The theme of the latest Service Design Global Conference was: Courage to Design for Good. We heard talks about climate change, bias, capitalism, gender-equity and more – each speaker telling stories about when they have had to be brave in their work to stand up for what is good. Geke van Dijk, Strategy Director of STBY, and myself, Katy Barnard, a design researcher at STBY, attended this conference in Copenhagen, held by the Service Design Network.
It was refreshing and exciting to see the service design industry speak so explicitly and honestly about such impactful topics. These ideas trickled into conversations amongst colleagues attending the conference and those back at the office.
I see a shift – or an awakening, rather – emerging in design that pushes practitioners to take responsibility for creating designs that shape a better world. If we choose, service design can have a significant positive effect on the direction of the future. But it means doing the extra work, educating ourselves and having tough conversations with clients and colleagues.
Coming back from the conference, one piece that stuck with me is the idea that doing good is no longer a choice; it is something that should be embedded in our work. Adding “sustainable” or “inclusive” to the front of your design no longer makes it special – it should, inherently, be sustainable and inclusive. And, discussing these design decisions with stakeholders is an important step to sharing the knowledge. It’s time to make designing for good the new normal.
Katy Barnard