Agency by design

Michael Krohn: Design – for and with the others
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Participation of stakeholders –
observing, understanding, acting, involving
Is “Social Design” a new design category? No, social design
combines knowledge of design with social experiences
and is actually available in any design discipline or
design activity. However, it requires putting other priorities
and topics on the list of the design education. We
train our design students today so that they are able to
work in a typical of labour-divided environment. Here all
parties understand their role and function quiet well. This
no longer works in many social and development contexts.
The completely different circumstances, be this climate,
culture, values, religion, etc., make it nearly impossible
to come up with solutions for humans in socially
different regions or contexts, simply developed on the
desk. The accusation of arrogance can only be overcome
when collaborating directly with those affected. And for
this – we have to be there.
Once this understood, the differences between “experts”
and “users” dissolve. Who is unable to expose himself to
the circumstances in social design projects, cannot develop
meaningful contributions. Something that designers
“From feces to fuel”, low-tec energy
production from collected human feces in
settlements in Kenya. Master degree project
Mona Mijthab 2014. (Image Mona Mijthab)