So, where to from here?
Across the globe we see multiple ways in which the design industry is working from within to achieve positive change.
AIGA has established a Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce with the aim of encouraging diversity in design education and practice. Founding chair Antionette Carroll believes that design as a profession is lagging in both demographic diversity and a culture of inclusion, both of which are crucial for the future success of the industry. Last year, the Design Management Institute launched its Diversity in Design Manifesto. Their mantra is a diverse and The UK Design Council is on a mission to make life better by design through championing inclusive design. CEO Sarah Wier says inclusive design tends to get pigeoned holed as being for better world for everyone. As well as industry body leadership, practitioner-led initiatives are having an important impact. Tackling issues of gender are Womentor, a mentorship programme for women in graphic based out of Australia, Parlour is a voice for women, equity and architecture. Taking a broader approach to diversity is RARE, a four-day masterclass aimed at keeping rare talent in the and Google’s Tara McKent, their mission articulates perfectly conventions and realise leadership potential in minorities, for the good of culture and creativity. From Aotearoa we can connect and build on international initiatives as well as creating home-grown responses. Industry organisations can and must provide leadership, but they don’t own the diversity space. The thing about diversity is that we a resounding YES! from a large group in the design sector. There were also those who disagreed with the approach. That’s not the point. Diversity challenges us to be open-minded and move beyond the unconscious biases we all have. Diversity and design is an increasingly popular topic in conferences, design events happens when contrasting thoughts collide,” says Beth O’Brien of Colenso, “the best ideas are born out of diversity of thought.” Design does have a diversity problem and we need grassroots initiatives as well as committed action from industry bodies and companies to achieve sustainable impact. Change comes from bottom up activism and top down leadership. It also comes from big and small everyday actions we choose to take in our workplaces and interactions. In the wake of the Christchurch attacks, we saw the power of design to express collective emotion and galvanise compassionate responses. As we struggled to understand what had happened, Ruby Alice Jones’ tender and powerful illustration of two women, Muslim and non-Muslim, shared thousands of times around the to us but by our human responses. Similarly, Stephen McCarthy’s Kotahitanga pin, acts as a physical and wearable symbol of togetherness and solidarity. As a nation we responded with humanity, but what we do next is critical. Design and designers can play a key role in shaping how we move forward, embracing diversity as a core value of our collective identity in Aotearoa.
" As we grapple with unprecedented social, health and environmental challenges, design’s role could not be more vital. If there was ever a time when diverse perspectives are needed to design our way to a better future, it’s now. "