Christopher Simmons - Just Design: Socially Conscious Design for Critical Causes

JUST DESIGN

Socially Conscious Design for Critical Causes

Christopher Simmons MINE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book would neither be possible nor good without the talent, encouragement, contribution and support of the following people, whose contributions I acknowledge with thanks and humility:

Brian Collins, who told me to write it.

Tom Biederbeck, who spent two years quietly making me a better writer.

Kate Andrews, John Bielenberg, Alice Bybee, Brian Dougherty, Mike Fretto, Ric Gref,
Josh Higgins, Randy J. Hunt, Kalle Lasn, Michael Osborne, Emily Pilloton, Aaris Sherin, Brian Singer, Alissa Walker and Cinthia Wen, whose writing and insight provide critical substance to these pages and my life.

The many contributors (both published and omitted) whose work and deeds are the substance and inspiration for the book.

My staff, including Ethan Davis, Matthew Delbridge, Justin Holbrook, Reena Karia and Nathan Sharp, whose talent and intelligence are manifest throughout; with special thanks to Tim Belonax for his substantial contribution to the design and character of the book.

My editor, Amy Owen, whose patience, encouragement and support rescued this project more than once and whose oversight made it measurably better.

Grace Ring, for her keen eye and helpful feedback.

Lauren Bailey, whose attentive fact-checking and thoughtful copyediting was indispensable.

HOW Books, for believing, as I believe, that this book represents the right idea at the right time.

My parents, for everything, starting from the beginning.

My wife, Amelie Wen, and two boys, Baker and Canon, whose patience, support and love sustain all efforts, but were especially tested on this one.

Gavin Newsom

Lt. Governor of California

Designers are the mediators of our daily experience. The easier my compost bucket is to use, the more comfortable my ride on the bus, and the more appealing my reusable grocery bag, the more likely I am to participate in environmentally sound practices. Designers carry a heavy responsibility, but at the same time they can offer our future the greatest gift.

John Bielenberg

Founder, Project MCo-founder, C2 LLC, COMMON

FOREWORD

THE BAD NEWS, THE WORSE NEWS AND, FINALLY, THE GOOD NEWS.

The bad news.

The world is at, or near, unprecedented tipping points involving climate change, peak oil, deforestation, species extinction and water scarcity. The tenuous relationship between humans and the natural world has become an unsustainable scenario. In addition, we have relentless religious conflict in the Middle East and expanding population and economies in China and India. More people competing for fewer resources is not a pretty picture. Thus, maintaining the status quo is not an option.

The worse news.

It may be too late or impossible to change course quickly enough. Humans have enormous capacity for intelligent thinking but are often victims of their own heuristic biases, or what I call calcified synapses, which prevent them from making wise decisions that drive smart action.

So, this leaves us with three modes.

1. Pessimism, or, Its too late and were screwed.

2. Delusion, or, Whatever.

3. Optimism, or, Its possible to figure this out.

The good news.

If you choose to be optimistic, design is one of the only viable options we have. Design with a big D. Design that includes invention, innovation, human ingenuity and creative problem solving through design thinking and execution.

I believe that most designers are optimistic and passionate about whats next, not whats now or whats been. This makes them unlike politicians, religious leaders or most corporate executives who are largely acting to protect the power or resources that they already have accumulated. The future will be defined more by what we do now than what we did before.

Now is the time for designers to step up and use what they know how to do to help shape a positive future for people and the planet.

Christopher C.H. Simmons

Creative Director, MINE
Adjunct Professor or Design, CCA
Past President, AIGA SF

INTRODUCTION

Most design books fall into one of two categories: One is the lush visual catalog of work that reproduces well at a small size, crammed three, four, six to a page with little to no analysis save for the occasional interruption of a case study. The other is the thoughtful academic tome, packed with margin-to-margin text and devoid of visual context. This book is committed to being neither.

This is a book designed to be read as well as looked at. It is a book you can take your time with, return to and share. If you are a designer it is offered as an inspirational nudge, the gentle force of which I hope is suffi cient to alter, however slightly, the creative trajectory you may be following. If you are not (or not yet) a designer, it is my hope to share with you a highly necessary, evolving and satisfying segment of a diverse profession.

Just design.

Designers frequently describe themselves as problem-solvers. We apply our creative talents to fi nding new and appropriately innovative solutions to common questions. These questions may include how to best articulate a corporate brand, how to connect with a particular audience or how to communicate across cultural boundaries. Sometimes the question may just be about how to sell the most widgets. Each of these are worthy pursuits and each involves a certain kind of problem solving what Charles Eames described as design addressing itself to the need. But now just as in any age there are problems that are larger than brands and consumers (and widgets). There are needs as fundamental as equality, water, education, community, peace, justice and hope. As designers, we work according to own interests and values (and/or those of our clients). When and where these motivations intersect with thoseof the broader profession and (more importantly) society as a whole, we realize the potential for our work to both be and do good. When design benefi ts more than the double bottom line it achieves a laudable standard. With more than a hint of righteousness, one might call it just.

Just design.

This is not to suggest that so-called good design is necessarily better design; bus schedules, product labels, freeway signs and ballots are all critical elements of our designed society. In these experiences there can be no righteousness. They are, importantly, neutral. Nevertheless, they require skillful design just as the most mundane products and incidental experiences must also be designed. Collectively these fabricate the visual landscape of our culture. In the same manner that ancient societies adorned their buildings, vases and public spaces with frescoes, statuary and other art, our contemporary visual culture is a tableau of separate designed experiences coalesced into a patchwork landscape of commercial art.