Executive Education

By 2050 the global population of those 65 years and above is estimated to double from 727 million today to 1.5 billion. We are expected to not only live longer lives, but also more diverse lives requiring designers, innovators, manufacturers, service providers, and industry leaders to reconsider how to target and support this growing market segment.

Over 50’s already hold 70% of all household wealth in the UK but by 2040 over 55’s will account for 63p in every pound spent.

Instead of the medical discourse of ageing dominated by decline, frailty and burden, we need to start addressing the potential for a ageing market that meets not only the needs, but also the interests, aspirations and desires of those in later life.

We view Design Thinking as a form of people-centred innovation – design solutions therefore derive from reframing problems from the perspective of the user or the customer, not the producer or service provider. The process is not neutral – it involves showing empathy and engagement with people’s lived experience. It also means resolving the contradictions between the real world of barriers and constraints and the abstract world of imagination and creative ideas.

Our programme of skills development, training and executive learning includes our Masterclass in Designing for An Ageing Population, led by Colum Lowe, Design Age Institute’s Director and an RCA Honorary Fellow, supported by experts from Oxford University’s Institute of Population Ageing and the International Longevity Centre among others.

The course provides participants with unique insight into the healthy ageing marketplace, looking at what drives behaviour and purchase motivation, the basics of action psychology and how design has a critical role to play in creating healthier, happier lives for all of us as we age

Explore upcoming skills and training opportunities below.

If you are interested in taking part in our Masterclass programme please get in touch with us at [email protected] and sign up to our mailing list to be the first to know about upcoming events and opportunities.