Ive got a soul that cant sleep at night when something aint right.
While The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are noRage Against the Machine, they docontain multitudes.
The wildly different songs align perfectly with the possibility that we dont have to live in an either-or situation.
We dont have to choose between living as morally bankrupt corporate dregs or social justice advocates.
We can be both!
We can live together in a tenuous state of cognitive dissonance …
I mean harmony, but itll take work.
What happens if you dont put in the work?
Putting in the work can be annoying.
Its easy to be cynical.
Its easy to be lazy, and its hard enough dealing with meetings and deadlines.
I worked on the ground with low-income families for 12 years and then received my masters in social welfare.
To prevent bad design and gain a deeper understanding of impact, I like to delve into philosophy.
Equality cant be created by the redistribution of goods, because it can perpetuate hierarchies.
Instead, she suggests that we create equal access to opportunities and resources.
This is the fundamental difference betweenequality and equity.
In ways, its less complex for designers to address physical disabilities.
But what about racism, sexism, or economic inequity?
Those issues can be more difficult to address because they can manifest in less visible ways.
For example, most of my research projects focus on middle to upper-class millennials.
In addition, image placement and language could perpetuate negative stereotypes.
Can these issues be addressed in everyday UX design decisions?
Yes, in addition to adding more diverse employees, designers can start thinking more like social workers.
I have a few ideas on how we can do that.
Here are a few steps to help us do just that: Step 1.
Acknowledge that there is a problem.
The Model (If youre feeling feisty).
The Model
Self Education.
Needs and Barriers.
you’re free to ask questions like: Does this output address the needs of low-income populations?
Consider the Consequences.
Next, think of the intentional or unintentional consequences of your work, which can include barriers.
Is the language inclusive, or will it leave out some populations?
Does this output negatively influence behavior?
Did the consequences you considered materialize?
Was there an impact, financially or behaviorally on certain populations?
What did you learn?
What can you change?
In time, these practices become reflexive.
Much like the Red Hot Chili PeppersBlood Sugar Sex Magik,UX can contain multitudes.
Designers can focus on the bottom line while also questioning the moral ethics of design.
Designers can combine social impact with corporate agendas.
Designers can design with marginalized communities in mind and show our clients and companies the value.
