I really enjoyed this week’s reading. I had a mini epiphany of sorts. Designers are at the forefront of change and are responsible for the much of the sustainable change society seeks. I call it mini because it is something I have thought of before, but Sorrento’s article really supported this thought.
I believe one of the most vital points highlighted by Sorrento is the designer’s role in educating the user. The case example given was a great example of bridging the gap between efficacy and user comfort. Bridging the gap is adherent on educating the user/consumer about the benefits of sustainable changes. As in the case study of the article, users/consumers are typically unaware of the purpose for certain changes, but once they are made aware of the benefits of these changes they give their support. This seems to be something designers are missing out on. Designers are at the wheel of change and I don’t even know if they see it.
The typical consumer doesn’t know or care too much about the damage of production of certain products. Bombarding people with negative things will not encourage a spirit of change. There needs to be a shift to promoting awareness. We need to provide the average person with resources and arm them with knowledge. This is very important to my field and the future of my field. I hope the coming generations of designers will all realize how much power they how to effect change and take the responsibility seriously.
I am not in the position to do anything as a student to effect big change. I do hope that in my future I will able to support sustainable design through my work. It’s always been an important issue to me, and I feel empowered. Designers really can’t afford to miss the opportunity to be at the forefront of sustainable design changes; both for environmental and professional progress.
While I am encouraged by this article, I wonder about the limitations we face. I hope we will learn about the obstacles we can expect to face in the professional field and maybe create action plans, or personal philosophies, to overcome them.