Summary
“How we are at the small scale is how we are at the large scale” (Adrienne Maree Brown). To truly put humans in “human-centered design,” we must be care-centered. And how we practice care in our own teams or the “small scale” will influence the downstream impacts of our design work. This session is an invitation to explore how we practice and build ecologies of care, community, and collaboration to shift towards mutual power and symbiotic relationships throughout the design process. Drawing from a perspective of trauma-centeredness and harm reduction, we will all engage in deep (sometimes complex) reflection about what it means to care for yourself, with others, and develop an ethics of care to guide design teams. If the purpose of DesignOps is to build systems, processes and tools to support stronger design teams and individuals, this is the case for care: to show up as humans first, before we are designers, researchers, employers/the employed, technologists, or however you define your role.
Key Insights
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Ecologies of care in design involve nurturing relationships like in natural ecosystems.
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Decentralization of power is crucial for fostering genuine care and collaboration.
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Collective care focuses on communal well-being rather than hyper-individualism.
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Practicing care at a small scale can have ripple effects on larger organizational dynamics.
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Relationships should encompass emotional support, not just professional interactions.
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Tools like pod mapping can facilitate understanding and mapping of care networks.
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Encouraging feedback and anti-urgency practices can enhance team dynamics.
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Care should be viewed as reciprocal, not transactional, allowing for multi-directional care flows.
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The uniqueness of each individual’s understanding of care must be respected and acknowledged.
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Practicing care lays the groundwork for effective change in organizational cultures.
Notable Quotes
"The whole inspiration behind this is understanding that we are a part of nature ourselves."
"Organizations exist within larger ecologies, and we must consider our impact on those systems."
"Collective care is truly what is necessary for collective wellbeing."
"How we are at the small scale is how we are at the large scale."
"Care is a relational practice, a way of being in community."
"Care can go in multiple pathways; it doesn't have to be one-directional."
"Safety and accountability are essential in cultivating liberated relationships."
"Recognizing the abundance of relationships is key to thriving in community."
"Boundaries are an act of care for yourself and your team."
"Showing up as humans first is crucial before we show up as employees."
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