Systemic privilege is a wicked problem to address, but
maybe the process of design thinking applied in the context of universal design
could be one way to dismantle systemic privilege and create a society that is
fairer, more equal, and more just—more usable, if you will—for all.
Time to read: 8:30.
When the
topic of systemic privilege gains the attention of the masses—most notably
these days, white privilege—the conversations usually occur in the contexts of
history, sociology, politics, ethics, law, and theology. One context that I
haven’t seen in my news and social media feeds, however, is design.
Clearly our systems are highly problematic for those who do not represent the
status quo. These systems have been designed by those who hold, and wish to
maintain, power and control. On a very wide scale, these dysfunctional systems
are not only problematic, but they are always detrimental and, tragically, often
deadly for those pushed to the margins of society.
It is right
and good to have difficult conversations in the aforementioned contexts. It
helps us wrap our brains around the causes and effects of the suffering
experienced by marginalized communities. That helps us build empathy for them.
But following knowledge and empathy must come action. Protests and demonstrations
are effective to express emotion and build awareness, but those actions are not
sustainable over time. Let’s face it: a few days of protests are helpful, but
weeks or months of protests result in exhaustion, desensitization, annoyance,
or even anger, which then make protesting counterproductive. Flooding social
media with images and posts also helps to build awareness and express feelings,
but eventually people go back to their previous online habits, letting memes
and quotes languish until the next traumatizing event. Heated, emotional
conversations cool down. Classrooms move on to other topics. The news media
hyper-focuses on the next big story. And while some progress may be made for
the benefit of the suffering, little real systemic change is effected because so
many disagree on what to do. History cannot be undone. Culture does not change
overnight. Ideologies are entrenched in deeply held beliefs. Hearts remain
hard. And many of those hard hearts belong to the very people holding the power
of privilege.
But what if
we could convince them that creating a society that works for everyone, benefits
everyone? What if they could see that sharing power is powerful? What if
they realized that the good of the other is, in fact, their good,
as well? I believe design thinking might help us get there.
Design
thinking is a creative process of ideation, creation, and implementation that
begins with identifying what designers call a wicked problem. The Austin Center
for Design defines a wicked problem as “…a form of social or cultural problem
that is difficult to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing
requirements.” (https://tinyurl.com/ydeyswqe).
They go on to explain that poverty, sustainability, equality, and health and
wellness are examples of such problems. I would assert that racism, sexism,
classism, ableism, heterosexism, cisgenderism, and all other “-isms” are the
root causes of these wicked societal problems and are the manifestations of those
in the status quo clinging to their privilege for fear of losing it.
So how
would design thinking contribute to the dismantling of privilege to create a
society that is, in a design context, more usable for all its users (I’ll
use the term users to refer to anyone living in a society)?
After
identifying a wicked problem to address, designers begin formulating a solution
by empathizing with users. The Oxford dictionary defines empathy as “the
ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” Protests,
demonstrations, and news and social media feeds—especially personalized ones in
which the names of victims are called, and their lives highlighted—are effective
in building empathy.
After
building empathy for users, designers define the problem to be addressed. The
more specific the definition, the more actionable the solution. It is at this
stage that dysfunctional beliefs must be expunged by reframing them into
functional, actionable beliefs. “I’ve got three master’s degrees; I know so
much” is a dysfunctional belief; “I’ve got three master’s degrees, but I’ve
still got so much to learn, and I’m happy to keep learning and growing” is a
reframe of that dysfunctional belief. “Some people are set in their ways and
will never change” is dysfunctional; “If people are alive and have a working
brain, they can learn and evolve personally and socially” is that belief
reframed.
The next
stage in design thinking is to ideate possible solutions to the identified
problem. At this stage, any and all judgment is suspended. The best ideas come
from the freedom to express and explore. Of course, there have to be some
guidelines. Calling for a revolution in the style of late eighteenth century France,
where revolutionaries imprisoned and cut off the heads of the rich and
powerful, would not be a good idea to toss out. However, taxing the rich to pay
for programs and services for the poor and marginalized may seem insurmountable,
but it is certainly specific and doable. (Passing such policy would be a wicked
problem of its own).
Once a
solution is decided upon, the next stage of design thinking would be to develop
a prototype. In design thinking, rapid iteration is key. While social policies
and actions rarely happen rapidly at the national or state level, they can
certainly happen more quickly at the local level, which can be very effective
over time. Just look at the issue of same-sex marriage. Cities and towns
started allowing same-sex couples to marry. Some states followed. Eventually,
the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for states to prohibit
same-sex couples from marrying. Does that mean that same-sex marriage is widely
accepted by individuals everywhere in this country? Not in the least. There are
still places in the U.S. where same-sex couples do not express affection with
each other for fear of their very lives. There are still even places where
interracial couples are not welcome. But interracial and same-sex marriage is
legal everywhere in the U.S. As I previously stated, cultures do not change
overnight, but rather in small increments, over time.
After a
prototype is developed, it is tested for its effectiveness. This is where
ethical data analysis is key. Data can be manipulated by anyone to prove almost
any point, so policy makers and those who implement policy must be ethical,
fair, and honest in their assessments. If a program or service isn’t working,
it must be redesigned and tested again. Sometimes that requires going all the
way back to stage one, empathy, and reassessing the needs of users.
Throughout
the design thinking process, the concepts and tenets of universal design should
be the lens through which empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and
testing are seen. Universal design is a philosophy that holds that the best
design is the one that removes the most—ideally, all—barriers for users.
It comes from the fields of architecture and city planning, but has been
applied in business and educational contexts. Universal design can be explained
with a simple example. We’ve all traversed city streets and noticed the cut
curbs at intersections. We know those were built to better assist wheelchair
users to safely cross the street. But when we are toting heavy luggage with
wheels, or pushing a baby carriage, or using a walker, or riding a bicycle,
skateboard, or scooter, we, too, benefit from the cut curbs. In fact, no one in
their right mind would complain about a cut curb. It benefits everyone, not
just those in wheelchairs.
Similarly,
universal design for social change would keep in mind not just the good of the
oppressed, but the good of everyone. Think about it: if poor people are
empowered to make more money, they will both spend and save it, practices that
are good for the economy. Universal access to quality, affordable healthcare means
a healthier population, which results in—you guessed it—more people buying
things, going on trips, and dispersing their money more broadly across the
economy, and not just to expensive health insurance and medical bills (which
are paid for by public taxes anyway, since poor sick people don’t have the
money to pay such bills). Prison reform means reduced crime, which means safer
spaces, which means happier people, which leads to—yep, right again—people spending
their money. A more highly educated population results in more fairness and
equity, with study after study confirming that people who hold a bachelor’s
degree make more money over their lifetimes than people who don’t have a
degree. Empowering blacks, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to be
happier and more successful just sows seeds of happiness and success for
everyone. You don’t need a degree in sociology or economics to understand that.
Elevating women to equal status with men in our work spaces and public spheres
brings more talent to the pool, creating healthy competition, bringing more
creativity, and resulting in fresh ideas. Affirming LGBTQ family structures
renews emphasis on the value of family and kinship ties when it comes to mental
and physical health. I could go on and on about how the good of the few is
the good of the many.
I am not a
sociologist, or a political scientist, or an economist, so much of the
aforementioned claims are just my opinions. Nor am I an ethicist or a
theologian or a lawyer. I may be naïve and idealistic. But where would this
world be without people who were ignorant of their own naivete to the extent
that they dreamed and acted without reservation? I believe all things are
possible—well, almost all things; transporters and warp drives may never exist
in reality, as much as I hope for them—but with creativity, imagination, and
above all else, empathy, we can design a society that works for everyone
in it.
To
learn more about Design Thinking, visit https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/design-thinking
and https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/design-thinking-explained.
To learn more about Universal
Design and usability, visit https://www.washington.edu/doit/what-universal-design-0
and https://www.humancentereddesign.org/inclusive-design/principles.
For a brief, easy-to-digest essay
on kyriarchy (systems of privilege and power), visit https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~haydo20s/classweb/world_politics/kyriarchy.html#:~:text=Kyriarchy%20is%20a%20term%20that,%2C%20ableism%2C%20capitalism%2C%20etc.
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