Click on "Vision" or "Identity" to read the text accordingly.
Design allows us to be thoughtful and considerate, making people feel seen and be supported. And I believe achieving this is one of the biggest strengths of a good designer. By challenging the norms of today's society, it can be progressive and question the status quo. Through this thoughtful and creative questioning, design uncovers hidden narratives and challenges persisting assumptions. By studying the underlying structures of everything that we do and things we don't, design can become a tool for critique and it can empower individuals to envision alternative futures and encourage positive change.
I contend that design does not have to cater to everyone. It is permissible (and even advantageous) for design to be tailored to specific target groups, addressing their unique needs and experiences. This specificity, while potentially excluding some, paradoxically enhances accessibility and relevance for those it serves. Design, therefore, becomes a tool for impact, focusing on the depth of its influence rather than the broadness of its reach.
However, this emphasis on specificity comes with its challenges. Finding the balance between catering to a particular audience and maintaining inclusivity is challenging (Dong et al., 2015). By prioritizing small-scale impact over mass appeal, we accept the trade-off between exclusivity and accessibility. Yet, it is precisely this focus on impact that drives meaningful change and allows deeper connections between design and its target group.
To walk on this very fine line, I propose to constantly keep on challenging assumptions, questioning norms, and exploring possible alternative perspectives. I intend to focus on feminist design subjects, particularly within the realms of intimacy, but also situatedness and embodying vulnerability through design. By delving into these topics, I aim to challenge conventional narratives and societal norms surrounding gender roles, power dynamics, and interpersonal interactions. I aspire to create spaces for dialogue and reflection, encouraging individuals to reconsider ingrained beliefs and envision more equitable and empowering relationships. Design has the potential to be an amazing platform for dialogue and a catalyst for critical thinking and it is up to us, designers, to find the tools, space, relations and people to unlock this potential.
Sources:
Dong, H., McGinley, C., Nickpour, F., & Cifter, A. (2015). Designing for designers: insights into the knowledge users of inclusive design.. Applied ergonomics, 46 Pt B, 284-91 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2013.03.003.
Place, A. (2023). Feminist Designer: On the Personal and the Political in Design. MIT Press.
Saliari, S. (2021). Reforming the university: divesting Eurocentrism in knowledge production. (n.d.). https://www.eaie.org/resource/divesting-eurocentrism-knowledge-production.html
Schneider, B., Jermann, P., Zufferey, G., & Dillenbourg, P. (2011). Benefits of a Tangible Interface for Collaborative Learning and Interaction. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 4, 222-232. https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2010.36.
Tomico, O., Winthagen, V. O., & Van Heist, M. M. G. (2012). Designing for, with or within. https://doi.org/10.1145/2399016.2399045
Click on "Vision" or "Identity" to read the text accordingly.
I am a feminist designer who believes in using design as a tool for empowerment (Place, 2023). I strive to empower individuals through my work by creating inclusive and accessible design solutions. An important part of designing is to understand the restrictions and boundaries of design and to embrace the responsibility to design with intention. I recognize the significance of positionality as it shapes not just what I create, but also what I choose not to. I try to root myself into the role of both creator and curator to design for smaller, more specific audiences. I aim to design solutions that resonate with those more specific audiences because I believe that universality tends to sacrifice the unique needs of individuals (supported by (Saliari, 2021)). There is no such thing as "one size fits all" and by appreciating that, we can evolve to a tailored process where people can find or create products that work flawlessly for them. I believe that a first-person perspective is a great way to help position yourself. By designing from your own experiences, emotions and interpretations, one automatically situates oneself in the time, space and culture the designer is living in. Starting from a first-person perspective (Tomico et al., 2012) in qualitative research acknowledges the importance of your own experiences, emotions and interpretations in understanding complex (social) phenomena. It can lead to rich, nuanced research findings that resonate with the lived experiences of the designer or other participants of the research.
Making is another major part of design for me. I use coding and tangible making as tools for making ideas come to life. I enjoy learning digital software for 3D modeling and -printing and crafting physical objects from wood or foamboard, but it is the tangibility aspect that holds power to me. I believe that making things tangible quickly brings concepts to life and also serves as a catalyst for alignment and understanding within projects. When ideas or concepts are translated into physical forms, it provides a shared reference point for all, ensuring that everyone is able to move in the same direction where needed and desired. Tangibility eliminates ambiguity and reduces the risk of misinterpretation that often arises when concepts remain abstract or confined to digital spaces (Schneider et al., 2011). By integrating tangible making into my design process, I hope to enhance clarity and effective communication.
The integration of positionality and the first-person perspective in my design process embodies a situated design approach, highlighting the role of personal context in shaping creative outputs. Likewise, incorporating tangible making emphasizes the physical dimension of design, promoting clarity and understanding through tactile expression. Together, these approaches reflect my identity as a designer committed to creating meaningful, inclusive, and accessible solutions.
Sources:
Dong, H., McGinley, C., Nickpour, F., & Cifter, A. (2015). Designing for designers: insights into the knowledge users of inclusive design.. Applied ergonomics, 46 Pt B, 284-91 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2013.03.003.
Place, A. (2023). Feminist Designer: On the Personal and the Political in Design. MIT Press.
Saliari, S. (2021). Reforming the university: divesting Eurocentrism in knowledge production. (n.d.). https://www.eaie.org/resource/divesting-eurocentrism-knowledge-production.html
Schneider, B., Jermann, P., Zufferey, G., & Dillenbourg, P. (2011). Benefits of a Tangible Interface for Collaborative Learning and Interaction. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 4, 222-232. https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2010.36.
Tomico, O., Winthagen, V. O., & Van Heist, M. M. G. (2012). Designing for, with or within. https://doi.org/10.1145/2399016.2399045
