T7 Life-centered design T7 Life-centered design Design is perfectly positioned to introduce a systems mindset into any business, due What’s going on? to its multi-disciplinary, facilitatory role. We’re all adjusting our balance, so design will need to shift its emphasis in response. Life-centered design – inspired by writer John Thackara’s theory of designing for all life, not just human life – is the response to the trends we are highlighting this year, particularly Many faces of growth. As we witness a shift from “me” to “we” unfolding across the political and social spectrum, we can also see an evolution in design from user-centered to human-centered and now life- centered design. We’re starting to edge away from designing for one to designing for the collective – i.e. the entire planet. “The perfect overlap between desirability, The values contained in the traditional Venn diagram of feasibility and viability is a sustainable desirability, feasibility and viability are fundamentally changing – as are our design responses to them. and/or a desirable product or service that Until very recently, desirability has been all about what’s in it — Fjord Trends 2020 also makes business sense.” for the user or customer. Increasingly, it’s becoming about what’s in it for the customer and their collective cause across the political spectrum – whether that means sustainable living or taking sides in a trade war. US skincare and cosmetic 91 92