PARTICIPATE
Design for San Diego (D4SD) 2024 seeks to harness our region’s collective energy and creativity to tackle housing insecurity and homelessness. We welcome everyone to participate. If you care about our city or the issue of housing, we encourage you to submit a proposal by Oct 25 for new architectural designs, policies, products and services for the key challenge areas. Valid submissions will be showcased at the World Design Capital Policy Conference on November 12.
PARTICIPATION DETAILS
Anyone can participate in D4SD 2024, including those outside the San Diego Region. Pitch decks can be submitted either individually or in teams of up to 6 members. Each individual can only be part of one submission. Each valid submission will receive one ticket to attend the World Design Policy Conference on Nov 12 (more tickets may become available later. Teams are not required to attend on Nov 12, but at least one team member must attend WDPC to be eligible for recognition and awards.
CHOOSE AN ANGLE TO TAKE
Teams are welcome to submit any kind of idea to the D4SD challenge including urban designs, policies, products, services, or any combination of those.
Policy
Policy solutions can involve developing actionable frameworks, ordinances, or incentives that promote affordable housing construction and address inequities to build inclusive, vibrant communities in San Diego.
Products
Product solutions can focus on creating innovative tools, applications, and physical products that improve the quality of life and mitigate housing challenges for San Diego residents.
Other
Teams can explore outside these four categories. Any other interdisciplinary solutions that incorporate elements from architecture, policy, products, services or elsewhere are welcome.
Architecture
Architectural solutions can involve creating a blueprint or vision for transforming the San Diego region’s built environment, such as site plans, architectural renderings, or urban designs.
Services
Service solutions can focus on developing new programs, initiatives, or IT solutions that address unmet needs of individuals facing housing insecurity in San Diego.
SUBMISSION DETAILS
Pitch deck components
For your project submission, you need to submit a slide deck summarizing your entire process from problem identification to the proposed solution. Ensure your presentation is clear and visually engaging. The following section outlines the components to include:
- Introduction (1 slide): Start with a title slide that includes the project name, team members, team roles, and contact information.
- Background on the Problem (1–2 slides): Summarize the problem your project addresses with a strong hook. Explain the significance of the problem, who it affects and their and why it is important to solve. Include a problem statement and a how might we question indicating the problem your team intends to address through your research and proposed solution.
- Research Overview (1–2 slides): Provide an overview of the research conducted, whether primary and/or secondary. Include methods (online search, surveys, interviews, etc.) and highlight key findings with visuals like graphs or charts.
- Proposed Solution (1–2 slides): Describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem. Discuss its potential impact, sustainability, and implementation. Ask for feedback or support from community members to refine your approach. Conclude with a call to action or next steps.
- Optional Additional Content (1–2 slides): Use these slides for any extra details, visuals, or content that supports your project.
- D4SD logo: All of the slides of the pitch deck will require the D4SD logo
- Final Slide
Participant eligibility
- Anyone can participate in D4SD 2024, including those outside the San Diego Region
- Pitch decks can be submitted either individually or in teams of up to 6 members
- Individuals are only allowed one submission
Submission file format
Slide Deck: Submit a PDF of your pitch deck (consisting of all your slides).
Submission deadline
This year’s challenge is now open for submissions! Individuals or teams must submit their application via the Google form with a PDF of their pitch deck by 11:59 PM on Friday, October 25, 2024. Teams with valid submissions will be invited to showcase their pitch deck at the World Design Policy Conference on November 12-13, 2024.
Submit nowEVALUATION DETAILS
Experts in housing and homelessness will judge your design proposal based on several key factors. Each factor is necessary to ensure your project not only tackles a real problem but also showcases innovation, novelty, and impact. Here is a breakdown of the evaluation criteria:
- Problem Identification & Relevance: To what extent does the proposal address an important and open problem in the San Diego region, as it relates to one or more of the four key challenges?
- Human-Centered Approach: To what extent does the team and the proposed solution demonstrate empathy and prioritize the needs and experiences of key stakeholders affected by the problem?
- Solution Novelty, Impact, and Feasibility: To what extent does the proposal offer a fresh and creative approach to the problem, that significantly enhances the well-being of the San Diego community, with a clear and well-thought plan for how to prototype and evaluate the solution.
- Information Presentation: To what extent does the pitch deck concisely and visually illustrate the problem and proposed solution?
D4SD 2024 JURORS
Our D4SD jurors come from the worlds of technology, government, entrepreneurship, and education. They will judge solutions based on six key criteria: Problem identification, human-centered process, novelty, potential for impact, feasibility, and presentation.
Bill Fulton
PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE
- UC San Diego Department of Urban Studies and Planning
- UC San Diego Design Lab
Carlos McCray
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
- Office of the Chief Operating Officer, City of San Diego
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FAQ
Our D4SD jurors come from the worlds of technology, government, entrepreneurship, and education. They will judge solutions based on six key criteria: Problem identification, human-centered process, novelty, potential for impact, feasibility, and presentation.
What is D4SD?
Design for San Diego (D4SD) is a design challenge created by the UC San Diego Design Lab to foster collective creativity and problem solving around complex civic issues that impact our region. This year D4SD addresses homelessness and housing insecurity around four key topics: Health, Awareness, Upward Mobility, and Placemaking.
Why should I participate in D4SD?
Join D4SD for this unique opportunity to compete and collaborate with other city innovators to help solve housing-related issues facing the San Diego region and cities around the world. Participants will gain the following benefits:
- Solve real problems and inspire change in your community!
- Learn human-centered design practices from professional designers and educators in the UC San Diego Design Lab.
- Make new connections through networking opportunities with professionals.
- All valid submissions will get 1 ticket per team to the World Design Policy Conference on November 12 (more tickets may be available later) for the opportunity to gain traction on their ideas with civic leaders and be recognized for awards.
What are the basic requirements for participating in the challenge?
To participate in the 2024 D4SD Challenge, submit a proposal individually or as a team (no more than 6 members) by 11.59 pm on October 25th 2024. All teams with valid entries will have the opportunity to represent and share their pitch deck at the World Design Policy Conference on November 12 in downtown San Diego to earn recognition and awards. Even if you cannot attend the WDPC, your pitch deck will still be displayed at the event.
Do I need to be from San Diego to participate?
No, anyone who is interested in the challenge may participate. Teams are not required to attend the World Design Policy Conference, but at least one member must attend to be eligible for awards. Up to two free tickets will be provided for all teams with a valid submission.
Do I need to attend in-person events to enter the challenge?
You do not need to attend any of the in-person events in order to submit a solution for the 2024 D4SD challenge. To be considered for judging and awards, we request at least one team member appear at the World Design Policy Conference to present their poster and to verbally pitch their solution on stage. One member of each team will get a free one-day ticket for the conference.
Do I need to attend in-person events to enter the challenge?
No. Onefree ticket will be provided for all teams with a valid submission. Additional tickets may be made available at a later time.
Can my organization partner with D4SD 2024 to host a design workshop for my organization?
Yes! We’d be excited to partner with your organization. If your organization in the San Diego or Tijuana region plans to participate in D4SD 2024, you can request to have the D4SD team facilitate a design workshop at your classroom, workplace, or gathering. Workshops can only be requested during the open submission period until Oct 24, 2024. If interested, please contact us at team@d4sd.org.
If you or your organization is interested in partnering with D4SD 2024 in other capacities, we are always looking for mentors, collaborators, and leaders to support teams in advancing their solutions for greater impact. We’d be excited to connect and can also be contacted at team@d4sd.org to discuss further.
Who should I contact if I have questions about the project deliverables or need help?
Contact the D4SD team at team@d4sd.org for questions about the challenge areas, submission details, attending events, or technical difficulties with your team’s submission.
Who owns the solutions submitted to the challenge?
Individuals or teams will keep all intellectual property rights on solutions submitted to the D4SD Challenge.
Can I submit multiple solutions or work on multiple teams? Can I join more than one team?
No. Participants can only submit one proposal for the challenge, either as an individual or as a team. Teams can have from one to six members.
Where can I learn more about the human-centered design process and stakeholder relationships?
The design process starts with understanding the problem and researching. Then, brainstorming and building the prototype and testing the prototype. Finally ending with redesigning and presenting the final prototype. To learn more about the human-centered design process, please refer to our D4SD Process Guide and Stakeholder Relationships pages and reflect on how to apply this approach to our challenge areas.