Time and time again, I'll hear, "Can you give us a practical checklist or tool?"
I tell teams to be mindful about how they use tools in design work around equity, inclusion and justice.
While tools can absolutely transform what can feel like abstract concepts into concrete steps we can actually take, they come with many pitfalls when poorly designed or misused.
They can unintentionally reinforce biases and assumptions. They're often removed from the realities of the context in which we do this work. And they can constrain our curiosity, our capacity to think critically and our connections with marginalized communities.
Being more thoughtful about tools
I've spent the last year thinking critically about how to make this work more actionable without losing its nuance, complexity and depth.
I started by fleshing out a few frameworks that bring together critical reflection and systems thinking with changemaking.
Then, I packaged these frameworks into a playbook and card decks to bring in a layer of practical application — through examples, reflection questions, strategies and tactics.
I'm excited to bring you the first editions of these tools (two available now, two available for pre-order)!
As a small independent creator, I have put them behind an affordable price point to protect and value the labor of love and passion that's gone into them.
These tools aren't magic bullets. Think of them as helpful aids and guideposts to aid you in more responsible decision-making in design, business and beyond. I will continue evolving and improving them over time — you'll get access to lifetime updates.
A Black Friday promotion
While I recognize the capitalistic failings of Black Friday, it can help us small business owners gain momentum as we bring our unique creations to market.
With that said, all tools are discounted by 40% until Monday, November 27th (no coupon code needed). Your purchase will help support the development of video tutorials for these tools, as well as the creation of future free tools and resources on our platform!
Wishing you a lovely weekend and catch you next week in our next digest!
Cheers,
Sandra By Design
