What Happens After We Stop Talking About Design
Design For The Public 24 wrapped up last week, bringing together folks from around the country for two days of deep introspection, small group discussions, and vulnerable conversations across Portland venues. The experience reinforced something I’ve been turning over in my mind: the gap between how we talk about design and doing measureable, repeatable impact work.
Beyond Metrics and Methods
During my talk, I mentioned critical design - an approach that questions our assumptions about how things should work. While this might sound academic, it’s actually pretty simple: instead of just asking “how do we make this better?” we ask “why do we think this is the right thing to measure in the first place?”
Think about it: How many times have you worked on a project where all the metrics looked great, but something still felt off? Maybe you hit every KPI but users were still frustrated. Maybe engagement was up but actual user satisfaction was down. Maybe everything looked successful on paper but didn’t create any meaningful change in reality.
What We Measure vs. What Matters
This got me thinking about a concept I’m calling antieconomics. Don’t let the name scare you - it’s just a way of questioning how we measure success in design. For example:
- When we measure “user engagement,” are we measuring something useful or just something easy to count?
- When we track “time on page,” are we assuming longer is better without asking why?
- When we celebrate “increased efficiency,” are we considering what might be lost in the process?
The Real Work
During the conference, we talked about “wicked problems” - those messy, complex challenges that don’t have clear solutions. The kind that make you question whether you’re even asking the right questions.
Here’s what makes them wicked:
- They’re hard to define clearly
- Different people see them differently
- There’s no “right” answer
- Standard solutions often miss the point
Sound familiar? It should - it describes most of the real challenges we face in design work.
A Different Approach
This is where antieconomics comes in. Instead of just accepting traditional metrics, it suggests we step back and ask:
- What if we measured what users say matters to them?
- What if we valued the invisible work that makes systems function?
- What if we designed around human dignity instead of just efficiency?
Moving Forward
The conversations at Design For The Public revealed something important: many of us are quietly questioning our standard measures of success. We’re ready for different ways of thinking about impact.
This isn’t about throwing away all measurement - it’s about measuring things that actually matter. It’s about being honest about what our design work really achieves, not just what looks good in a case study.
An Invitation
As the conference wrapped up, many participants shared that they felt less alone in questioning these things. That’s what happens when you create space for real conversation about hard things.
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
- What metrics do you wish you could retire?
- What would you measure if you could measure anything?
- How do you handle the gap between what you can measure and what actually matters?
This piece is the b-side to my talk at Design For The Public 24. Sometimes the most important conversations happen after the formal presentation ends.