressed a shared challenge: while Europe already holds extensive knowledge, data, and tools, design is still too often treated as an afterthought in decision‑making. The day focused on how to embed design more structurally into governance, policy, and public innovation — not as decoration, but as a strategic driver of societal value.

Opening Impulses: Design as a Policy Driver

The Forum opened with welcoming remarks by Mark Illi, BEDA President and representative of the Swiss Design Association (SDA), followed by Jesko Rölz from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy. Together, they set the institutional context for the day, emphasising the growing relevance of design within regional and European innovation ecosystems.

A central opening impulse was delivered by Christina Melander, BEDA Past President, from the Danish Design Centre. Her call for stronger, more coherent design policy frameworks resonated throughout the Forum. Melander stressed that design must no longer be treated as a secondary consideration; it must be deeply embedded in all decision‑making levels— from public administration to boardrooms.

“Design must no longer be treated as an afterthought but embedded as a core driver of decision-making at political and organisational levels.” – Christina Melander, Danish Design Centre

Mapping Europe’s Design Policy Landscape

The morning programme continued with insights from the MADres project, BEDA’s EU‑funded initiative mapping design policy across Europe. The MADres team presented findings from national policy labs and comparative research, positioning design as a Living Design Policy Framework that evolves alongside Europe’s digital, ecological, and social transitions. The session highlighted how evidence‑based policy tools can support more coherent, inclusive, and responsible governance at both national and European levels.

Panel 1: Design for All?

The first panel discussion, “Design for All?”, focused on accessibility, inclusion, and lived experience. Moderated by Prof. Regina Hanke, MADres Project Lead and BEDA Board Member, the panel brought together diverse perspectives on how design decisions shape access to culture, education, and everyday environments.

• Rihards Funts (Studio Rihards Funts) shared insights from his practice on experience‑driven and inclusive design, grounded in lived perspectives and cultural participation.
• Katerina Katmada (KINVENT) explored accessibility‑focused design in digital and civic systems, highlighting how removing barriers enables broader participation.
• Dr. Chele Esteve Sendra (Universitat Politècnica de València) examined how accessibility can connect craftsmanship, material culture, and technology to reduce inequalities and create more socially responsive environments.

The discussion made clear that inclusive design is not a niche discipline, but a foundational responsibility — and that many environments remain unintentionally exclusionary due to systemic habits rather than lack of intent.

Deep Dive: Accessibility

Following the panel, a dedicated Deep Dive on Accessibility was led by Tom Watts from the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland. Rather than focusing on compliance, the session created space for reflection, using practical tools to surface attitudes, assumptions, and lived perspectives shaped by the preceding discussions.

Concluding the session, Tom Watts observed:

“The empathy map was the perfect tool to gauge people’s attitudes following the panel discussion. There was a sense that everyone left the room with a very different perspective to the one they came with.”

Panel 2: Design for Policy

In the afternoon, the Forum shifted its focus to governance and decision‑making with Panel 2: Design for Policy, moderated by Prof. Marzia Mortati of Politecnico di Milano. The panel examined how design can function as a strategic enabler within policymaking and public‑sector innovation.

• Prof. Dr. Karel van der Waarde (Lucerne University) addressed the role of user‑centred information design in supporting clarity, understanding, and informed decision‑making.
• Svenja Bickert-Appleby (New Order Design) discussed co‑design and circular economy approaches as tools for systemic change and responsible public‑sector innovation.
• Dr. Teri Okoro (UK Design Council & TOCA UK) reflected on how design policy can move from intention to practical, people‑centred impact, particularly within the built environment.

A key takeaway echoed throughout the discussion: design policy is not about aesthetics, but about governance — how decisions are made, by whom, and with what long‑term consequences.

Deep Dive: Design Protection and European Frameworks

Later in the afternoon, the Forum addressed the regulatory and legal dimensions of design. Sophia Bonne, Senior Advisor at the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), led a deep dive on “Unlocking the Power of EU Design Protection”, highlighting the importance of collective awareness, legal instruments, and shared standards in strengthening Europe’s design ecosystem. The collective discussions highlighted how important a precise and shared language is when it comes to design protection.

Deep Dive: Design Policy

In parallel, the Design Policy deep dive, Piotr Swiatek (PDR), reframed advocacy as long‑term, relational work rather than one‑off interventions. Discussion centred on the importance of shared language, sustained presence, and engaging policymakers on their own terms.

“Design policy is not about arriving with ready‑made frameworks, but about staying present and translating, demonstrating, and working creatively with policymakers where decisions actually happen.” — Piotr Swiatek, PDR

The open discussion confirmed that participants across countries recognised the same fundamental tension: design appears in many places across policy, but rarely with implementation support to match the ambition.

Design as a Civic and Political Act

Across panels, deep dives, and informal exchanges, the Forum repeatedly returned to a shared understanding that everything is design. Design shapes choices, distributes responsibility, and anchors values in everyday life. As such, design is inherently civic and political — influencing how societies act, decide, and include.
Inspired by Europe’s long tradition of critical inquiry, the BEDA Design Forum positioned design not only as a professional discipline, but as a civic instrument — one that must be governed thoughtfully, collectively, and responsibly.

Looking Ahead

The BEDA Design Forum 2026 brought together a diverse and pluralistic European design ecosystem, spanning regions, disciplines, and professional backgrounds. It marked a step toward positioning design as a strategic driver of Europe’s digital, ecological, and social transitions, while reaffirming BEDA’s role as a pan‑European facilitator of responsible design leadership.

A warm thank you to the local supporters of the Forum that made it possible: the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Bayern Design and their flagship event, Munich Creative Business Week.

Download the Media Kit

Download the BEDA Design Forum Media Kit (ZIP, 5 MB): beda.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20260512-media-kit-beda-design-forum-2026.zip

Media Kit includes: image, logos, quotes, CC licence and press release texts in English, Spanish, German, Italian and French.

This BEDA Design Forum edition is organised within the scope of the MADres project: Co-funded by the European Union | Powered by BEDA | Supported by Creative Europe