Ruined by Design: How Designers Destroyed the World, and What We Can Do to Fix It

by Mike Monteiro

say in how things are truly designed, not to mention who we affect, we need to expand our understanding of what design means. We need to expand what we’re capable of affecting, from tiny little dots to people’s minds. To design is to influence. The important work won’t get done at the pixel level. A pixel is just a point of proof in the stage of execution. It’s the period at the end of the sentence. That sentence though? That’s the important thing. To design is to influence people. To design is to build new connections in people’s minds. To design is to build relationships where there previously weren’t any. True design decisions are made face-to-face. They are made in meetings where you need to be. They are made in the hallways you need to patrol. They are made when people interact with each other. The first design decision on your project was made when a budget was allocated. Sadly, a lot of design decisions get made in places that haven’t granted you access—yet. We need to change that.