The power of design | JD Hooge | TEDxPortland

Summary

In this compelling speech, the speaker emphasizes that design is a powerful superpower with great responsibility. Drawing from personal experience and design history, including the Bauhaus movement and Dieter Rams’ philosophy, they argue that designers must embrace their role in shaping the future, especially in the digital age. With technology influencing nearly every aspect of our lives, designers are uniquely positioned to address the ethical implications of their work. The speaker calls for a comprehensive, human-centered education that considers history, culture, and systemic inequalities to ensure that technology serves humanity’s best interests.

Takeaways

• 😀 Design is a superpower that shapes the world and has a profound responsibility to influence society for good.
• 😀 Technology has drastically changed human life, often dictating our daily rhythms in ways we don't fully realize.
• 😀 Designers have more power than ever before to influence the digital world and must take responsibility for their creations.
• 😀 Design is not just about aesthetics; it has the power to create conversation, influence people, and shape the future.
• 😀 The Bauhaus movement revolutionized design by incorporating technology and materials from industrial manufacturing to make design more functional and socially responsible.
• 😀 Dieter Rams' philosophy of 'less but better' emphasizes the need for sustainable, user-centered design that doesn't dominate people but helps them.
• 😀 The success of digital technology today is often linked to time spent by users, not necessarily to its positive impact on people’s lives.
• 😀 Technology is often designed to hijack our attention, with harmful effects on mental health, biases, and inequality.
• 😀 Designers must become students of humans, expanding their knowledge base to include history, ethics, neuroscience, and social systems.
• 😀 Designers should collaborate with diverse teams and consider the historical, cultural, and economic context of their work to minimize negative consequences.
• 😀 The design industry needs a shift in education and standards, similar to how architects follow strict building codes to ensure safety and welfare.

Q & A

What is the speaker's definition of design as a 'superpower'?

The speaker describes design as a 'superpower' because of its ability to shape and influence the world, especially in the digital age. Design not only affects the aesthetics but also has the power to solve complex problems and impact human lives, making it a crucial force in shaping the future.

Why does the speaker refer to the 'power' of design as a responsibility?

The speaker emphasizes that with great power comes great responsibility. Designers wield immense influence over the tools and experiences that shape people's lives. Therefore, they have an ethical obligation to consider the impact of their designs on individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

What does the speaker mean when they say the digital world 'dictates the rhythms of our lives'?

The speaker refers to how technology, particularly through design, has begun to control and dictate our daily habits and behaviors. From the constant checking of phones to the way social media platforms capture our attention, design has influenced how we interact with the world and how we spend our time.

What is the significance of the speaker's personal experience with skateboarding and music in the context of design?

The speaker uses skateboarding and music as metaphors for design’s cultural and personal impact. Skateboarding in the '80s and '90s provided the speaker with an identity and community, much like design does today. The influence of music, particularly punk and hip hop, helped shape the speaker's understanding of design as an expressive and unifying tool.

How did the Bauhaus movement influence the speaker’s approach to design?

The Bauhaus movement introduced the speaker to the idea of design as both an art form and a functional, socially responsible tool. It rejected ornamentation and emphasized simplicity, efficiency, and social responsibility, all of which deeply influenced the speaker's own approach to design, focusing on human needs and the ethical use of technology.

Who is Dieter Rams and how did his philosophy shape the speaker’s understanding of design?

Dieter Rams is a renowned industrial designer known for his philosophy of 'less but better.' He advocated for designs that were functional, sustainable, and human-centered. The speaker was deeply influenced by Rams' belief that design should help people, not dominate them, and that designers should be responsible for the long-term impact of their work on both people and the environment.

What challenges does the speaker see in today’s digital technology and design industry?

The speaker highlights issues such as technology being designed to maximize user attention through addictive patterns (e.g., dopamine-driven notifications), the amplification of biases in digital platforms, and the lack of ethical consideration in design processes. These challenges result in harm to users and inequality across different communities.

What is the speaker's call to action for designers in the digital age?

The speaker calls on designers to take responsibility for the technologies they create, particularly in light of their ability to influence human behavior. They urge designers to expand their education beyond traditional design skills, incorporating ethics, neuroscience, and an understanding of systemic inequality into their practice.

How does the speaker suggest the design industry should evolve to address its current challenges?

The speaker suggests that the design industry needs to educate designers more comprehensively, making them students of human nature, history, and systems of power. They advocate for more diverse teams, greater focus on ethical design, and the creation of frameworks that prioritize human well-being over profit or engagement metrics.

What role do historical, cultural, and economic contexts play in design, according to the speaker?

The speaker emphasizes that understanding the historical, cultural, and economic contexts of design is crucial in making responsible decisions. Designers must consider how their work impacts different communities and ensure that their designs are inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible, rather than reinforcing existing inequalities.