Designed problems

One of the most impactful books I've ever read is Anthony Ray Hinton's memoir, "The Sun Also Rises". In 1985, at the age of 29, Hinton was falsely convicted of murder and spent 28 years on death row. He was released in 2015, at 59 years old. As of this writing, he has still not been compensated for his false imprisonment.

Hinton's memoir is an inspiring one, for the courage he displayed in facing his unjust time in prison. He used faith, visualizations, community, and every other tool at his disposal to persevere and survive. It is also an incredibly depressing and frustrating read. It sheds light on the unbelievable problems of the American judicial, policing, and prison systems.

There is something very instructive, though, and it's right there in the last word of the paragraph above: "systems". The problems described are all a result of systems that have been -- intentionally or unintentionally -- designed. It is possible to view these injustices as design problems.

And like many important design problems, it is not a technology problem. While technology may be part of the solution, it is likely there in a support function.

Perhaps as designers, it's important to reflect upon not just the solutions we are creating, but the design problems we choose to address in the first place. Mr. Hinton's memoir is a useful reminder that there are some really important ones right in front of us.