Systems of Harm

How do design systems fit into wider social and political systems when it comes to gender, and the inclusion (or exclusion) of trans people? How do they perpetuate exclusion, and what can those of us working on design systems do to mitigate it? I talk to Lou Downe, author of the best-selling book, Good Services, about their experience of trans-exclusion, and using service and systems design to advocate for equity. Episode links https://good.services/ Lou on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lou-downe-757a83b/

How can design systems help us to create more accessible user experiences? How can we win hearts and minds in the fight to create more equitable experiences for disabled people? Will AI help or hinder us in the process? In this episode I talk to accessibility specialist Léonie Watson, Founder and Director of Tetralogical, Chair of the W3C Board of Directors, and co-Chair of the W3C Web Applications Working Group. Léonie shares her experience as a blind person, including how technology has created both barriers and opportunities. Episode links https://tink.uk/ Tetralogical blog: http://tetralogical.com/blog Léonie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lwatson/ Léonie on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tink.uk

What does effective activism look like when it comes to design systems and inclusion? Why are so many of us missing the mark when making the case for prioritising accessibility, and what can we do about it? I talk to Geri Reid, accessibility specialist, to get her tricks of the trade. Episode links https://gerireid.com/ Geri’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerireid/ Geri on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gerireid.com

To round off the series, I’m speaking to Sheryl Cababa, Chief Design Officer at Substantial, lecturer, and author of her, Closing the Loop: Systems thinking for designers. In the episode, Sheryl and I talk about how our design work fits into the wider societal, economic and political systems around us and she shares tools and frameworks for making the invisible, visible. Episode Links Sheryl’s blog on Medium Sheryl’s LinkedIn Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers, by Sheryl Cababa (Listeners of Systems of Harm can get 15% off the purchase price with the code: cababa-soh)

Imran Afzal is a Principal Designer working on the design systems team at Co-op digital. He’s written and spoken prolifically about his work on design systems, and his own experiences of racism and discrimination. In today’s episode, we explore the ways in which design systems can perpetuate or mitigate racism in our digital products and practices. Episode Links https://www.imranafzal.com/ Imran's Twitter Imran’s blog on racism UX London

How can design systems help us to create more accessible digital products and services, and what are the limits to that? In this episode I talk to design systems manager, accessibility advocate, and good friend of mine, Fred Warburton. Fred shares his experience with sight loss, and how that motivated him to learn about digital accessibility, and create meaningful change. Episode Links Fred’s Twitter

Dyscalculia is a learning difference characterised by a persistent difficulty in understanding numbers. In this episode, Laura and I discuss her experiences with dyscalculia, and how design systems can help to create more inclusive digital products for people like her. Episode Links Laura’s blog Laura’s Twitter Accessible numbers project Dyscalculia poster Dyscalculia network Plain Numbers report

How do design systems contribute to trans-exclusion in our digital, social and political systems? What can we do to create more trans-exclusive experiences? In this episode, I talk to Luke Murphy, a design advocate and a good friend of mine who identifies as non-binary, to explore this issue. Episode links https://www.lurkmoophy.com/ Luke’s Twitter Zeroheight blog

David Dylan Thomas, author, speaker and filmmaker, discusses the impact of cognitive bias on design and inclusivity. Topics include bias in design systems, challenges of inclusive design, creating awareness and inspiring change, and the importance of dissent in design teams.