Design is inherently unkind

Design of any kind, branding, marketing, interiors, products, UX, services, you name it, are dressed up to be 'customer focused' which is just not true. In fact, most companies go into product development with questions THEY wrote (sometimes from no reasoning) or THEY have assumptions we want to test. 

There is no room in those conversations for a side quest.

There is no room in those conversations for a side quest, or finding out the weird and wonderful natures of humans, which ultimately lead us to understanding the root of a lot of problems that design is meant to literally 'design-out' of existence. 

Even if design research is part of the process, we famously get answers to questions, don't often give ourselves as researchers the space to truly listen, and then we leave when we're happy with the answers. We got what we need, so we leave. 

Design is inherently an extractive process.

Design is inherently an extractive process that takes and takes and takes from the real human being being designing for. 

Instead of learning who the real audiences are, what they need, making adaptations so that they are given the space to ask questions and tell us how best we can support them in the sessions, we make those decisions for them. 

The whole set-up is very ironic to me as we are meant to be including voices of real people, and then dictate how they must communicate with us. This does not foster genuine human communication and nor does it allow for discovery of true challenges and needs faced by your target audiences. 

I'll stop ranting about this when this has changed for good.

I'm making this change happen now, helping all design development be more inclusive of real voices from the beginning. Not only access needs, but understanding what true inclusion of a variety of wonderful humans looks like with all our intersections of needs and experiences. 

Taking existing processes, and adding real human connection through research training, more inclusive practices. Not adding budget, not adding time, but adding knowledge and kindness back into design. 

Want to do something about it like me?

If this resonates with you too or you think your company needs to be more kind in your process, get in touch with us by email contact@bekindresearch.co.uk or get involved on socials, send a message request, however you would like to get in touch. 

I'd love to talk to more people who feel this way and who want to be part of the change. 

Stay Kind!