Design as a force for good

These are stressful times, and — reflecting over the last year — it’s hard to remember the good news. For me personally, one of the most impactful talks of 2015 was Eric Meyer's ‘Designing for Crisis’ , which he delivered at Generate London.

It’s a wakeup call: we tend to design for the perfect situation, but in reality this is rare. All sites will at some point be accessed by people in stressed situations, who can barely focus on your awesome design and beautifully crafted copy.

The reason may be a personal crisis — as in Eric’s case — or a political one. Our work can help people in need; it can also enable those who don’t have a reliable internet connection and empower or protect those in danger. Let’s use our skills to make a difference. This could mean ‘rickrolling’ ISIS as Anonymous does, being more empathetic in our work or taking on projects for social good.

Our knowledge can be used to make a change. Do it if you can.

This article originally appeared in issue 276 of net magazine.