Project proximities: A meta review of how design addresses distance in complex collaborations

Complex collaborations involving multiple disciplines and stakeholders are seen as necessary in the pursuit of transformative innovation. Yet these ‘systemic’ science & technology-led projects pose a challenge for knowledge exchange, co-creation co-operation. Design research teams brought in, often to work on tangible outcomes, faced with chasms between understanding diverse actors. From this problematization distances complex collaboration, new design practice has emerged: 'translational practice' (Page John 2019). This paper builds concept through ‘meta’ level review approaches three European publicly-funded consortium address observed by building proximity i) partners, ii) external iii) wider audiences. Translational is repositioned an expanded, transferrable which can challenges therefore support innovation, perhaps beyond technology-first approach.