Design activism itself can be expressed through many mediums, including protests socially or politically, boycotting certain brands and refusing to purchase certain goods, and also, more relevantly, through artistic innovation or installation to promote a cause or certain injustice.

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'Design activism' is a conceptualisation that occurs across various communities of practice and can be associated with diverse initiatives. One working definition of design activism describes it as "design thinking, imagination and practice applied knowingly or unknowingly to create a counter-narrative aimed at generating and balancing positive social, institutional, environmental and/or economic change.

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Design activism can create a conversation of awareness to highlight a cause aiming to rectify the issue once it gains traction. It can be offensive or obtrusive as much as it can be quaint or subtle, as long as there is an ultimate goal at its conclusion. 

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Regarding homelessness, certain approaches tend to tilt towards offensive on the spectrum, bringing the issue to the forefront. An infamous example is an installation of a sculpted homeless individual suffocating in a bin bag sat on the street path by Maxwell Rushton.