How These 3 Netflix Documentaries Can Inspire Your Design Process and Ethical Responsibility
I recently began my journey as a product design trainee in the Designe’Chi Training Academy, Cohort 1 (yayyy!!🥳)
It’s been a week on the path, and already I have been receiving insights that are shaping my design perspective. This piece is an addition to that because I'll discuss the lessons I learned from watching some Netflix documentaries that my tutor suggested.
Let’s get right into it, shall we?
Disclaimer: I’ll be sharing what I picked up from the films and how it relates to design to me. Some of my sentences are quotes from the films. Cheers!
Documentary 1 — The Minimalists: Less is Now
“How might our lives be better with less?”
This statement embodies the entire mission of the minimalists.
By documentary definition, “minimalism is basically the intentional use of the resources you have.” I believe this definition limits the minimalist ideology communicated in the film, as I could “intentionally” spend a thousand dollars on clothes if I had it, so intentionality is relative. However, I understood the gist of it as intended, which is to have not exactly little but only as much as is required. It asks the question, “What is essential?” and encourages contentment, especially in this age where social media has the negative effect of making us feel inadequate and incomplete in comparison to others.
The minimalist theory can be applied to design in a number of ways. Less is more is applicable to both digital and physical products. A graphic design with a lot of colors, elements, fonts, etc. can be quite complicated for the mind to understand, just as a physical device with a lot of operational rules can be. Creating a simple design doesn’t make it an easy design; it’s an intentional design because to be excessive is easy, but to be exactly adequate requires discipline, which benefits the end user appropriately.
Documentary 2 — The Social Dilemma
“There are only two industries that call their customers "users": illegal drugs and software.”
Social media is a drug. That’s a known fact. In accordance with its design, if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product—at least, that’s what the interviews with tech experts help us to understand. The film examines the ways in which social media platforms are designed to keep us engaged and addicted, often at the expense of our privacy, mental health, and democracy.
This documentary deserves drum rolls, as it raises concerns over the implementation of persuasive technology (a sort of design intentionally applied to the extreme where the goal is to modify a person’s behavior in order to get them to take an action) as opposed to ethical design in our ever-growing tech world and the responsibility of tech companies to consider the social and ethical implications of their products. It is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that explores the impact of social media on our lives and society and calls for the need to redress the parameters.
Documentary 3 — Abstract: The Art of Design
“Design is everywhere. There is nothing you use that isn’t designed in some way. They are designed to help you complete a given task. It’s just a matter of how well designed it is or not.”
The Abstract documentaries explore the world of design through the lenses of different designers and creatives. With two seasons and a cumulative of 12 episodes, each episode focusing on a different discipline of design, such as architecture, graphic design, digital product design, or illustration, it dives into the creative process and inspirations behind some of the world’s most iconic designs.
The series is a fascinating exploration of the creative process and how design impacts every aspect of our lives, from the products we use to the spaces we inhabit. It shows creatives and their design thinking process, and how creativity requires the ability to always think outside the box. The series also explores the connection between art, science, and engineering in the creation of design. From "nature-inspired design" to "design-inspired nature," we are constantly confronted with possibilities in every episode.
In conclusion, these three Netflix documentaries offer unique insights into the world of design and its impact on our lives. “Abstract: The Art of Design” celebrates the beauty and diversity of design, “The Social Dilemma” raises important questions about the ethics of design in the digital age, and “The Minimalists: Less is Now” highlights the importance of simplicity and intentionality in design and in life. Together, these documentaries remind us that design is not just about aesthetics or functionality, but about the human experience and our collective future.
I trust you enjoyed the reading. Check out the documentaries to learn more.
Until the next, bye-bye!👋
