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The Don Norman Design Award and Summit
Updated April 15, 2026
The Don Norman Design Award and Summit (DNDA) is an international program to advance the development of humanity-centered design and action (HCD+) education and practice worldwide. Projects must demonstrate their ability to make substantial contributions to society. HCD+ is Human-Centered Design, plus more: hence HCD+. The phrase “Humanity-Centered” emphasizes the rights of all humanity and addresses all life, as well as the earth’s environment. DNDA is a non-profit public charity, classified as a 501(c)(3) organization in the United States.
What kinds of activities are supported?
Awards and Recognition
We support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal. All work that receives awards or recognition must address one of these goals and demonstrate success in enhancing people’s lives. See the United Nations’ list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals at https://sdgs.un.org/ (and explore the numerous specialized websites branching off from that site). We call this kind of activity: societal work.
- Early-career projects. Awards to early-career practitioners who are doing HCD+ projects for societal good, with evidence of their progress.
- Education. Recognition for educational groups that train people to do this work, with their evidence being graduates who are now active.
- Organizations. Recognition of organizations that officially support HCD+ projects for societal good. These can be any officially recognized organization, including not-for-profits, NGOs, and Foundations, as well as private companies and industries, regardless of size, as long as they are truly supporting societal projects.
- Technology for humanity. This is a new category. This can be any group, no matter how experienced or financed, who use tehcnology in a way that has a direct impact upon quality of life. Most technologies have an indirect impact; this award requires that the impact be direct. See the dnda.design website for more information.
The Annual Summit
The international summit for humanity-centered design brings together international groups and programs that engage in Humanity-Centered activities. During the summit, in addition to celebrating rewards, established organizations share their accomplishments, difficulties, and even failures, all in the spirit of learning from their experiences and sharing knowledge. The summit is a learning experience. Large, successful organizations will talk about their experiences and award winners will describe the challenges they faced. Attendees, often quite experienced and senior, tell us that this was the best conference they have ever attended.
Our mission is to champion humanity-centered design, emphasizing the rights and well-being of all people and the shared ecosystem of the planet.
An international committee of jurors reviews all applications.
Podcasts/talks available for viewing:
Guy Kawasaki’s “Remarkable People” podcast
Don Norman emphasizes the importance of humanity-centered design, which considers the impact of design on the environment, society, and all living things. He discusses the potential of artificial intelligence and the need for collaboration and diverse perspectives in design. Don also highlights the success of reversing the ozone hole issue and the potential for finding solutions to other environmental challenges.
https://wavve.link/remarkablepeople
Invisible machines
For the season one finale, Robb and Josh welcome legendary researcher, professor, and author Don Norman. His book “The Design of Everyday Things” helped define the parameters of human centered design, and his new book “Design for a Better World: Meaningful, Sustainable, Humanity Centered” expands the process to account for all life (human and otherwise), all societies, and the ecological system. (15 June 2023) 68 minutes
Design Matters w/Debbie Millman
https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/don-norman
Artificiality w/Helen and Dave Edwards.
https://artificiality.substack.com/p/don-norman-design-for-a-better-world#details
Nodes of Design #99: Design for a Better World
Join us for a truly special episode of Nodes of Design featuring design visionary Don Norman. Don, renowned globally for pioneering user-centred design work, shares fascinating insights from his latest book ‘Design for a Better World’.
In this episode, we delve into the crucial role of design in addressing pressing global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and social inequality. Don shares his vision of how designers can contribute to a better world by collaborating with scientists, policymakers, and politicians.
As we navigate an era increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, Don explores the future of design in this new context. He enlightens us on how AI can serve as a co-pilot in our design process and the possibilities it holds for designers.
Don’s advice for budding designers is particularly striking. He emphasizes the need to cultivate an environmentally-first design mindset in an era of environmental crisis. This episode is a must-listen for design enthusiasts seeking to understand how design can truly improve our world.
Tune in for a thought-provoking journey through the Nodes of Design with Don Norman, a master of craft who continues to inspire and shape the design field.
My discussion at FLAME University,
Pune India (1 hour)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6E5Iiok-Q
My discussion at Krea University
Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, India
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwoqb-zUKIM
McKinsey & Company Author Talks:
This includes a transcript of the conversation as well as selected video sections.
Discussion with Bob Kozma about our two books
Bob’s book is “Make the World a Better Place: Design with Passion, Purpose, and Values“. His book and my DBW book are very similar in spirit, so they strengthen and reinforce one another. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7063645482488627201/
August 6, 2023. PCI Community Podcast (People-Centered Internet)
Recording available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjb5eMFM3EQ
