The dilemma of agency in design

"Over the past years, I've spoken with many design students about life-centred design, responsible innovation, and bringing non-human perspectives into the design process. These ideas tend to resonate deeply. Many students are drawn to design precisely because they want to create positive social and environmental change. What design programs rarely prepare students for is how little agency designers often have once they enter professional practice. And this challenge doesn't disappear with experience."

"How to get buy-in from bosses, managers, co-workers, clients, partner organisations - or whoever pays the bills - is a deceptively difficult problem. It's why the third part of Designing Tomorrow, which focuses on partnerships, may be its most important. Across three chapters, we explore collaboration, buy-in, and the shift from doing good work to becoming a strategic leader. This article, co-written with , distils those chapters into six practical strategies for driving positive change from within organisations."

Many design students embrace life-centred design, responsible innovation, and non-human perspectives to pursue positive social and environmental change. Professional design practice often grants designers limited agency, and that lack of influence can persist with experience. Securing buy-in from bosses, managers, co‑workers, clients, partner organisations, or funders is deceptively difficult. Partnerships, collaboration, and strategic leadership are essential to move from producing good work to driving organisational change. Practical strategies include thoroughly understanding how an organisation operates: its structure and decision-making, its goals and strategic positioning, and the practical challenges that impede change.

Read at Medium