Sharing Power while designing for vulnerable populations

There is a rising happening, of people wanting to contribute to a social need. But do we have the right tools to address them? More so do we have the right mentalities to approach them?

Social problems like homelessness, cultural and racial discrimination, gentrification, drug abuse, unemployment and incarceration to name a few are complex systemic problems. They cannot be solved completely with money, man power or policy.

Co-design involves partnering with the people experiencing vulnerabilities and understanding their living realities

Co-design involves partnering with the people experiencing vulnerabilities and understanding their living realities. The important word here is ‘partner’. There needs to be sharing of power between the designer and the person they’re designing for. It’s important to note that the term sharing here is used in the context of empowerment and not sympathy. The designer is not sharing power to make people feel better or get them more involved. Instead the designer must truly believe that the contribution of the community will determine whether the initiative successful or not.

The first step is to let go of professional assumptions. We are as humans wired to have mental models about everything. Understanding this and being open to changing our mental models as we step into a new project with a new community is key. Changing a mental model is not just a personal decision, it requires a lot of work and commitment. As designers we have to immersive ourselves within the community. Here are three methods to understand the people of a community and change our models:

1. What people say: Listen carefully and connect during interviews. Everyone in the community is a valuable resource irrespective of age or role.

2. What people do: Take part in events, hang around and observe closely. Volunteer and show that you are invested.

3. What people feel: Use generative methods like journey maps, breakup letters, and context mapping to tap into deeper insights.

A simple example is this story from Michela Clarkson’s paper; Kyle Swartz was a grade three primary teacher from Colorado who was teaching underprivileged youth in the area. To understand how she could give them more than just teaching her subject she decided to explore where they were coming from and what were their deeper needs. In a simple exercise she asked each of her students to finish the statement, “I wish my teacher knew…..”

In a simple exercise she asked each of her students to finish the statement, “I wish my teacher knew…..”

“Children had the option of writing their names on their written piece or handing it in anonymously. But, they all decided to lay claim to their words, even going further to share their statements with their classmates. In one instance, a child openly stated that she did not have any friends to play with, inspiring another student to immediately put an arm around her in an offer of friendship. Students were able to empathize with each other and helped their teacher create a supportive classroom environment.”

She did not treat them as passive research subjects but as creators of insight and change. With these insights she was able to plan how to support each child’s individual needs and well-being. Coming up with a successful generative methods requires understanding and creativity. And this again is fueled by an immersive experience within the community.

To conclude with a powerful quote by Michela, “The key tools for social change are our own minds and our own thinking. Sometimes, we speak about service systems and structures as though they have a life of their own. In fact, they function of and through us.”

“The key tools for social change are our own minds and our own thinking. Sometimes, we speak about service systems and structures as though they have a life of their own. In fact, they function of and through us.”

This reminds us that we as designers contribute immensely to the change. We are the vessel which will carry their goals, synthesize them and help create a reality where they are made possible.