Design is rapidly expanding in our world. It was not long ago that design was only affiliated with graphics and interaction. These days, design covers nearly everything you see and in the future design will cover everything you see. This means that designers will need to grow to fit every possible case. The variety of requests from clients will grow, and the reach of the industry will also grow. Designers in the future will interact and collaborate with more people in more fields which will require designers to adapt. I believe the growth that design is showing will be a large benefit for the future of all industries. This growth means that any designer can eventually branch out into any other industry of their desire.

As design grows, so does the need for ethical practices especially in the AI industry. More people will have access to the components that control our machine learning modules which will raise the question, “How do we keep the modules non-biased?” The ever-growing threat of AI being used with malicious intent will only become stronger as design and AI reaches more corners of the globe. This raises the need for compulsory ethical data handling and design practice teachings. There will be more teachings around the world, be it in universities or workplaces, on how to use and treat data ethically. Most of these practices are carried out today as designers are working with data on the internet already however the future generations will need to enforce these practices. Currently ad placements, and especially targeted ads, fall into a grey area between ethically viable and just simply not right. To ensure this gets laid out in the future, the teachings and rules on where/how to apply ads will need to be followed strictly so that we don’t intrude the general publics privacy.

Even though machines are advancing as fast as they are currently, they will never catch up to humans in the design industry. Design always requires human innovation and human interaction which is an aspect that machine and robots will never reach. This means the future of design lies solely in the hands of us. The advancements in technology currently, and in the near future do not provide solid proof that machines are capable of replicating human tendencies. Since design is about understanding your client and materialising their desires, it is something only humans have the mental capacity to do. I believe this link between the designer and the client is crucial in creating the perfect solution and machines will simply not be able to carry over the emotions and attachments that some clients may have to an idea. Although this isn’t possible in the near future, the idea of an automated process through a machine is still within the realm of possibility which is why designers must brace themselves for this change. We can learn the inner workings of the machines to tailor them specifically and accurately.

My artifact that will help communities discuss about the topics of design and its consequences is an app interface I created. Whilst mainly being a discussion tool, it also addresses the issue of societal instabilities and helps reunite everyone in a society so that there is no hierarchy. This was a main concern alongside the possibility of informing the society about design so that they can discuss the topics. Following my Manifesto, this design really brings home the points I made and secures my vision on design in the future. The app is trying to maintain a clean and simple interface because it has one goal; uniting society is key. For this reason, there are two major features which are the message service and the geolocation-utilising map-marker finder.

The message service is a simple function which allows members of a community to connect to one major hub for convenient communication with community members. You can also add individual members privately to message them one on one. This feature uses a simple geolocation technique that pairs you in your current community. If you may think you are in the wrong area you may also choose manually.

The map marker system locates your closest parks that are designated as markers. Markers are gathering points for communities that allow for inter-cluster migration. This opens up communications with other clusters and allows everyone to stay intact further lessening the hierarchy problem. You may click on different locations to view more information such as address, approximate number of people in a cluster, and much more.

Feedback is also encouraged as I am striving to make this a better app for everyone. Feedback can be submitted directly to me through email or through the feedback form.

The app offers a platform for local communities to communicate with each other. It uses geolocation to find nearby users who want to engage in conversation and allows for inter-cluster communication as well. It “marks” local parks that are closest for multiple clusters so they can meet if they prefer it this way. The markers act as a bridge between multiple clusters and can help to unite multiple suburbs or societies. Ideally this removes the hierarchy system and puts everyone on an even level. The app differs from other messaging and gathering apps as it offers a secure local alternative and has no connection with international companies meaning your information is safe within your pod. Since its national, its also more accurate with the maps meaning you can be sure you are going where the app says you are going.

Encourages the society to interact to prevent/lessen members of the society feeling lonely/uninformed. The rise in communication between members in a society and even different societies will prove to better relationships and moods in general. The communication can also improve and strengthen relationships between inter-cluster societies. This helps them keep in touch about recent news.

People are slowly losing their sanity being isolated. If another pandemic hits, there's a good chance it will be worse and we will have more strict regulations and more obvious discriminatory behaviour. This will prep the local community for that. Everyone in the community is talking with each other. Everyone in a community can communicate with other communities. Park markers help communities get together and strengthen their relationships.

We are now using design to find a solution or offer a product that promotes the general health and sanity of the society. Using common design practices to empathise with our clients and since this affects every neighbourhood, we can relate closer to the issue. This just goes to show that design, whether it is offering a solution or a distraction, can and will impact more in the future.

Maintaining an ethical design practice especially during tough times when the society is vulnerable will prove to be crucial. Gaining the trust can prove to be beneficial when developing further projects. Maintaining the privacy of users while they are using the app will prove to be an ethical battle. Proving ethical practices during vulnerable times can lead to gaining the trust of the public.

The issue at hand shows why this will stay true. During tough times, the society needs a tool to connect and communicate and only humans, for now, will understand these feelings at a capable level. Being able to empathise with the general public will automatically have them feel more towards yourself.