Image adapted from Braga, M. (2023) & Irwin, Terry & tonkinwise, cameron & Kossoff, Gideon. (2020).
From boosting infinite growth towards sustainable change in the whole system.
In this text my aim is to widen your horizon and describe how you can become an agent for sustainable change.
We have designed ourselves – and the planet – into serious trouble.
Whether you work in the strategic or more practical levels of design your thoughts are supposedly focused into creating top notch experiences. When the customer experience is superb, it evidently increases the value, commitment, retention and ultimately fuels the economical growth and profitability. So, from the economic perspective everything seems to be working just fine.
By taking a wider perspective we can quickly see that there’s some serious hiccups in the planetary and societal systems. Planetary boundaries are bouncing: the climate change, biodiversity loss and biochemical flows are about to slip from the safe operating space leading to various phenomena, such as the extreme weather events from droughts to floods and heat periods. In addition, over 1 million species are threatened with extinction and biochemical flows are crossing the unsustainable levels because the fertiliser production and application are leading to nitrogen emissions into the atmosphere in various forms, rather than taken up by crops – resulting to rains that basically pollutes the waterways and coastal zones. Nicely done, humankind!
We, as the whole human society, have been blinded by the idea of growth and forgotten the simple fact that infinite growth on a finite planet is an oxymoron. And now, we are facing the facts and have a design task of our lifetime in our hands.
Can we design our way out of this mess?
One could argue that designers don’t have a significant role in solving wicked problems and figuring out how to thrive within the planetary boundaries. Naturally, dealing with the societal challenges, the planetary boundaries and the economic models belongs to the sociologists, the scientists and the economists. Still, I dare to claim that designers can take a part in this change. Design surely isn’t a silver bullet, but it has unused potential but by definition design is a problem solving discipline. The potential of design thinking can be put into action relatively straightforwardly: we just need to do what we do best; discovering and defining the right problems, then developing and delivering the right solutions in a way that brings amazing, viable and feasible solutions without harming non-human animals and the planet on which we live.
Image adapted from MING labs / How to expand Design Thinking for a better tomorrow.
Where to start? Update design thinking with life-centric approach
The current way of designing is rooted in design thinking—an iterative, collaborative, and human-centered process. It emphasizes understanding user needs (desirability), exploring what is technically possible (feasibility), and assessing financial aspects (viability). While this framework works well for creating user-friendly, marketable solutions, it often fails to consider broader social and environmental impacts. Creating new things with only humans in mind, for only small part of the human spectrum and mostly for profit and constant growth is at the moment leading us towards a future in which the planetary boundaries are bouncing, resulting to unavoidable outcomes such as unsafe operating space.
For this reason human-centric design, as we know it, won’t save the world. I’m not even sure if we can call it human-centric as design cannot be considered to truly have humans at its core if it ultimately further contributes to pollution, landfill mass, and exploitation of cheap labour.
We need to shift towards life-centric approach which adds to lenses into design-thinking:
- Social responsibility is about designing products and services that profitably serve a need, have a positive impact on all stakeholders along the whole supply chain and the whole society, without harming any humans or non-human animals.
- Environmental sustainability takes the planetary boundaries into account by utilising circularity, clean energy and avoiding the scarce exploitation of natural resources.
8 Principles for life-centric design
1. Challenge infinite growth as a goal
Re-evaluate economic systems that rely on growth and scarcity. Aim to decouple economic prosperity from environmental degradation through technological innovation, circular design, and behavioral shifts. Encourage investments in sustainable futures that minimize harm and bolster resilience against unavoidable changes.
2. Embrace Circularity
Adopt a systemic circular approach where resources are perpetually cycled. Implement the 9Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Recycle, and Recover energy. In digital realms, leverage technology to support circular practices while being mindful of its environmental footprint.
3. Consider the societal impacts
Design beyond the immediate user-product-company triad. Assess broader societal implications, ensuring solutions promote inclusive, equitable lifestyles. Address climate justice by amplifying voices of those most affected yet least responsible, considering long-term impacts across race, class, gender, and geography.
4. Design to last, not to fail
Focus on creating durable, maintainable products and services. Prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring designs are resilient, require minimal intervention, and empower users to make sustainable choices.
5. Ensure Ethical Production
Commit to humane manufacturing and development practices. Avoid harm, uphold human rights, and work to bridge economic disparities between nations. Design should be accessible and beneficial to all, not just the affluent.
6. Not just a solution for current needs
Extend responsibility beyond present needs. Utilise foresight and futures design methodologies to understand and mitigate long-term effects on people and the planet. Design with adaptability and resilience in mind.
7. Make it measurable
Establish clear metrics to track and manage environmental impacts, such as emissions and resource usage. Align with frameworks like the UN Global Compact or the Science Based Targets to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
8. Reset the industry norms
Collaborate across sectors to reimagine business practices for the modern era. Engage in ecosystems and networks that prioritize sustainability, fostering innovation and shared responsibility.
To sum up, designers are uniquely positioned to become agents of sustainable change.
We already have the skills to help clients envision future possibilities and develop meaningful strategies. But beyond that, we can guide conversations toward purpose, values, mutual respect, and a deep appreciation for our planet and its resources. We know how to build products, services, and social innovations—and we can ensure they’re designed for long-term, regenerative impact, not short-term gain. We know how to collaborate and facilitate complex processes—but we can also step up as drivers of systemic change, shaping networks and ecosystems that support sustainable transformation.