The use of design strategies and tactical solutions to bring about positive social change.

References

*Jennifer Rittner, “What Is Design for Social Impact?,” School of Visual Arts, New York, productsofdesign.sva.edu/blog/what-is-design-for-social-impact.

**HMCA, “Designing for Inclusivity,” hcma.ca/tilt/open-assets/.

Designing for social impact is the “practice of interrogating systems—institutional, economic, social, political, interpersonal—in order to define opportunities for change that give voice to those who have been disenfranchised or marginalized by design.”*

This is a relatively new field of study that has emerged over the last thirty years. It is not limited to interior design, but exists as a strategy across multiple design disciplines, including product design, graphic design, architecture, landscape design, and interiors. This effort uses the existing tools of the design process to examine biases, eliminate and reduce power imbalances, and address the implications of harmful stereotypes in a design.

Any process of change requires that we work in collaborative environments, reassess our role in design decisions, and challenge ourselves to design with and in response to addressing who our collaborators are. This is a difficult and ultimately messy process; while there are short-term successes, failures should also be part of the work. Extensive assessment, observation, and feedback over the long term will enable the results to be more effective.