To Design a Better Future, Embrace the Uncomfortable

“The choices made by designers have a significant effect on the world. Yet so much of the discourse on design focuses on aesthetics rather than ethics. […] How do you make room for humanity, with all its wondrous variations, in a society increasingly driven by metrics, algorithms, and profit? How can ecologically responsible designers consider a pr

Many of us have clear visions of what kind of world we don’t want to live in, but are struggling to imagine the kind of world we would live in - let alone how to build that world. We need new narratives to illuminate what’s broken in our society and hands-on solutions for a more sustainable, equal and resilient world.

Most critically, these roles tend to be self-reinforcing. Organizations using fear-based future narratives often develop risk-averse cultures that further reinforce defensive positioning. Conversely, organizations with aspirational future narratives tend to attract optimistic, innovation-minded talent that strengthens their future-positive culture.