Social Design: Weaving Human Intention Across Divides

That, would be my understanding of what social design is all about.

Design is first and foremost about intention. Intention is starting point, path and destination at the same time.

Social is about human, the fountain of intention. People working individually with similarly good intentions, will inevitably bridge many divides along the way and eventually solve complex problems.

Divides and weaving

There are many divides, some of which are: scale, space, time, issue, expertise, need, and the greatest of all, is that between idea and reality. Let’s take peace-making as a social design issue.

Scale.

A monk prayed for peace on earth, an activist march the street to tell people about the raging war, a diplomat signed a cease-fire agreement between the parties at war, a mother whose son was killed in the war forgive the killer, a man makes peace with his neighbor from the other side, a father coming home from work smile at a TV show on this peace and read a bed time story about a peace in some fantasy land to his children . From one man to the world, and back to one man again.

Space.

The monk prayed from a monastery, the activist held his banners high in the street, the diplomat went to the warzones and back to the roundtable, the mother lives in occupied territory, the man walked across the border to his neighbor. The father may be yours. They live everywhere.

Time.

The monk lived hundreds of years ago. The diplomat, mother and neighbors lived in the now, the man and his children are not even born yet. They live all the time.

Issue.

The monk prayed that war in all its forms is a spiritual dead end. The activist makes the case on how war is also ravaging the economy and people’s livelihood at home. The diplomat dives to the racial roots of the war and find a cure. The mother understand that soldiers are humans too. The neighbors forgot all together what started their war. The man was just making a good living. Their different roads leads to the same destination.

Expertise.

The monk understands the nature of reality. The activist knows how to make good noise. The diplomat is skilled in pacifying opposites. The mother has what it takes for forgiveness. The neighbors are good at friendship. The man is a captivating story-teller. Each has a role to play.

Need.

The monk seeks fulfillment by walking the spiritual path. The activist’s calling is channeled through her campaigning. The diplomat was challenged at what he does best. The mother simply wants peace for her family. The neighbors relies on the services they provide to each other. The man just want his children to have sweet dreams. Everyone is in need.

Idea to reality.

All started as an idea, for some clear, for others vague. Everyone makes use of what’s in front of them the best they can. Both deliberate and emergent processes, intertwined in the manifestation of individual intentions. Some immediately, some on a later date. Every intention will eventually translate to reality.

Forward

What’s true about intangible outcomes such as peace, should even be truer for tangible outcomes of social design. What’s true for such less-deliberate social design, should even be truer for more-deliberate social design. What’s true about social design in the face of divides, should even be truer when there’s less of it.

We are here together in this defining moment in history. There are things that only you can do, and things that only we can do together. We have the tools to work across divides, so let’s do social design better together.

Start with a real problem, a good intention, and whatever you have at your disposal. Connect and collaborate with others whenever and wherever possible. And even if you’re all alone, do your thing. A wise man once said, “what is once well done is done forever.”

on Social Design.