Outline
RegulationsOrganizer and supportersOur IdealsScreening perspectivesProject Policies for 2025Types of AwardsMessages
Regulations
"Principal Implementation Regulations for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025" stipulate the outline of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 project. In accordance with the principal implementation regulations, various relevant regulations are prescribed.
Organizer and supporters
Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP)
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry / The Small and Medium Enterprise Agency / Tokyo Metropolitan Government / The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry / Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) / ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism / Nihon Keizai Shimbun / NHK / World Design Organization
Our Ideals
Screening perspectives
Whether tangible or intangible, GOOD DESIGN AWARD evaluates the quality of things that people create to achieve certain ideals and purposes as design. The jury members will consider the following "screening perspectives" to determine whether or not the entries are good designs based on a composite of various views of design context, purpose, process, and outcome.
Whether due considerations, including usability, understandability, friendliness, etc., are given to users
Whether various considerations, including safety, security, environment, physically weak persons, etc., are given to maintain the credibility
Whether the design gains the sympathy of users
Whether the design has attractiveness and induces users’ creativity
Whether issues are skillfully solved by using new technology and materials or through creativity
Whether the entry is reasonably designed or planned with appropriate technology, method, and quality
Whether the entry contributes to the creation of a new industry or business
Whether the entry contributes to the creation of new cultures, such as a new method, lifestyle, communication, etc.
Whether the entry contributes to the realization of the sustainable society
Whether the entry suggests new value, such as a new method, concept, style, etc. to society
Whether the entry puts past contexts and accumulated achievements to propose new value.
Whether the entry proposes a highly sustainable solution from medium- and long-term perspectives.
Whether the entry represents continual improvements in accordance with the times.
Project Policies for 2025
In theGOOD DESIGN AWARD2025, following last year, Mr. Seiichi Saito waswelcomed as Chairperson, with Mr. Jin Kuramoto and Ms. Yuko Nagayama asVice Chairpersons. In the screening process, under the theme “A Small Step,Design Leaps,” which was derived from last year’s Focused Issues, in additionto thescreeningperspectives of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD (human,industrial, social, and time), the evaluation questionedwhether the designwas approached with the will to take a step forward without being bound byconventional practices or preconceptions. The main points are as follows.
Discovery of Outstanding Designs in Japan and Abroad and Promotionof Applications
During the application period, numerous briefing sessions and consultationmeetings were held both in Japan and overseas, motivating potentialapplicants. In mainland China, cooperation with local media continued, withadvertising carried out across multiplechannels,including social media and web ads, to encourage applications. In Taiwan, since 2022, information andtalks on excellent Japanese designs have been disseminated through a well-established podcast channel, contributing to a better understanding of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD.
Strengthening the Information Dissemination Function Through OwnedMedia
“.g Good DesignJournal,” the information section of the GOOD DESIGNAWARD official website,launched in 2023, has been serially introducing thescreening process as well as award winners and their designs. In addition,the official accounts on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook,andnote have continued to grow in follower numbers year by year. Throughtimely and appropriate content updates, theGOOD DESIGN AWARD andaward-winning works have been communicated as something more familiarto general users, further enhancing the media’s transmission power.
Positioning of the GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD and Change in theSelection Method for the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD
Starting this year, the “GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD” has been positionedas the top of each category, with one selected from each of the 20 units.The “GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD,” based on the principle of choosingthe most outstanding design among the year’s award-winning works, wasdetermined from the 20gold awardwinners in a specialscreeningsession inwhich only professional jury members participated. In continuation from lastyear, in addition to thegrand award, a voting event titled “OurFavorite GMark,” in which all visitors to the award exhibition could vote, was also held,providing an opportunity to foster broader interest in excellent design.
Types of Awards
GOOD DESIGN AWARD is presented to entries recognized as excellent designs from among all entries, and then 100 winners with superior designs are chosen as GOOD DESIGN BEST100.
Next, the Judging Committee chooses winners of the GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD and GOOD FOCUS AWARD as well as finalists for the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD from the GOOD DESIGN BEST100.
The winner of the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD is chosen from the finalists for that award voting by the jury members, winners, and others.
2025/4/1
A Small Step, Design Leaps
Where does design truly begin? Once created, who nurtures it, and how does it make its way into society? This year’s GOOD DESIGN AWARD seeks to explore these questions.
I have long maintained that the design of objects such as products and the design of experiences, for example through “social design,” cannot be considered separately. Behind every object design lies a story—an aspect of experience design—while the output of experience design is often made up of numerous object designs. Over the past 10 years of being involved in the GOOD DESIGN AWARD screening process, I have become convinced that this applies to all forms of design. I find it particularly meaningful to reaffirm this thinking in my message for the 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD as I feel strongly that the traditionally dualistic view of object and experience design is finally evolving into a more integrated perspective.
This year’s theme, “A Small Step, Design Leaps,” emerged from discussions in last year’s Focused Issues. In 2023, the theme was “Design and Its Outcome,” and in 2024, it was “Brave Attitude, Organic Design.” Through these themes, we explored the directions design should take in the future and the processes required to get there as part of an ongoing exploration of what design should be in the present moment.
Looking back at the vast array of past awarded designs, two things stand out: the significance of the creator’s vision—arguably the source of all design—and the strength of the process that drives that vision through to realization. As existing systems reach a state of saturation and conventional formulas are questioned, there is now a greater expectation across all fields to generate truly necessary, beautiful, and adaptable designs from fresh perspectives. In other words, we’re moving from an era where design followed the times (driven primarily by marketing) to an era where the very act of design, in its pursuit of better solutions, leads society forward.
“A Small Step” affirms the actions of passionate individuals who discover and implement new perspectives through their interactions with society. “Design Leaps” represents the power of organizations and groups to respect these actions, bringing together diverse abilities to collectively create and expand upon them.
When submitting an entry, we encourage you to showcase not only the final design as an outcome, but also the design process and journey embedded in it that led to its creation. The committee looks forward to encountering many outstanding designs again this year.
2025/4/1
Cultivating Intent
The GOOD DESIGN AWARD is about to begin once again.
I’ve always believed that design is the act of discovering a better harmony between people, objects, and the surrounding environment. This harmony is constantly evolving, shaped by social context and technological advancements. Likewise, the GOOD DESIGN AWARD has continuously transformed itself in response to changing times, reflecting contemporary values and capturing the essence of what is considered good and desirable at each moment in time.
Envisioning a new future is both a great joy for creators and a monumental task that requires enormous energy. While many groundbreaking research efforts and ideas are realized as products and services through exceptional teamwork within companies and organizations, I’m once again reminded that at the root of it all lies an individual’s vision—a small first step that sets everything else in motion. It is the courage and strong intent of an individual that sparks an idea, which is then embraced by companies and organizations in an organic collaboration, ultimately evolving into a powerful force that can shape society. In our screening process, we will actively seek to understand and appreciate the significance of individual intent while also examining how organizations have expanded upon these ideas and presented them to the world.
The perspective, scope, and approach to intent are also crucial. I’m particularly interested in how the visions of creators and companies have been cultivated, leading to the conception of their submitted projects. To honor the passion of all applicants and gain a deeper understanding of creators’ intent, we continuously refine our evaluation methods to adapt them in response to the evolving relationship between society and design. We hope that the GOOD DESIGN AWARD can serve as a measure of the values of our time, and we look forward to seeing your outstanding designs again this year.
2025/4/1
Turning That First Step into an Opportunity
Over the past two years, my messages have focused on “The Power of Design” (2023) and “Where the Power of Design is Heading” (2024), both of which embody reflections on what I wanted to explore more deeply through the GOOD DESIGN AWARD each year. Through this process, I have closely observed the impact that the power of design has on society.
This year’s GOOD DESIGN AWARD theme, “A Small Step, Design Leaps,” reflects a desire to examine how design expands from its starting point and the forces that drive that expansion.
In last year’s Focused Issues, I used the terms “The Power to Involve” and “The Power to Be Involved” to describe the roles of those who initiate an idea and those who use their skills to propel it toward realization. Every project comes to life through a balance of these two forces, and last year’s awarded works exemplified many outstanding instances of this dynamic in action.
This year marks 55 years since the 1970 Osaka Expo, and the second Osaka-Kansai Expo is set to take place. The previous Expo was hailed as the “Miracle Expo” as it brought together many young architects, artists, and creators who gave form to their visions of a bright future, bearing witness to a sense of optimism that resonated with countless visitors. This time, however, the circumstances are different. Even before its opening, people have questioned the relevance of the Expo in today’s world. Nonetheless, Japan stepped forward to serve as host country, was chosen, and has now taken its first step. To ensure that this step is not wasted, everyone involved, myself included, is fully committed to making the event a meaningful one. Ultimately, it is up to those of us who have been drawn into this endeavor to imbue this step with purpose and transform it into an opportunity.
The GOOD DESIGN AWARD is a recognition of designs that someone refused to give up on. Sharing these design processes serves as encouragement for those preparing to take their next step. I encourage everyone to share their design journeys and stories with as many people as possible as a way to inspire new creativity and momentum, and I hope that this year’s competition will attract as many applicants as possible to contribute to this cycle of innovation.
