Dr Nick Spencer

My research relates to Design for Social Innovation. Specifically, my work engages with the complexities of transition; the conflicting views and influence of different people and organisations and their collective roles in realising fairer, responsible and more rewarding futures. Through a practice based approach my research explores how capabilities can be developed and embedded that initiate desirable transition and help non-design experts to continue an appropriate design practice within their professional or community setting.

I have expertise in Design Thinking and Design Innovation, topics I am invited to speak about to academic, corporate and public sector audiences. I am often commissioned to lead projects that bring the public and multiple organisations together to examine and respond creatively and strategically to complex situations. I am part of a range of significant European networks interested in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship and leverage these to support the scaling and dissemination of new practice and exciting initiatives.

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Can co-design deal with policy disputes?, Spencer, N., Yee, J., Defeyter, M. 3 Apr 2026, In: Policy Design and Practice
• When frames collide: Participatory frame navigation through co-design in policy contexts, Spencer, N., Yee, J., Defeyter, M. 8 Jun 2026, In: Proceedings of DRS
• A Systemic Perspective on the Design and (Lack of) Use of an Artefact in the Hospital, Vossebeld, D., Spencer, N., De Lille, C., van der Lugt, R. 22 Oct 2025, In: Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design
• Restructuring (Inclusive) Innovation Narratives for Institutional Systems Transformation, Ogilvie, B., Spencer, N., Bailey, M., Simmons, H. 22 Oct 2025, In: Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design
• A hyper-local place-based pedagogy for exploring design justice, ontological design and systems entanglement, Spencer, N., Carrion-Weiss, J., Simmons, H. 3 Sep 2024, DS 131: Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE 2024), Glasgow, The Design Society
• Design Facilitation: mid-term impacts and outcomes of a design-led innovation readiness programme for micro-SMEs, Bailey, M., Carrion-Weiss, J., Albaqali, B., Spencer, N., Hemstock, O., Richardson, C. 6 Aug 2024, The 24th dmi:Academic Design Management Conference Proceedings, Design Management Institute
• Designing as Infrastructuring to Impact Policy, Yee, J., Spencer, N., Defeyter, M. 23 Jun 2024, In: DRS Biennial Conference Series
• Exploring Creative Confidence & Entrepreneurial Agency as drivers of Creative Resilience through Rapid Design Interventions, Carrion-Weiss, J., Bailey, M., Spencer, N., Simmons, H. 6 Aug 2024, The 24th dmi:Academic Design Management Conference Proceedings, Design Management Institute
• ‘Safe spaces and places’: the value of design-led methodologies in developing online narratives, Oswald, R., Soppitt, S., Spencer, N., Powell, L., Richardson, C., Coombs, S. 3 May 2024, In: International Journal of Social Research Methodology
• Final degree shows: culmination or invitation?, Simmons, H., Bailey, M., Spencer, N., Hemstock, O., Mutambo, N. 7 Sep 2023, DS 123, Glasgow, The Design Society

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Birmingham - HAF Plus – Co-designing a HAF Plus Service Blueprint and Policy, with Secondary School Pupils and Experts, of Holiday and Out of School Provision, Defeyter, G. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), 01/08/22 - 30/06/23
• FB - HAF Plus – Co-designing a HAF Plus Service Blueprint and Policy, with Secondary School Pupils and Experts, of Holiday and Out of School Provision, Defeyter, G. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), Feeding Britain, 01/08/22 - 30/06/23, £9,929.00
• Gateshead - HAF Plus – Co-designing a HAF Plus Service Blueprint and Policy, with Secondary School Pupils and Experts, of Holiday and Out of School Provision, Defeyter, G. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, 01/08/22 - 30/06/23, £18,686.00
• London - HAF Plus – Co-designing a HAF Plus Service Blueprint and Policy, with Secondary School Pupils and Experts, of Holiday and Out of School Provision, Defeyter, G. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), 01/08/22 - 30/06/23
• Northumberland - HAF Plus – Co-designing a HAF Plus Service Blueprint and Policy, with Secondary School Pupils and Experts, of Holiday and Out of School Provision, Defeyter, G. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), 01/08/22 - 30/06/23
• Creative Spark partnerhsip fund, Bailey, M. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), British Council, 05/11/20 - 30/06/23, £19,951.00
• Creative Fuse North East (AHRC funded), Bailey, M. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), Newcastle University, 01/02/20 - 31/07/22, 0.00
• ERDF: Creative Fuse North East 2 (see also CRP0755 AHRC), Bailey, M. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), Newcastle University, 01/02/20 - 31/07/22, 0.00
• Creative Spark: Get Ready to Innovate Armenia, Bailey, M. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), British Council, 09/10/18 - 31/07/19, £49,924.00
• Project Legacy Sprint, Bailey, M. (Principal Investigator), Spencer, N. (Co Investigator), Northumbrian Water, 08/05/17 - 12/05/17, £2,000.00

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Organising a conference, workshop, ...: COST CA18236 Working Group 1- Multi-disciplinary innovation for social change 2023
• Organising a conference, workshop, ...: European Cooperation in Science and Technology CA18236 - Multi-disciplinary innovation for social change (SHIINE) 2022
• Organising a conference, workshop, ...: Hartlepool Mental Health Alliance 2021
• Consultancy: Enterprise Education Policy Challenges, Opportunities and Recommendations in the Republic of Armenia 2019
• Organising a conference, workshop, ...: British Council Enterprise education Policy Dialogue workshop 2019
• Organising a conference, workshop, ...: GETM3 Sandpit Northumbria 2017 2017

• Daniel Massey Start Date: 01/10/2025 End Date: 17/10/2025
• Brogan Ogilvie Neoliberalism and social design; an institutional logics perspective Start Date: 01/10/2021 End Date: 17/10/2025
• Brogan Ogilvie Neoliberalism and social design; an institutional logics perspective Start Date: 01/10/2021 End Date: 22/02/2026
• Daniel Massey Frame conflicts within regional energy systems Start Date: 01/10/2025

• Design Studies PhD March 31 2009
• Teaching & Learning PCAPL November 04 2004
• Design Studies BA (Hons) June 30 2002

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• European Cooperation in Science & Technology funded project related to Multi-disciplinary innovation for social change. I lead the group concerned with design approaches to social innovation and social entrepreneurship.
• DESIS Labs are groups of academics, researchers and students who orient their design and research activities towards social innovation. They operate at the local scale with local partners and, in collaboration with other DESIS Labs, they actively participate in large-scale projects and programs. I lead the Northumbria DESIS lab.