The summary of Damien Lutz Life-centered design article

Life-centred design is an emerging design approach that expands human-centred design to also include consideration of sustainable, environmental, and social implications. It connects micro-level design (UX, product engineering, etc.) to global goals by increasing the stakeholders from just ‘user and business’ to ‘user, non-user, local and global communities, ecosystems, and planetary boundaries’. This approach aims to create designs that not only benefit the user, but also consider the impact on the environment and society as a whole.

Some of the practices that support life-centred design have been in use for decades, such as circular design and systems thinking, but are only now becoming mainstream. Other practices, such as biomimicry, are still new and finding their place in the field. If you want to get better at transforming your mindset to one that creates value for others and the world around you, you might be interested in this this videocourse!

Despite its growing popularity, awareness of life-centred design is still relatively low, and it goes by many different names, such as planet-centred design, planet-centric design, conscious design, 21st-century design, environmental design, circular design, DesignX, respectful design, and humanity-driven design. All of these terms share the common goal of moving away from a focus on commercial and modernizing goals, in favour of more collaborative, inclusive, holistic, and sustainable approaches.

It is important to note that while life-centred design strategies are mostly relevant to the design of physical products and the design of a business, the life-centred lens opens our minds to the hybrid physical/digital nature of today’s creations and to the impacts of our digital-first experiences on the physical world. Therefore, life-centred design is for both physical and digital product designers, service designers, and business decision-makers.

A wider view of life-centred design connects product and experience designers working at the micro-level with global environmental and social goals at the macro-level, such as those of the Doughnut Economy and UN Sustainability Goals. The Doughnut Economy is an alternative economic model that promotes a “safe operating zone” between an outer ring of planetary boundaries that we should not overreach, and an inner ring of safe, just, meaningful, and thriving existence that all peoples must remain above. This approach aligns with the goals of life-centred design, as it focuses on creating designs that benefit not only the user, but also the environment and society as a whole.

In conclusion, life-centred design is an emerging approach that expands human-centred design to also consider sustainable, environmental, and social implications. It is important for designers and decision-makers to be aware of this approach and to consider its principles in their work in order to create designs that benefit not only the user, but also the environment and society as a whole.

Take aways

1. Life-centred design is an emerging approach that expands on human-centred design by considering sustainable, environmental, and social implications.
2. It connects micro-level design to global goals by increasing the stakeholders beyond just the user and business, to include non-users, local and global communities, ecosystems, and planetary boundaries.
3. It supports practices such as circular design, systems thinking, and biomimicry.
4. It is still emerging and awareness of it is low and it goes by different names such as planet-centred design, conscious design, environmental design, and respectful design.
5. It aims for a more collaborative, inclusive, holistic and sustainable approach.
6. It is relevant for both physical and digital product designers, service designers, and business decision-makers

The link to his article

Enjoy his wonderful and inspiring article: https://uxdesign.cc/life-centred-design-96965acdcbf4