User-centered design focused on individuals as users, whereas human centered design considered individual human needs. Offering a shift from the focus on individual human needs, Humanity-centered design recognised the influence of community on human well-being. Finally, Life-centered design ushered in the recognition that all life forms are interconnected and crucial for human thriving. The latter direction has inspired a more regenerative design approach.
African Life Centric Design (ALCD) merges Life-centered design principles with African creation philosophies and knowledge. Unlike other ‘futurisms’, ALCD envisions futures from the realities of Africans on the continent, not external perceptions. These futures are built on lived experiences, socio-cultural practices, local understanding, and aspirations. Ultimately, ALCD positions African perspectives as central to futures design, with Africans leading the design process.
African Life Centric Design Principles include:
1. Design as Ritual
Design is valued as a sacred, mindful process connected to larger systems and narratives of human need for creative expression and spiritual belonging.
2. Recognising Origins
Immerse ourselves in local design histories, integrating Indigenous knowledge and ancestral wisdom into the futuring and foresight practice.
3. Centering the Periphery
Prioritise the voices and perspectives of previously marginalised African narratives. To be clear: Africa is not the periphery—and we are instead speaking to peripheries within the continent.
4. Land As A Co-Designer
Honour the living world and anchor all design within it, not merely “on top” of it. Embrace the symbiotic relationship with the ecosystem, considering it as an active participant in the design process.
5. Communal Interdependence
Recognise how every individual impacts and contributes uniquely to the community, rooting the design process in tangible communal needs and broader human aspirations.
6. Regenerative Co-Creation
Design solutions that emulate and honour nature’s circular processes, fostering restoration, nourishment and renewal. Incorporate intergenerational exchange, drawing wisdom from generations past, and building for the generations to come.
7. Adaptive Resilience
Design for flexibility and adaptability in the face of change. Instead of committing to a static approach, focus on continuous iteration and learning in light of emerging realities.
by Pumla Maswanganyi, Amukelani Muyanga, Monika Bielskyte
Originally published in 100 Reasons to Love the Future
AXA | 2024
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