Last week we hosted our 18th IIAB Talk — this time on how we question the future through design.
Together with almost 100 other designers we discussed the powers of design and how we can take an active part in shaping a responsible future. As one of the speakers stated;
“The future will happen whether we engage with it or not. If we don’t take active part in shaping it - someone else will”
The question is then, why are designers particularly well-equipped to shape the future and what are the different ways in which designers can ensure meaningful impact?
As designers, design-doers and design-thinkers we all know that the notion of being a ‘designer’ is not easily defined. That can lead to some confusing conversations when discussing your work with your grandmother. Having four speakers and a diverse audience helping us in reflecting on the powers of design, we found that despite our differences we have a shared language across design practices. In its essence it is less important how designers are different, and more important what is shared between us. Therefore, we have collected 10 points from the IIAB Talk on the shared powers of design in setting direction for the future!
DESIGN HAS POWER IN…
- Conversations
that build bridges between people and facilitates spaces
where neglected voices are heard. - Empathy
with humans and the planet as starting
point for decision-making. - Critique
of the past, present and future by asking
challenging questions about what we take for granted. - Speculations
on status quo and provocations
for ‘what could be’ - Holistic understandings
of the world that considers the
broader context and impact. - Strategic potential
that facilitate direction through collaboration
and high standards for change. - Creativity
that is bold and curious about the world. - Tangible representation
of the abstract to enable others
to relate to intangible matters. - References
to other contexts for unexpected sources of learning
and inspiration that already exist in our world. - Facilitating organizational alignment
through strong storytelling and narratives that create
shared understandings of desirable futures.
We know that design is evolving every day and that these points are not exhaustive - but as the design practice grows, we continue to explore and experiment with its powers. Share with us what you believe is unique about design and what it is that makes it fit to shape the future!
Reach out to Sara Said Mosleh at sara@isitabird.dk
