Can We Design for a Better Tomorrow? Steve Baty / Ep. #208

How can we leave the world in a better place than we inherited it... And what's design's role in all of this? In this episode, we tackle these big questions with Steve Baty. Steve is an author, former political candidate, the current CEO of the Australian Design Council, and co-founder of the renowned Meld Studios. He joins us to confront the undeniable breakdown of our existing systems. Yes, as we've discussed in previous episodes, redesigning these systems is daunting, but Steve believes a turnaround is possible – and urgent. We explore how today's design decisions shape tomorrow's world, balancing profit with doing good for our planet. And I ask Steve the burning question: How can we know we're on the right track when our work's impact won't be felt for generations? But don't worry, I can assure you this isn't just about lofty ideals. We also discuss practical steps we all can take right now to make a difference. It's a good reminder that every monumental shift begins with the small steps. For me, this episode joins the playlist that makes us rethink what good (service) design looks like. So, I would love to hear from you: What does good design mean to you in the context of creating a better world? --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to Episode 208 04:00 Who is Steve 07:00 Better Planet for Our Kids 09:30 Design's Role 13:00 The Landfill Problem 14:30 Why Haven't We Solved It? 17:00 Old Ways, New Challenges 18:00 Potential Changes 21:45 Decision-Making for Longevity 24:30 Designer's Dilemma 27:30 Staying Positive 30:34 Measuring Success 33:00 Products vs. Services 37:00 Reconnecting People and Nature 41:00 Accelerating Change 44:00 Government Intervention 45:30 What to Do? 48:30 Good Design Defined 51:00 Designing Standards 53:00 Final Thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebaty/ Designing Tomorrow by Steve Baty & Martin Tomitsch (Book) - https://www.designingtomorrowbook.com/ --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle