Design innovation for good
I didn’t have the opportunity to make it to the AIGA Design Conference 2005 but thanks to their new podcasting feature, I was able to listen to some of the speaches that were given during the event. One of the most riveting addresses given was one by Nicholas Negropante, the legendary chairman and co-founder of the MIT Media Lab. During his address, he spoke about the fact that his lab was developing, and close to producing, a $100 notebook that would be only available to schools via large government initiatives and programs. The $100 notebook was conceived as a way of doing away with the digital divide with respect to technology. The idea is that now price would not be a factor in whether or not low-income families could have access to computers in their homes.
It’s a great story and an example of how design innovation can be used for good. Designers tend not to recognize the tremendous power we have and potential for impact beyond just being tools for corporate profits (nothing wrong with profits either, BTW).
We all know about the Hippo Roller which is being used in parts of Africa to ensure that clean drinking water is safely transported across large areas and there are many other areas where we designers have made a positive impact on the world. Heck, when I look at aspects of the $100 laptop — like the price tag — and the fact that you can use a manual crank to re-charge the battery if you run low and are not near a power source, I wish it was actually for sale as well!
Good job, designers! I’m quick to point out things about designers that I’m critical of, now I’ll gladly point out something we’ve done that I’m extremely proud of!
.chris{}