Design for Good & UX Book Club (Post-Election Edition) - Leverage Points

Greetings, Portland UX Design Hub -

Join us for a casual discussion on Zoom of the short paper, Leverage Points by Donella Meadows.

You do not need to read to join! We’ll also talk about systems thinking and its relevance to UX, and support and empower each other.

We're reading: Leverage Points by Donella Meadows

What are we talking about?

• Post-election self-empowerment of the design community and beyond.
• The short paper defines twelve specific, prioritized “leverage points” where a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything.
• Systems thinking - bring your experiences, questions, and resources.

Why are we talking about it?

• Regardless of the outcome of the election, it can feel minimizing to be an individual within a larger system. Let’s talk about practical ways to empower ourselves and our community.

How does this fit into UX?

• There are a TON of resources about systems thinking and UX:
• Interaction Design Foundation: What is Systems Thinking?
• Is ‘Systems Thinking’ the new buzzword in UX? | by Meghan Bausone | UX Collective

UX and Systems Thinking:

• Systems thinking is a holistic approach to problem-solving that looks at the bigger picture and how different parts of a system interact with each other.
• In UX, this means understanding how users interact with a product or service within the context of their entire experience, not just isolated interactions.
• By using systems thinking, UX designers can identify root causes of issues and create more effective, user-centered solutions.

Who is the author, Donella Meadows?

• Donella Meadows was a renowned environmental scientist, educator, and writer.
• Her work is foundational to Systems Thinking.
• UX practitioners have been influenced by Donella’s work, such as applying principles to sustainable design.
• Check out this Green IO podcast with Sylvie Daumal, author of Design d'expérience utilisateur (Designing User Experience), and Thorsten Jonas, founder of the Sustainable UX Network.

About Design for Good:

• Design For Good is an initiative within Portland’s AIGA chapter, created as a way to ignite, accelerate, and amplify social change.
• AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) is a professional organization whose mission is to develop and enhance Portland design careers, welcome and connect members of the design community, and celebrate the exceptional work and accomplishments of Portland designers at every level.
• Together, the goal is to utilize AIGA’s network to uplift and engage in DEI, support BIPOC creatives and events, and provide space for community engagement within intersectional social issues.

About Portland UX Book Club:

• Monthly meetings, sometimes remote and sometimes in-person
• Discuss UX books, articles, podcasts, and more
• Past authors:
• Andy Welfle, co-author of Writing is Designing
• Jon Yablonski, author of Laws of UX