Designing a Better Normal
Somewhere — deep in the fog of chaos, uncertainty and our permanent internal state of crisis management — there’s an emerging sense that, in some cases, the unusual might just be proving better than (what was once) the usual.
Hold that thought.
It’s perfectly natural to wish for a return to ‘normal’ as soon as possible. Our minds and bodies have been suspended in a constant ‘fight or flight’ response. We continue to have to process large amounts of complex information, make potentially life-changing decisions, and attempt to stay calm; all whilst much of our surroundings look entirely alien compared to just a few months ago.
Many of us, including the whole Mettle team, have been locked down in full-time WFH-mode for ten weeks now. During this time we’ve seen just how much we, as a global community, can truly care for each other. We see it in those delivering food to vulnerable neighbours; in the care packages sent out from one friend to another; in the 750,000 who signed up as NHS Volunteer Responders; in every single key worker risking it all to keep society going. We see it in clients doing everything they can to support their staff amidst the uncertainty; in fellow Makerversity members working day and night to produce PPE for those on the healthcare frontline; in those asking for our support to develop ways to make others’ days a little easier than their last. There has been an outpouring of love and kindness that we hope carries through in us all through and beyond this crisis.
As we start to see an easing of lockdown measures across Europe, it is an important time to pause — as difficult as that may seem — and ask: do we really want to go back to ‘normal’?
The rulebook for ‘normal’ has been torn up. The world is experimenting with new ways of living, caring, working, educating, socialising, creating, sharing. The current situation, as many others have written and spoken, is as a wake-up call — a chance to reflect on our values and the way we lead our lives. Now is the time to paint a vision of the world we want to be a part of.
This is our opportunity to define the futures we want to see.
Design has the power to transform communities, business and the environment for the better. We must harness this revolutionary power with intent by challenging assumptions, building an understanding of the human context, and charting a course towards delivering the best possible experience — bound only by a collective imagination for what could be.
Pollution-free skies. Clean air. Space to cycle and walk. A greater sense of togetherness. Heightened appreciation for friends, family and those working challenging jobs to keep us safe. Sharing skills with others around the globe. Polite queues with space to shop more comfortably. Banana bread. These are all images that have, until recently, been confined to a utopian fantasy of what could have been. These scenes need not come to an end as we transition beyond the heights of the pandemic.
What do you miss and want to see more of again? What have you discovered that you want to bring with you? What do you want to leave behind? What do you want our future to look like? What do we need our future to look like?
‘New’ doesn’t necessarily equate to good, or fair, or sustainable. What comes next doesn’t have to feel like an imposition. We’re not after just a ‘new normal’, we want to create a better normal.
There are three core elements that we believe are important foundations for building a better normal — whatever that might look like for you, your family, your business, and for the world.
Listen, understand, empathise. We don’t know best and we are not representative users of any past, present or future product or service. It’s our duty as designers to listen to real people; to understand their ambitions, behaviours and emotions. Future creations must accommodate the needs of those who will use and live with them, and address the cause of their current pains and not just the symptoms. Be mindful that design decisions made in one situation don’t cause negative impacts elsewhere. This all requires a deep understanding of people and their context. A better normal is built with human-centered design.
Think through making. How do we know what better looks like until we’ve brought it to life, made it tangible? At Mettle, you’ll always find us making. Whether it’s digital prototypes, critical code tests, physical models, test rigs, storytelling probes, brand mockups; we use making as a means to think, explore, and assess the impact of our design decisions on both person and planet. This cycle of experimentation unearths creative (and often unexpected) ideas and quickly puts them into real-life scenarios. Ask: is this what we were after? Learn, adapt and make again. A better normal is built on bringing ideas to life, little-and-often.
Be technically rigorous. Any change brings with it a whole host of challenges and constraints — be they social, technological, or otherwise. It is important to tackle these head on through science-based research and rigorous testing. Without the technical delivery of these wondrous ideas, they will remain confined to fantasy. Be committed to real, effective implementation within the complex networks of needs, expectations and behaviours that make up our wonderfully diverse society. We might not be sure what the pieces of this future look like, but we know that they must work, together and in their environment, in order to make a genuine difference. A better normal is built on making it happen, for real.
What do you want to see in your future? What does ‘better’ look and feel like?
As we all continue to battle through these challenging times, please do get in touch if you’d like to work together to create a better normal for you, your team and the world.
