Abstract
Gig economy is presented as disruptive, technologically driven, and forward think-ing. Design is explicit in this framing, through use of slick apps to reduce friction and simplify experience for customer and worker. However, this framing is often driven by the platforms, and does not fully recognize the actual experience of work. In this paper we report on a collaborative design process on developing concepts for the future of gig work from a worker-centric perspective. This explicitly does not involve the platforms as stakeholders and uses design fiction as a tool for workers to ex-press fears, joys, and the aspects of their work that are nuanced, reflective and surprising. We reflect on the designs created through this process, the tensions, and opportunities with working with gig working couriers, and issues around power and representation when designing with and for this community.
Keywords
gig economy, speculative design, design fiction, platform economy
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.394
Citation
Kirman, B., Bates, O., Lord, C., and Alter, H. (2022) Thinking outside the bag: Worker-led speculation and the future of gig economy delivery platforms, in Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, 25 June - 3 July, Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.394
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Research Paper
Included in
Thinking outside the bag: Worker-led speculation and the future of gig economy delivery platforms
Gig economy is presented as disruptive, technologically driven, and forward think-ing. Design is explicit in this framing, through use of slick apps to reduce friction and simplify experience for customer and worker. However, this framing is often driven by the platforms, and does not fully recognize the actual experience of work. In this paper we report on a collaborative design process on developing concepts for the future of gig work from a worker-centric perspective. This explicitly does not involve the platforms as stakeholders and uses design fiction as a tool for workers to ex-press fears, joys, and the aspects of their work that are nuanced, reflective and surprising. We reflect on the designs created through this process, the tensions, and opportunities with working with gig working couriers, and issues around power and representation when designing with and for this community.