At Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, the focus was not on what was displayed, but on how people think. Design has outgrown the idea of a final product. It has become a way of seeing, questioning and connecting ideas. That mindset resonates deeply with research. Because when designers imagine new forms for the future, researchers help to understand what those forms mean for people, for brands and for society.
Seeing beyond the surface
What stood out during Dutch Design Week was how broad the idea of design has become. From circular material flows to cities made liveable again. From experiences that help people manage overstimulation to behaviour that supports a more sustainable way of living. Design today is not about aesthetics. It is about vision. About reconnecting people, society and the planet. That is also where research finds its place. We too are in the business of understanding, connecting and giving meaning.
“We no longer present numbers. We build experiences around insights.”
Turning signals into sense
Research is often seen as something exact: data, numbers, measurement. But at its core, it is interpretation. The ability to translate signals into insight, and insights into something that moves people. In that sense, research and design are remarkably alike. Both start by listening. Both work in layers and iterations. Both search for ways to make the world a little better. When we think like designers, we no longer present numbers. We build experiences around insight, so others can feel what data means for real people.
Blueprints for understanding
Being at Dutch Design Week is not a side note for us. It is a way to stay close to how change happens. To see how ideas take shape and how empathy can be a driver of innovation. Designers design experiences. We design insights. The goal is the same: to understand what drives people, and to translate what we learn into something that makes an impact. By standing among designers, we recognise the value of process, experimentation and curiosity. The same principles that make meaningful research possible.
Roots of empathy
Dutch Design Week reminded us that research and design are two sides of the same process, both starting from curiosity and empathy, and aiming for real-world change. As designers and researchers, we have the power to look differently, to listen sharply and to think humanly. By joining forces, we don’t just describe how the world is; we shape how it can become. That’s how we take insight and impact to the next level.
About the author
Wim Hamaekers
is co-founder of One Inch Whale. With over 30 years of experience in marketing, communication and behavioural research, Wim focuses on uncovering unconscious decision-making processes. He has won multiple Esomar awards, represents Belgium at Esomar, and is a keynote speaker and guest lecturer promoting ethics and innovation in the global insights community.