Abstract
Designers for "social good" and "social impact" must critically examine the assumptions and mental models that shape their understanding of the communities they aim to serve. This essay argues that embracing pluralistic, non-fixed conceptions of identity and positionality is crucial for creating truly inclusive and equitable design practices. Through frameworks that deconstruct the idea of fixed identities, designers can surface their unconscious biases and unlearn harmful originating myths about marginalized groups being culturally, socially, cognitively, or physically "deficient." The essay presents flexible positionality matrices that position aspects of identity along spectrums of fixed, fluid, conditional, and temporal states of being. It demonstrates how such frameworks, when implemented through guided classroom activities, can help students interrogate their own socialized identities and experiences of inclusion/exclusion. Ultimately, these analytical tools reveal the limitations of universal, imperialistic design thinking. Instead, the essay calls for localized, pluralistic approaches that account for the multidimensional and evolving ways communities understand themselves.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drslxd.2025.161
Citation
Rittner, J.(2025) Pluralism in Design Education: Mental Models and Decision-Making, in Clemente, V., Gomes, G., Reis, M., Félix, S., Ala, S., Jones, D. (eds.), Learn X Design 2025, 22-24 September 2025, Aveiro, Portugal. https://doi.org/10.21606/drslxd.2025.161
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Full Paper
Pluralism in Design Education: Mental Models and Decision-Making
Designers for "social good" and "social impact" must critically examine the assumptions and mental models that shape their understanding of the communities they aim to serve. This essay argues that embracing pluralistic, non-fixed conceptions of identity and positionality is crucial for creating truly inclusive and equitable design practices. Through frameworks that deconstruct the idea of fixed identities, designers can surface their unconscious biases and unlearn harmful originating myths about marginalized groups being culturally, socially, cognitively, or physically "deficient." The essay presents flexible positionality matrices that position aspects of identity along spectrums of fixed, fluid, conditional, and temporal states of being. It demonstrates how such frameworks, when implemented through guided classroom activities, can help students interrogate their own socialized identities and experiences of inclusion/exclusion. Ultimately, these analytical tools reveal the limitations of universal, imperialistic design thinking. Instead, the essay calls for localized, pluralistic approaches that account for the multidimensional and evolving ways communities understand themselves.