Design Thinking - Design for Life?
Design Thinking - Design for Life?
Design Thinking has always had the goal to help us develop better, innovative products and services. How? By putting the user first and empathizing with their needs. While seemingly obvious today, the user-centered research approach has been a true "wow"-moment for many organizations.
From User Centered to Live centered Design
However, in the last ten years, the environment in which we live has evolved. Social and cultural changes, digitalization, scarcity of resources, and climate change: a new reality, full of challenges and constraints for the future. In this context, Design Thinking has been increasingly criticized: too narrow a focus on current needs of today’s users, lack of consideration for long-term impact of design and consumption decisions.
Today, we need to think about product and service development in more holistic ways. We need to consider users in their (changing) environment - including their social networks, and the planet at large. We need to speak about "life-centered" design instead of just "user-centered" design. We must design the future we want to live in. But, what are the first steps into creating systemic change on such a scale?
What is the role of design thinking agencies in this shift?
Inspired by Hasso Plattner Institute #DTimpact Conference, this topic has triggered a lively discussion in our team: How can this new understanding shape our work as designers, market researchers, and innovators in the following year?
What are your thoughts about this?