Building Sustainable and Collaborative Communities through User-Centered Design: Lessons from Elinor Ostrom and David Sloan Wilson

By Matthew Gardner

Elinor Ostrom’s work on cooperative governance has profoundly impacted my approach to community building within my UX practice. Her eight core design principles provide a roadmap for creating sustainable and cooperative systems, readily adaptable to the world of UX design.

Ostrom’s focus on collaboration, participation, inclusivity, transparency, sustainability, adaptability, responsibility, and mutual support directly aligns with my user-centred design philosophy. Integrating these principles into the UX design process fosters a more cooperative and sustainable user experience that caters to all stakeholders.

David Sloan Wilson, influenced by Ostrom’s work, extends these principles to organizational and community design. He emphasizes considering the needs of all stakeholders and creating systems that promote cooperation and sustainability. This perfectly aligns with our goal of user-centered design, encompassing the needs of customers, employees, and all stakeholders.

Putting Principles into Practice: Our UX Design Community

Here are some suggestions for incorporating these principles within our UX design Community of Practice:

• Collaboration: Foster a collaborative culture by encouraging teamwork and cross-functional communication between different teams and stakeholders. This ensures everyone participates in decision-making and problem-solving, with a voice in the design process.
• Participation: Encourage active participation from all stakeholders in UX design processes. This ensures everyone has a say and their needs are considered.
• Transparency: Make the UX design process transparent and accessible to all stakeholders. Encourage open communication and feedback to keep everyone informed.
• Sustainability: Integrate sustainable practices into the UX design process, such as reducing waste, minimizing non-renewable resource use, and promoting energy efficiency.
• Adaptability: Encourage your UX design team to be adaptable and responsive to market and technology changes, fostering continuous learning and improvement.
• Responsibility: Encourage team ownership and accountability for their work, striving for excellence in UX design practices.
• Mutual Support: Develop a culture of mutual respect and collaboration by encouraging team members to support each other and work together towards shared goals.

By incorporating these principles, you can cultivate a cooperative, sustainable, and responsive UX design process that caters to all stakeholder needs. This will not only result in a superior user experience but also build a more positive and supportive work environment for your Community of Practice.