Projects
Design for Belonging happens out in the world. Here are notes on a few projects where we used the framework to learn, generate ideas and try out new ways of being together.
Oakland, California
Exploring belonging on the streets of Oakland, California. Along with collaborator Tom Maiorana we had conversations with folks as they explored the madlibs “I know I belong in Oakland because _____.” and “Belonging in Oakland is like ____ because____.” We were surprised and delighted by how many people wanted to talk about belonging, offering unique metaphors for what it means for them.
University of Texas, Austin
A week-long immersion in the UT Design Department encouraged faculty, staff and students to explore design prompts and reflection tools to build their learning environment for greater belonging.
Design for Belonging in Autism Care
In Spring 2021 we taught a new d.school course on Design for Belonging with a focus on Autism Care. Collaborating with Jen Goldstein as she was in the midst of opening a new autism care clinic in Denver, Colorado, we invited d.school students to explore the moments of belonging and Liberatory Design to support both clinicians and parents of children with new autism diagnoses.
Design for Belonging in the Outdoors
In this experiment with Idaho Business for the Outdoors we explored the intersection of belonging at work and belonging in the outdoors. The grid represents ideas generated to try with a team.