Ezio Manzini's Enabling Solutions | Briefing and Background Documents | Responses from event attendees | Australian Enabling Solution Links

Ezio Manzini in Sydney with Enabling Solutions
Professor Manzini recently presented his latest thoughts on Enabling Solutions at the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building at UTS. Enabling Solutions are a continuation of Manzini's work on Product Service Systems, Sustainable Solutions and Scenario Building. Enabling Solutions are 'systems of products, services and organizational tools that enable individuals or communities to achieve a result using at best their skills and abilities'. In a workshop briefing session, Manzini introduced a methodology for designers to come up with Super-Kits which involves seeking out current enabling practices, decontextualising them and then amplifying them in a bottom-up approach to social change. Design students are currently using this brief for Enabling Solutions in a semester-long project in Interdisciplinary Design Studies at UTS. Change Design aims to keep tabs on their process and results and will have an Australian Enabling Solutions online project site up soon.

In the meantime, we have a small collection of responses, articles and papers to introduce readers to the concepts. We have also started a list of weblinks to Australian examples of potentially Enabling Solutions. If you would like to contribute your own response to Enabling Solutions or add examples to the list, please contact Tara Andrews. Please also visit our Ezio Manzini Pages.

Enabling Solutions Briefing Documents by Ezio Manzini:
(These are all word documents) Abstract | Enabling Solutions & Sustainability | Annex: Case Studies (International) | Workshop Brief & Program

Background Documents
Thank you to Anne-Marie Willis of Design Philosophy Papers for permission to publish these here.
Ezio Manzini, 'Scenarios of sustainable well-being' Design Philosophy Papers Issue 1 2003 word | pdf
Ezio Manzini & Francois Jegou, 'Sustainable everyday - scenarios, visions, possible worlds' Design Philosophy Papers Issue 4 2003 word | pdf

Responses from event attendees
Jan Lee Martin, 'Weaving Designs in Time and Space to create a 'sustainable service society': Ezio Manzini' Futures: the Newsletter of the Futures Foundation Vol. 9 No. 2 March 2004 p.5. Thank you to the Futures Foundation for permission to publish this review.

Ashley Hegland has also provided us with a comprehensive account of the Enabling Solutions Briefing and Workshop help on March 12 2004: word or pdf

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Australian Links to examples of potentially Enabling Solutions:
CERES (the Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) in Brunswick, Melbourne
http://www.ceres.org.au/about/about_content.html

LETS groups in Australia
http://www.lets.org.au/
Sydney Lets has just started - September 2003
http://www.lets.1337.as/sydney/

Alfalfa House (Organic Food Co-op)
http://www.alfalfahouse.org/

Work Ventures
Computer re-use program and Neighbourhood Technology Centres
http://www.workventures.com.au/

needaride.com.au (Car Pooling)
http://www.needaride.com.au

Australian Community Gardens Network
http://home.iprimus.com.au/russ000/garden/

NSW Community Builders: Case Studies
http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/stories/

Australian Community Foods
http://www.communityfoods.com.au/

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Barter Card
http://www.bartercard.com.au/aboutus.htm

Micro Business Network
http://www.mbn.com.au/

Australian Farmers Markets Association
http://www.farmersmarkets.org.au/

The Bower Re-use and Repair Co-operative
http://home.pacific.net.au/~thebower/

TravelSmart Australia: Walking School Bus Program
http://www.travelsmart.gov.au/schools/schools2.html

Walking School Bus Article from ABC
http://www.abc.net.au/goulburnmurray/stories/s907537.htm

MeetUp.com (Australia)
http://www.meetup.com/locale/?country=1063&localeId=860&zip=&setLocale=0

Australasian Social Entrepreneurs Network
http://www.sen.org.au/
Lots of enabling solutions here.

Australia.Coop
http://www.australia.coop/
Especially see the case studies: http://www.australia.coop/cooperative_case_studies.htm

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Changes is the Newsletter of Change Design, the student branch of the
EcoDesign Foundation
, Sydney | Questions & Comments Welcome
Last Updated April 2004