Jack Grant

Supervisors: Fabri Blacklock, Katherine Moline

Jack is a graphic designer and design researcher. He has developed his practice in both commercial and academic settings, working both in-house and freelance. Although Jack is passionate about graphic design and visual communication, his concern about the impact of the field and ethics of sustainability drew him to pursue research in design activism, social innovation and participatory methodologies.

His interest in the wellbeing and experiences of marginalised communities manifested his Honours and Masters research at UNSW, where he explored the potential for graphic design strategies to create positive social impact. Jack has furthered this investigation through his current PhD research, which seeks to improve the safety and wellbeing of informal waste collectors in Sydney through design intervention, based on a speculative and participatory informed approach.

Research area
Research outputs

Design Activism
Graphic Design
Participatory Design

Conference Papers:

Grant, J. 2022, 'Hiding in plain sight: A case for designing with informal waste collectors', paper presented at ACUADS 2022 - Public Pedagogy: Forms of Togetherness, 28 Oct - 11 Nov, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA.

Presentations:

Grant, J. 2023, 'Who you gonna call? Challenges to participatory design methods', presented at HASTAC 2023 - Critical Making & Social Justice, 8-10 June, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NYC.
Grant, J. 2023, 'Waste collectors wanted: Ongoing iteration in practice-based design research methods', presented at UNSW Art & Design HDR Conference, 22-23 March, UNSW Art & Design, Paddington, NSW.
Grant, J. 2022, 'Wasted value: The morality of designing with marginalised groups', presented at UNSW Art & Design HDR Conference, 23-24 March, UNSW Art & Design, Paddington, NSW.
Grant, J. 2021, 'Graphic design activism, cultural probes and redefining data', presented at RAD Talks, 19 Oct, online.

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Jack Grant