BE HERE NOW.
Iris Star Chamberlain. Yup.
The Professional is the Political?
I recently had an epiphany: My personal, political and professional lives are deeply related, and my drive to understand just how is something I can perhaps offer to the world.
I hope to use my skills to support conscious projects that are empowering people on the web and beyond.
I'm reading:
Thoughts On...
Socially Conscious Design
Design is by nature a one-way social exchange and has the power to deeply affect people with a given message. The idea behind "socially conscious design" is that because most people can't exactly opt out of this experience, designers and their clients need to take some responsibility for this power and consider the effects of their actions. I know I'm a party crumb for even bringing it up, but I'm of the mind that limitations are a boon to design.
What this means to me is not just taking some responsibility for the message you're sending, but also refusing to settle for time-honored yet too-simple solutions to design problems (putting an attractive woman in a beer commercial might be one example). I think these conceptual crutches hinder our creativity and social progress, and my goal as a designer is to seek out brilliant solutions to design problems that also happen to be healthier for society.
Social Software
Internet technology has been a game-changer. The introduction of user-generated and open source systems on the internet has shown that not only do regular people have something to offer, but we can really deliver. Citizens of the world are no longer passive consumers but passionate creators. People want to be heard and they want to contribute, and this kind of participation is absolutely key to a truly democratic society.
I think we're in the middle of a historical milestone, made even more exciting by the current push in government to be more transparent, participatory, and responsive. New social and civic technologies are showing us the tangible benefits of living in a hyperconnected world and the enormous potential for people to improve society by working together in new ways. I'm humbled to be one of the many builders of this new era.
