Design has always been a powerful method for creating solutions to complex problems. In recent decades, design thinking has revolutionized the way we approach innovation through its human-centered focus.
Design thinking often assumes that a product or service should meet an identified need of an individual or a company. But today’s challenges require a broader view of creativity and problem solving – one that extends beyond the individual and embraces the power of communities. Community thinking instead is based on identifying and addressing the collective needs of a group or ecosystem. We need to move from designing solely for people to designing with and through communities.
From Human-Centered Design to Community-Powered Transformation
Human-centered design (HCD) has taught us the importance of empathy, listening to users, and prioritizing their needs. But it has also had its limitations. To create long-term sustainable systems, we need to think in relationships and contexts, rather than just in terms of individuals. HCD often leads to solutions that optimize an individual experience, while community-driven design creates solutions that benefit many through collaboration and participation. By adopting a community-driven design philosophy, we can create solutions that are more inclusive, resilient, and regenerative.
Why are communities key to the future of design?
Our world is facing massive social, economic, and environmental challenges. Individual-focused approaches are no longer enough. Instead of seeing design as a linear process where individual designers and companies create solutions, we need to see it as a dynamic and collective movement where diverse stakeholders collaborate. When we think in communities, we can:
- Amplify innovation through collective intelligence – When different perspectives come together, better solutions are created.
- Build relationships and trust – Trust and collaboration are essential for long-term, sustainable change.
- Design regenerative systems – Instead of just minimizing harm, we can actively improve our communities and ecosystems.
Examples of community-powered design in practice
- LEGO Ideas – By involving its customers in product development, LEGO has created a platform where users themselves contribute design ideas and concepts, making them an active part of the innovation process.
- Nike Run Club – By building a community of runners, Nike strengthens its connection with its customers and creates a platform where they can motivate each other.
- StreetMoves in Stockholm – By engaging authorities, architects, design studios and residents, a vision of a more sustainable and accessible urban environment was created.
Designing with and through communities
Design is no longer a solitary discipline – it is a collaborative process that is best driven by networks of people with common goals. By creating and maintaining vibrant ecosystems of collaboration, we can go beyond traditional hierarchies and create truly transformative solutions.
Community thinking helps us understand and address complex problems in a way that benefits more people and leads to more sustainable change. It is not just about designing products and services – it is about building sustainable futures together.
So, let’s expand our thinking to communities and start thinking in communities. It is together that we create real change.
