- Week 4 -
Metaphors, Imaginaries & Design Justice
From Metaphors & Imaginaries, what resonated most with me was the shift away from only observing behavior and toward understanding the internal metaphors people use to make sense of the world. It reinforced the idea that design isn’t just about changing what people do, but about engaging with how they think. I found it especially interesting that sometimes the act of designing, creating a space, a tool, or a language to describe a problem, can already be the outcome. That feels very relevant to how I approach experience design: making invisible structures visible. At the same time, it left me wondering how metaphors can stay open and generative over time, instead of becoming simplified labels that eventually limit thinking.
In Nothing About Us Without Us, the critique of user-centered design stood out to me. Even when UCD claims to prioritize users, it often assumes a default user that doesn’t reflect real diversity. What felt most important here was the distinction between participation and leadership. Inclusion alone isn’t enough if communities don’t have real power in shaping decisions. This connected strongly with my own experiences thinking about accessibility and embodiment, how many “standard” designs quietly exclude people because of who they were designed around. The idea that design justice requires deeper structural change, not just better intentions, stayed with me as an uncomfortable but necessary question.
Readings:
- Dan Lockton et al, Metaphors & Imaginaries
- Nothing About Us Without Us, Design Justice Chapter 2, by Sasha Costanza-Chock
Videos:
- Metaphors & Models in Thought & Creativity (NYU Stream, GDrive)
- Design And the Importance of Imaginaries (YouTube)