Debby Hsiao

I am a multidisciplinary designer specialising in Service Design and Spatial Design. Before joining RCA, I did a BSc in Interior Design at the University in Taipei, Taiwan. After coming to the RCA, I have a renewed sense of my social responsibility as a designer. I believe design has been perceived as a means to solve problems – to create solutions, and in various possible forms- a space, a conversation, a product, a system, a model, an experience, etc. With a sharing mission of bringing people together to address difficulties and bridge gaps for a better world.

This journey has been a turning point in pursuing my interests in design thinking and exploring my self-value as a designer toward the world. I hope to become a designer who can bring about positive societal changes and strengthen people and communities in need through responsible and thoughtful design.

My skills are in a form of an act of care towards people and the planet, concerned with the needs or unique value of the individual, and by extension, the needs and value of communities. Through creative exploration, design experimentations, sociology and integration of new disciplines, my work aims to create disruptive experiences and make a positive impact in society where Design is a way I can devote my passion.

Spiral- Beyond circularity for future mobility, media item 2

The government’s carbon emission regulations have gained immense emphasis from automobile manufacturers. However, biased decisions within different sustainability targets like carbon zero goals, recyclability, ethical sourcing etc., create environmentally harmful causal loops, often uncovered during the design phase. Attaining the desired circularity while balancing other sustainability targets is a challenge.

Spiral is an AI-based service that helps EV manufacturers to prioritise different sustainability targets and make circular material decisions during the automobile design and concept development phase. The AI-powered plugin integrates with existing design and engineering software to ensure sustainable material decisions.

The automotive industry is a complex system of various stakeholders with different requirements and needs. Spiral connects them, creating multi-sided benefits, and eliminating barriers within the ecosystem.

Co-designed with- Nini Lin, Swathi Muralidharan

Vision- Building capability for financial sustainability, media item 2

Vision was created in partnership with EY Seren, a Strategic Design partner in the financial services industry, helping large complex organisations design their future and customer experience. We were challenged to shift the mindsets and behaviours of people to drive better financial decisions that ensure lifelong financial safety and stability.

Vision is an end-to-end service that helps people effectively manage their savings and start making early investments to build a financially sustainable future. It provides users with the necessary tools and information while facilitating an aided behavioural change to make better financial decisions.

Co-designed with: Natsumi Tabusa, Swathi Muralidharan, Wei Huang

Behaviour Change Decision Making Financial Service Sustainability

Brightside- Nurturing mothers in nature, media item 1

Brightside- Nurturing mothers in nature, media item 2

Brightside- Nurturing mothers in nature, media item 3

Brightside- Nurturing mothers in nature, media item 4

Brightside was created as part of a UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) funded project "Nature's Way", which explores nature-based solutions for wellbeing. Our challenge was understanding the relationships between nature, space, mental health and social prescription.

Brightside is a service that aims to use a nature-based approach to bring mental health awareness and mental well-being practices into the lives of mothers-to-be and enable as many mothers to have a more balanced and supported experience of birth, transitioning to parenting. The ultimate goal is to empower the stakeholders to innovate local and pace-based solutions for healthcare and societal resilience, with modular components for wider dissemination and testing across other organisations and regional contexts.

Co-designed with: Serene Yap, Mini Lin, Jiaqi Wang, Yanting Shen

Mental Health Nature Nature Based Solutions Social Prescribing

Debby Hsiao

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Royal College of Art