Emma Segal – Designing Change
Hosted in a talk at Domus Academy, Emma Segal dove into ethics-driven design, examining power dynamics and sustainable practices to build regenerative approaches across creative industries.
Emma Segal has two decades of experience designing and producing local and international manufactured consumer goods, bringing a wealth of experience in design, sustainability and systems change.
With a background in International Relations, Graphic Design and a master’s degree in creating more sustainable designs, the intersection of these areas is a central part of her focus, designing, writing, teaching and speaking on the subject.
Emma is now starting a PhD in sustainability policy and focusing on how to support the design industry and incorporate sustainable design policies into governments and corporations, potentially towards a national design policy.
Emma Segal shared insights on embedding ethics and sustainability into design to address complex global challenges. A central theme was systems thinking, a strategic approach Segal described as vital for designers tackling multifaceted issues. Unlike linear problem-solving, systems thinking encourages a holistic view of complex problems, allowing designers to see interconnections within broader contexts. Collaborating with the UN School of Disruptive Design, Segal applies the Disruptive Design Method, which incorporates systems thinking into projects by breaking down problems into parts, identifying patterns, and considering feedback loops that affect change over time.
Another tool presented by the speaker was action research, which is used to prioritise the involvement of those affected by design decisions in the research process itself. This approach stands in contrast to traditional methods like design thinking, where the insights of users may be overlooked. Segal emphasised the importance of reflection in this iterative process, allowing designers to observe the outcomes of their interventions and minimise unintended negative consequences. By engaging with the community, designers can develop solutions that are both relevant and effective, ensuring they resonate with users. Segal encouraged designers to view complex global challenges as opportunities for innovation, advocating for a mindset that embraces these issues as avenues for creative problem-solving. By reframing challenges and using intentional design strategies—such as those seen in airport environments to influence human behaviour—designers can shape meaningful experiences that contribute positively to society. Through action research, they are empowered not just to create impactful projects but to influence the broader cultural narratives that define our world.
The last, complex, tool presented by Emma Segal allows to understand the intricate complexity of product life cycles and the significant impacts of design decisions. She outlines five key stages for mapping life-cycles: extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life, advocating for a circular approach that prioritises reuse and recycling over disposal. Segal encourages designers to analyse every component of a product, highlighting surprising statistics, such as the extensive water usage required for a single T-shirt. She stresses the importance of considering not just materials but also production processes, transport efficiency, and end-user behaviour. By promoting sustainable practices and questioning the necessity of creating new products, Segal underscores the role of designers in shaping a post-disposable future where waste is minimised, and resources are recirculated effectively.