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Impact, in Practice
Lauren Serota
A designer is anyone who synthesizes a complex
domain into decisions or solutions that are meant to
affect others.
I AM
A designer is anyone who synthesizes a complex
domain into decisions or solutions that are meant to
affect others.
All design has social impact.
All design has social impact. positive?
All design has social impact. negative?
What does it mean to be a designer?
VALUING GRIT OVER GLOSS
Things from afar are often distorted towards the sexy.
* Not pictured: Flying arthropods, 5-hour-long power outages, 95% humidity, potholes, giardia, language barriers.
The reality looks, well, much more like work.*
the beautiful, inspirational things:
THE STORY
Logistics, overhead, meetings,
socialising, translating, iterating, pivoting, you know,
THE WORK
The work is the real story, and it ain’t sexy.
VALUING GRIT OVER GLOSS
MINDING YOUR MOTIVATIONS
ROMANCE : RESPONSIBILITY
CAN : SHOULD
Why am I here?
What value am I bringing?
For what am I now responsible?
WHAT WORK SHOULD I NOT DO?
VALUING GRIT OVER GLOSS
KNOWING YOUR ROLE
MINDING YOUR MOTIVATIONS
In the developed world, you can buy and source knowledge. In emerging markets, it has to be earned.”
“
- JONATHON MORGAN FORMER USHAHIDI, CURRENT POPLILY
I am always there to support, and am
sub-ordinate to, the client team.
Come in with questions, not answers.
VALUING GRIT OVER GLOSS
MAKING THE SMALLEST THING POSSIBLE
KNOWING YOUR ROLE
MINDING YOUR MOTIVATIONS
The proportion of a solution needs to balance with its problem: we don't need a battery-powered pooper scooper to pick up dog poop, and we don't need a car that gets 17 MPG to, well, we don't need that car, period. We have to start balancing our ability to be clever with our ability to be smart. They're two different things.”
“
- ALLAN CHOCHINOV
Making something wholly new can sometimes create problems,
rather than solve them.
36
Understanding systems, and working within (and sometimes
around) them is tough.
The best design is easily overlooked.
Like a well-designed loan, form that facilitates the first conversation a farmer
has ever had about his finances.
Accepting that what I make may not be the “thing.”
BEING MINDFUL OF THE MONEY (AND NOT BEING AFRAID TO MAKE IT)
VALUING GRIT OVER GLOSS
MAKING THE SMALLEST THING POSSIBLE
KNOWING YOUR ROLE
MINDING YOUR MOTIVATIONS
Making money from a problem gives people every incentive to deny that a problem exists.”
“
- JOHN MAST-FINN
All money comes from motivation.
MARKET
COMMERCIAL
DONORS
AIDE
Being more skeptical when the work is not commercial.
While everybody deserves good design, the poor can least afford poor design.”
“
- JAN CHIPCHASE (THE FIELD STUDY HANDBOOK)
MINDING YOUR OWN MOTIVATIONS
VALUING GRIT OVER GLOSS
ASKING QUESTIONS, NOT HAVING ANSWERS
MAKING THE SMALLEST THING POSSIBLE
For me, as a designer, positive impact means:
BEING MINDFUL OF THE MONEY (AND NOT BEING AFRAID TO MAKE IT)
Diana Griffin Aunt Bertha
Matt Franks Blackboard
David Bill Student, AC4D
Lauren Serota Studio D
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
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