Summary
As experience designers, we know the ins and outs of how to design for change in a product or service: talking to end-users, interviewing subject matter experts, and then working collaboratively within a team to come up with workable solutions to the problem. The extent of the #BlackLivesMatter movement has encouraged a mixture of protest, self-reflection, and openness to learn. However, many people want to take action but don’t know how. Why not apply our skills as experience designers to approach a small, workable issue that supports equality? Join Denise Jacobs as she and a team of SMEs share stories related to the issue, so that participants can work together to share ideas and start the process of designing social change.
Key Insights
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Racism is a systemic issue embedded by design, requiring design solutions to create meaningful change.
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Black women in UX and tech often carry the emotional fatigue of being the sole representatives advocating for inclusion and equity.
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Allies should demonstrate support both when present and absent, alleviating the burden from marginalized voices rather than relying on them alone.
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Microaggressions and biased assumptions can appear in subtle workplace moments, such as decision-making about user personas or team interactions.
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Performative responses in tech, like superficial diversity images or temporary messaging, fail to address deep systemic biases.
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Self-reflection and addressing personal pain and bias is critical for effective allyship and avoiding perpetuating harm.
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Calling out racist behavior requires sensitivity, empathy, and specific vocabulary to foster understanding without alienation.
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The UX community, grounded in empathy and problem-solving, is uniquely positioned to lead transformational social change through design.
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Designing for inclusivity means expanding perspectives beyond the usual voices in the room and challenging assumptions at all organizational levels.
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Progress requires accepting imperfection, embracing discomfort, and ongoing learning instead of seeking quick fixes or blaming others.
Notable Quotes
"Racism is by design, and there's no way to counter it unless we counter it with design."
"I often ask myself, what if I wasn’t there? Would the problem even be recognized without my voice?"
"I appreciate allyship more when I’m not in the room than when I am."
"People can be standing around you and still say something hurtful — and no one comes to your defense."
"You’re not going to beat racism by just being smart or working hard."
"Microaggressions like who speaks in meetings, or who touches whom, are real harassment that tech must address."
"White supremacy won’t die until white people see it as their issue to solve, not just a black issue to sympathize with."
"It’s not about being a good person or bad; it’s about unlearning behaviors and biases taught from birth."
"Discomfort when confronting bias is the same discomfort marginalized people feel constantly, multiplied and sustained."
"We are moving from the onus being on the few to everyone sharing the responsibility for change."
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