Design for Humanity: People and Planet

A silhouette of a person with arms outstretched around a globe of a mosaic of faces representing people of the world.Is the quest for inclusive design so difficult that we need so many different terms? Are new-fangled methodologies improving the situation if the aims are the same? Many different ways of promoting the process of designing inclusively is surely confusing everyone. Enter “Humanity-Centred Design”. This one is a bit different because it’s about the planet as well as people. Many of our current and future designs will be inhabited by upcoming generations whose consumption patterns will have different values. According to an article from the UK designers need to embody the values of inclusion, ethics, empathy and cooperation. Designs will need to be meaningful to appeal to upcoming generations. Hence the proposition of a new paradigm or model – Humanity-Centred Design.  The title of the article is, Humanity-Centred Design – Defining the Emerging Paradigm in Design Education and Practice.  The Sustainable Development Goals also embody similar values and these are gaining traction in many fields of work. The chart below is from the paper and shows the evolution from functional approach to a people focused approach. A circular chart showing progression from function focused in the 1940s to humanity focused in the 2030s.

From the abstract

Several different paradigms define product design as it has evolved to meet the needs and desires of people.  As the needs and desires of people are increasingly met by products at all price points, companies need to embrace a new paradigm which will enable them to differentiate their products from the competition. People are also increasingly aware of both the limited and depleting natural resources of the planet and the prevalence of inequality and poverty present in the world. A paradigm is emerging which enables companies to address all the above simultaneously. This paradigm and approach to designing products is referred to as ‘Humanity-Centred Design’ in intentional reference to the ‘User-Centred Design’ and ‘Human-Centred Design’ methodologies. There is a greater focus on designing products which are both sustainable and actively contribute to the alleviation of poverty in all forms and promote human development and wellbeing worldwide. This paradigm is being taught to students of Product Design at Buckinghamshire New University to ensure that they are prepared to design products for the newest and future generations and the greatest proportion of consumers.