Design x Technology Series: Lesley-Ann Noel

You are invited to LTU CoAD for another important Spring 2026 Design x Technology Series talk featuring Dean of Design, OCAD University Lesley-Ann Noel.

“Designing in the Tension: Relationality, Complexity and the Futures We Design Together” explores how design thrives in spaces of uncertainty and interconnectedness. Drawing on work by Arturo Escobar, Victor Udoewa, Renata Marques Leitão, and my own research, this talk examines relationality as a foundation for design practice and the role of complexity in shaping pluriversal futures. Through real-world examples in healthcare, technology, urban design, and education, we’ll discuss how designers can embrace tension as a creative force—moving beyond control toward care, equity, and collaboration. This conversation invites us to imagine futures where many worlds fit.

Participants will gain practical frameworks and tools for navigating complexity and relationality in design. They’ll leave with strategies to embrace uncertainty as a creative resource, rather than something to avoid, which is critical in today’s interconnected challenges.

By learning relational design approaches, participants can reduce friction in collaborative projects, improve stakeholder engagement, and design solutions that are more adaptive and inclusive. This makes design processes smoother and outcomes more resilient.

Participants will be introduced to ready-to-use tools like the Positionality Wheel and Designer’s Critical Alphabet, which accelerate reflection and decision-making in complex projects.

What current challenges will this presentation alleviate?

– Difficulty managing multi-stakeholder complexity

– Lack of frameworks for inclusive and equitable design

– Struggles with uncertainty and systemic change

Relational and systemic approaches reduce the risk of designing in isolation, which often leads to failure or unintended harm. By foregrounding care, equity, and collaboration, participants can anticipate ripple effects and design for long-term sustainability.

We’ll examine tools and strategies that foster equity, care, and collaboration—helping designers navigate uncertainty, reduce risks, and remove barriers in multi-stakeholder projects. Reflection and ethics are essential; this session offers practical ways to embed them in design for pluriversal futures.

Moderating this Design x Technology Series talk is LTU Department Chair and Professor Philip Plowright.

🛂 CoAD Freshman, this event counts towards your Experience Passport. 

As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Series, this event is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. A pizza lunch will be provided.

BIO: Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel is a Trinidadian design educator and the Dean of Design at OCAD University. She is the author of “Design Social Change” and a co-editor of “The Black Experience in Design.” She has developed tools for critical reflection, such as The Designer’s Critical Alphabet and the Positionality Wheel. Before joining OCAD U, she taught at North Carolina State University, Tulane University, Stanford University, and the University of the West Indies.