apply the principles of sustainable development

SuNstainable DesignWays™ is a design, planning and communication tool. It has been developed over the last five years by Joanne to integrate holistic goal formation and creative thinking within the framework of sustainability provided by The Natural Step™.

DesignWays offers a step-by-step method for designing human habitats, processes and landscapes at various levels of scale. Each plan created with the DesignWays process is different, dependent on people's goals and on the local context. It can be used to design new developments or to apply sustainable principles and long term planning to an existing company, project or land use development.

The DesignWays approach integrates The Natural Step with Permaculture design, participatory goal formation (based on Holistic Management) and creative thinking tools (based on the work of Edward de Bono). It explores the use of living systems biology as a basis and metaphor for design, and offers a flexible, comprehensive tool for assessment and design from a dynamic systems perspective.

The templates used in this approach are based on patterns found in natural systems. They employ Mind Map® techniques. A Mind Map  is a graphic technique for representing ideas, developed by Tony Buzan. Group dialogue is enhanced through the interactive tools and dynamic facilitation process. Carrying out this process enhances creativity and communication, galvanizes team learning and action and increases stakeholder commitment.

"DesignWays is an ideal method for communicating complex relationships and approaching sustainable design. It serves as a practical medium to involve everyone in the design process." Jason Wilkinson, The Solar Living Center in Eugene, Oregon