Case study: Industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG9): Designing for dilemmas: A change agenda for infrastructure

In this chapter we examine key dilemmas for design in the area of industry, innovation and infrastructure (Sustainable Development Goal 9) through three illustrative examples of large and complex projects in Mozambique, Vanuatu and Sri Lanka. Each of these projects had a significant infrastructure component in health, education and shelter, respectively. In order to examine further the observed tensions and dilemmas in the projects, we propose adopting a theory of change perspective on infrastructure and design framed through the theory of fields. We present a framework of thought using multilevel and ecosystem elements, product service systems and service ecosystems and taking into account the cultural and institutional context. We propose a design agenda for infrastructure as a step towards framing the understanding of the dilemmas of change and design in the context of the inherently political, incremental and disruptive institutionally driven agenda-setting that is inevitable in processes of innovation, infrastructure build-up and the restructuring of production systems in emerging economies.