Designing for Liberation: The Principles and Practices of Design Justice

Design justice is a critical and emerging concept that challenges the unequal distribution of design’s benefits and harms across different groups of people. This framework, rooted in social, political, and ethical considerations, particularly in the context of surveillance technologies, pushes for a more equitable and inclusive approach to design processes and outcomes.

Design justice is not just a theoretical idea, but a practical and participatory way of creating solutions that address the needs and aspirations of marginalized communities. It involves co-designing with and for those who are most affected by design decisions, valuing their knowledge and creativity, and challenging the dominant narratives and assumptions in the design field. Design justice also aims to address the root causes of oppression and inequality, rather than offering superficial or exploitative fixes.

Some examples of design justice in action are:

• The Detroit Community Technology Project, a grassroots initiative that helps communities use and create technology that aligns with their social and economic justice goals.
• The Our Data Bodies Project, a collaborative research project that explores the effects of data collection and surveillance on the lives of low-income and marginalized people in various U.S. cities2.
• The Design Justice Network, a global collective of designers, activists, researchers, and educators committed to the principles and practices of design justice.

These projects demonstrate how design can be a tool for social change, rather than a source of harm or exclusion. They also show how design justice can foster collective learning and action, moving away from isolated or competitive work environments. By following the design justice principles, designers can contribute to building the worlds we need, especially for those who have been historically marginalized by traditional design processes.

Sasha Costanza-Chock, a prominent figure in the field of design justice, describes this approach as one that seeks to create equitable and inclusive outcomes, especially for marginalized communities. The key principles and practices of design justice include:

• Using design to sustain, heal, and empower communities, as well as to seek liberation from exploitative and oppressive systems.
• Centering the voices of those who are directly impacted by the outcomes of the design process.
• Prioritizing design’s impact on the community over the intentions of the designer.
• Viewing change as emergent from an accountable, accessible, and collaborative process, rather than as a point at the end of a process.
• Seeing the role of the designer as a facilitator rather than an expert.
• Believing that everyone is an expert based on their own lived experience, and that they all have unique and brilliant contributions to bring to a design process.
• Sharing design knowledge and tools with communities.
• Working towards sustainable, community-led and -controlled outcomes.
• Before seeking new design solutions, looking for what is already working at the community level. Honoring and uplifting traditional, indigenous, and local knowledge and practices.

Design justice is a growing movement that aims to reshape the design field and its impacts on society and the environment.

Design practice has been shaped by mainstream design culture, which often overlooks social and environmental impacts in favor of aesthetics and profitability. This realization has spurred a desire to adopt a more critical, participatory approach to design, aligning with the principles of design justice. Design justice is a framework that advocates for the fair distribution of design benefits and burdens, the recognition of community-based design knowledge, and the fostering of democratic design processes. By applying design justice principles, designers can challenge the existing power structures and inequalities that shape the design field and society at large. Some examples of design justice projects are the Design Justice Network, a community of designers and activists who work on various social justice issues; the Detroit Community Technology Project, a grassroots initiative that empowers communities to use technology for their own needs and goals; and the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project, a collective that uses data visualization and storytelling to resist gentrification and displacement. These projects demonstrate how design can be used as a tool for social change and empowerment.

The Detroit Community Technology Project exemplifies technology that meets community needs and strengthens human connections. Their initiatives, such as the Equitable Internet Initiative and the Data Justice Program, are crucial in addressing the digital divide and the impacts of data collection and surveillance on marginalized communities.

The Our Data Bodies Project takes a similar approach, focusing on the impacts of data collection and digital systems on marginalized peoples in multiple cities. By conducting participatory research and developing educational materials, this project challenges data exploitation and discrimination.