October 24, 2024
As a bubbling hotpot of culture, creativity and technology, SXSW Sydney is where leading minds gather to imagine and build the future.
Each session pushes us to go beyond innovation and work together more closely.
Entering a redefined era of Co-Design.
It raises the question: How do we make sure progress stays aligned with human values?
Co-design isn't just about creating the next big thing; it's about including diverse perspectives to build something meaningful, equitable, and enduring.
This shift is a refreshing change from the sea of sameness driven by rapid consumerism.
As we face challenges like sustainability, AI, and digital ethics, we must ask: Who are we designing for, and are they involved in the process?
In the move towards co-designing the future, three key paths have emerged, each offering a unique way to engage with and shape culture - being the shared attitudes, values and behaviours of a group of people.
These paths don't just guide how we design products, systems, and experiences; they show how we navigate an increasingly connected and fast-changing world.
Choosing to ignore culture may seem like a safe path, but it’s a dangerous one that can open the gates to brand backlash and even cancel culture.
When we distance ourselves from cultural influence, we risk falling into what Crystal Fong, Creative Director and Psychologist-in-training, describes as the “commodification of the human spirit.”
By ignoring the lived experiences, histories, and identities of the people we design for, we reduce them to mere consumers of products or technology - removing the essence that makes them unique.
This disconnect is often fueled by unconscious biases that subtly infiltrate decision-making. As Richard Williams of VML aptly puts it, “Often we revert to the rationale reasons why a concept shouldn’t become reality. While our unconscious bias fills the gap of what does or doesn’t feel right.”
When we prioritise logic over human empathy, we miss opportunities to co-create with authenticity. This pathway might feel logical, but it ultimately alienates us from the very people we aim to serve.
At the mid-point of the spectrum, many brands and creators find themselves impacted by culture rather than shaping it. Culture isn’t something they drive - it drives them.
In a world where technological advancements outpace our ability to keep up, it’s easy to become reactive, simply trying to adapt to the rapid changes happening around us. As Mark Di Stefano, columnist for AFR, notes, “The biggest challenge we’ve had over the past decade is that the rate of technological change is faster than what we can adapt to.”
This leads to a fractured approach, where brands scramble to keep up with trends and technologies they don’t fully understand. It also exacerbates the divide between what is created and who it is for.
Noelle Faulkner, a futurist and freelance columnist, puts it succinctly: “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.” When creators and innovators fail to reflect the diversity of the cultures they impact, they contribute to a cycle where marginalised voices are left out, unable to see themselves in the future being built.
The most powerful path - and the one most aligned with Co-Designing the Future - is to actively impact culture.
This requires a deep commitment to understanding the communities, perspectives, and lived realities of those we seek to serve. Leon Coningham from SBS challenges us with a vital question: “How can you be inclusive if you’re not educated about who those audiences are, what they look like and how they live?” Without this level of engagement, any design, no matter how well-intentioned, risks missing the mark.
According to Sofia Hernandez of TikTok, “Short-form content, especially entertainment-focused content, has accelerated the rate of change and cultural impact of the last half-decade.” To design for the future, we must not only be aware of this accelerated cultural impact but actively engage with it.
Brands and innovators have the power to influence culture in ways that resonate deeply with people’s experiences, creating products and systems that aren’t just reactive but transformative. Providing a pathway to transform the direction of a category and culture.
Ultimately, Co-Designing the Future isn’t just an inspiring idea - it’s a mandate.
While this is ingrained in the Hopeful Monsters way of thinking, the conversations from SXSW illuminated how far the broader industry still needs to embrace this reality.
The future belongs to those who invite others into the creative process, amplifying diverse perspectives and leveraging technology not just for disruption, but for positive transformation.
The challenge for brands, innovators, and thought leaders is clear: collaboration must be embedded at every stage of development.
It’s time to rethink how we design, who we design for, and who gets to be part of the conversation.
The future will not be built in isolation, but in community, with co-creation at its heart.
The question isn't whether to join in - it's whether you can afford not to.
Originally written as a SXSW Sydney opinion piece for Mumbrella.
