Summary
In this panel discussion, Dr. Amanda Woolley emphasizes making change genuinely human by designing systems from first principles of autonomy, competence, and social connectedness rather than retrofitting humanity into dehumanizing structures. She advocates for humility and confidence in collaboration and highlights the importance of hope and community to sustain long-term change efforts. Christian Basson reflects on the evolution of service design toward ecosystem leadership, urging deep consideration of values and power within political and organizational contexts. He notes the need to reimagine systems with ethics rooted in hope and regenerative leadership that cares for future generations. Luke Roberts brings a critical perspective on power within systems, cautioning that emergence can yield both positive and harmful outcomes and that designers must be aware of system boundaries, feedback loops, and trajectories. He stresses designers’ role in speaking truth to power with bravery and warns against tokenistic collaboration. The panel also explores interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary practice, the challenge of navigating different levels of abstraction, and the promising future of design informed by more-than-human perspectives, such as biomimicry and play. Together, the speakers link technical, ethical, and emotional dimensions as essential to advancing service design that truly serves society and the planet.
Key Insights
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Designing humanizing systems should start from first principles, not by adding humanity afterwards.
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Effective collaboration requires balancing humility with confidence in one’s contribution.
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Power dynamics in design are often overlooked but crucial to ethical practice.
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Emergence in complex systems carries moral weight – outcomes may be harmful or beneficial.
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Sustainable service design demands attention to the whole system, not isolated parts.
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Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches extend design’s ability to address systemic complexity.
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Hope and community support are vital to endure the slow, challenging nature of systemic change.
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Designers must carefully consider where they draw attention and boundaries, as this channels system energy and power.
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Moving fluently between concrete user experiences and abstract systemic concepts reduces ‘system vertigo’.
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Expanding empathy beyond humans to include nature and other intelligences can advance service design’s future.
Notable Quotes
"We want to make this humanizing from first principles, not shoehorn the humanity back in."
"You can't show up with humility unless you have confidence in the value you bring."
"Emergence is a moral concept—it can be a good thing or a terrible thing that emerges from systems."
"You can design the best service in the most terrible system and not improve the whole."
"There is power in how you guide people’s attention, and where you draw system boundaries."
"Sometimes the power lies in choosing not to give energy to certain system dynamics."
"We need leadership that elicits trust, is regenerative, and builds hope for future generations."
"Designers have to be brave enough to speak truth to power, even when it’s uncomfortable."
"Being able to traverse different levels of abstraction helps to make systemic complexity more navigable."
"Expanding empathy beyond humans to other intelligences like nature is a promising direction for design."
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