Strategies in Design for social innovation within Alto Vale Project

The article presents strategies of Design for social innovation used by the Center of Systemic Approach to Design (NAS DESIGN), from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), within the Alto Vale Project. Such project, developed with communities in the region of Alto Vale do Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil, involves partners from the civil, private and public sectors, in order to stimulate the development of associations (informal and formal) and micro-enterprises to promote income generation, in parallel to the encouragement of the local cultural identity. For that, the article develops a literature review of concepts such as Design for social innovation and strategy, as well as a case study of the Alto Vale Project. As a result, a framework with a set of activities developed by the group is presented, analyzed in terms of strategic, tactical and operational actions. Finally, the article aims at contributing to the systemic approach of designers in projects for social innovation within communities.