Mythbusters
We address social and urban problems through collaborative design. And as we practice our mission, we’ve come across several deeply ingrained myths that can obscure or subvert the true potential of a design solution. By understanding that these misconceptions exist, we can better address the problems we face as a society and move towards an inclusive and sustainable future. With that said, here are the top 10 notions, beliefs and myths that we have been questioning and striving to reform through our work.
1. Design is an aesthetic concern
No, design is the center of the wheel, the bridge between ideas and realization. It is the vessel to create products, environments, services and systems. It is crucial to have a design attitude and integrate design thinking into all processes to ensure we reflect and respond to needs and challenges in meaningful ways.
2. Humans are part of nature
We certainly are, but…since the dawn of agriculture we have gotten better and better at manipulating our environment through increasingly advanced technology, and as a result, we’re now quite disconnected from it. Natural processes are ones of creation and destruction, and humans, while born from that natural process, have been speeding up the destruction part to the detriment of creation. We need to stop creating tech just for ourselves, and create tech for ourselves and the planet.
3. Sustainable materials are too expensive
A lot of products with labels like “sustainably-sourced” or “eco-friendly” are often more expensive. However, Economics-101 tells us that as demand for something increases, the price decreases. If everyone — individuals or companies — with the means to can afford to pay a bit more for something, then eventually everyone will be able to afford it. This is true for any sustainable materials, from solar panels to ethically-sourced cotton to the materials used in the construction of a building.
4. Accessible products are only for people with disabilities
Not really. In fact, by designing with people with disabilities — who are “on the margins” of society because of our existing exclusive environments — we can actually create solutions that work for everyone. For example, speech recognition software was developed to help assist people with vision impairment, but now has mainstream applications like Siri, Alexa, and driverless cars.
5. Being a mom hurts productivity at work
No. More and more research is coming out about how being a mom actually increases the ability to multitask and gives women positive pressure to take on extra responsibilities that their childless peers may not have. We need to change corporate’s mindset and instead of seeing moms as a burden, value moms as an asset.
6. Equality and Equity are the same thing
They do sound similar, but equality means that every group or individual is given the same resources and opportunity. Equity means recognizing that different groups may have different advantages or disadvantages, and therefore different needs of resources and opportunities. Resources and opportunities should adapt so that equal outcomes can be achieved. Equity requires understanding marginalization and historical trends in oppression that have so far led to unequal outcomes for different groups of people.
7. AI will either solve all our problems or ruin everything
There seems to be these two camps when it comes to opinion about AI. Of course, AI is leading to some marvelous innovations across many fields. However, we must be aware that humans are creating AI, and that it is still imbued with many of our own human biases and flaws. AI is neither a panacea nor an insidious virus. It’s our brain-child, and we must grow with it as it grows.
8. Experts don’t need to consult non-experts
There are really two myths here. First, this line of thinking can — and does — lead to the type of academic silo-ing that hinders collaboration and promotes a narrow-minded focus that can often disregard other perspectives. Second, there are really no non-experts, just the right experts. Maybe you don’t have a doctorate in civil engineering, but your expertise as a father could add valuable insight into how to design a park near your home. Lived experiences are as important as professional experiences.
9. Play is only for kids
All work and no play makes us…well, overworked. Studies have shown that adults must continue to nurture the empathy, resilience, and communication skills developed through play in childhood in order to maintain our social well-being, connect with others, and live healthy lives.
10. Architecture and psychology are two separate disciplines
No two fields should be mutually exclusive. In designing a building, an architect must take into account how the environment can affect an individual’s mental health. This can include maximizing sunlight during the day, creating spaces that promote flexibility of use, and ensuring that there is green space and access to recreational or social facilities.
