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Why design is the most important subject in school
Conference presentation

Why design is the most important subject in school

Leighann Ness Wilson and Nick Kelly A/Prof
Datta Queensland State Conference 2026 (Brisbane, Queensland, 18/06/2026–19/06/2026)
18/06/2026

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Abstract

Design capabilities are everywhere in the national curriculum. They are found throughout the Technologies KLA, are referred to in diverse STEM subjects, and cut across all subjects as the general capability of “creativity and critical thinking”. Design is the most important subject in school because, especially in the era of artificial intelligence, it’s not enough just to know things. Students need to be leaving school as competent designers, with what are sometimes called “future skills” or “21st Century skills”. This presentation draws upon our book Taking Design Seriously in Education (2026) to make the case that design subjects need to be the place where these skills are learnt. The focus of the talk is to explain in a concise way why design is such a vital subject but also why advocacy is needed if it is to be widely recognised as such. The talk makes clear the basis for these claims by presenting: 1. The current situation of design currently being subsumed within other subjects or relegated to a lower status; 2. The systemic effects that prevent design from being recognised within schools and within school systems 3. The advocacy needed to raise the status of design more broadly We present a blueprint for a future in which school leaders, teacher educators, and policymakers all work together with design teachers in creating more designerly schools. This talk is an evidence-based provocation informed by decades of research and experience in design education from the two presenters.

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