Design for Expression

The unheard in society may express themselves in languages we don’t understand or a language that’s difficult to listen to. Planners and designers have a responsibility to listen.

At their core, civic and public processes are about voice. In designing and crafting these public engagements, planners and designers are creating a platform and place for public voice to be heard. The goal of the processes is listening and co-creation: listening to the distinct voices of community members, stakeholders, individuals and groups, and their knowledge, ideas, and concerns.

But what if our public processes don’t account for different forms and styles of voice? What happens when certain venues and mediums favor one particular form of expression, or when the design of our campaign means some people don’t feel comfortable to speak their mind? Fewer voices will be heard, and planners will leave with less knowledge, less understanding, and a weaker grasp of what the public thinks and knows.

In creating public engagements, civic planners and community engagement teams need to reflect on how the form of their campaign favors one style of communication over others. In a public as diverse as today’s, everyone’s form of communication will be equally diverse. Some people are soft-spoken and have a more difficult time speaking their mind in public. Others are more vocal and find that expressing themselves verbally is natural. Still others would rather share their thoughts in writing than out loud. And of course, some may find that the best outlet to get their thoughts across is through artistic expression, whether that means painting, drawing, or poetry.

When we design public processes for different forms of expression, we demonstrate an understanding that not everyone’s voice is the same. And though not everyone’s the same, everyone’s voice is equally valuable and worth listening to. Designing for expression is a way of ensuring that even the quietest voices are heard.

But designing for expression also means ensuring that those whose voice has an angrier or sharper or different tone than ours are heard.

There is a legitimacy to forms of expression that are rooted in deep and painful emotions. There is legitimacy in louder and more forceful expressions, as there is in softer, quieter tones. Sometimes, the brokenness of the world means people just need to vent. And that’s alright. Public processes should create enough room for the public to feel comfortable venting or sharing their emotions openly.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “a riot is the language of the unheard.” Though the unheard may express themselves in languages we don’t understand or a language that’s difficult to listen to, planners and designers have a responsibility to listen. The creation of just planning processes depends on it.

Originally published at themove.mit.edu on July 9, 2018.