There’s a lot of exciting news in the world of business and retail here in Detroit this summer. We have two new grocery stores in midtown. We’ve got a slice of the new American manufacturing right over on Canfield. And even three exciting popup programs (notably, two of which are outside of the 7.2 sq mile downtown zone). It’s definitely a summer of progress.
During college I was a big believer in the place of social entrepreneurship and impact investing. I took a number of classes on the subject, where we spent our time working with groups like the Bryant Community Center to design solutions to problems like drainage, transportation, and after-school activities. I watched TED talks, read case studies, and generally soaked up as much of the culture as possible. I was the best example of a young, college-educated white male with a savior complex. I was arrogant and probably annoyed a lot of people in the process. But, it took a summer internship in India to really set my mind straight on my place as a designer who wanted to do social good.
We so often assume that we are always designing in the best interest of our users; we are being objective and thoughtful in our decisions. But unlike the scientific process, the design process is very much subjective. We pick our hypotheses, and we personally choose what observations are important, each stroke of the pen on Read More
While it is not some new concept to consider design and the design process as a force for good, allow me to throw my hat into the ring. Design, by nature, is not a political ideology or set of values, it is merely a process. Before we go further, let’s try to define what this Read More