Political Design is the framework that determines what gets built, how it functions, and who benefits from it. It exists at the intersection of individual values, team dynamics, and industry culture,where ideas, collective agendas, and industry structures dictate the evolution of technology, business, and daily life.
Figure 1. Venn diagram with the three components of Political Design: individual values, team dynamics, and industry culture.
In a world where rules shape reality, Political Design influences everything from the apps we use to the way financial systems operate. Whether through power, influence, or access, the decisions we make will have a lasting impact on society’s global progress.
Understanding these dynamics gives insight into why some ideas flourish while others diminish, and how individuals, teams, and industries can directly contribute to the design of our world.
What Is Political Design?
Political Design is the process by which individual influences, team structures, and regulatory frameworks shape the development, implementation, and evolution of technology and user experiences. Unlike traditional design, which prioritizes optimal user experiences based on fundamental design principles, Political Design recognizes that external factors such as personal perspectives, team decisions, and industry norms actively shape the design process. Ultimately, Political Design is how ideas, teams, and rules determine what gets made and how people use it.
Today, many businesses create products, platforms, and policies within a framework of political influences. Sometimes these forces are direct, but more often they are subtle; these forces emerge from the values and priorities of the individuals involved, the groups the teams represent, and the systems of power that govern them.
Why Political Design Matters
Political Design creates functional products and services, but it also impacts who benefits and who gets left out. It defines the stakes of every decision, such as which features to prioritize in a tech product, how to structure financial systems, or which health policies affect specific populations. These decisions impact who gets to innovate and who has the opportunity to participate in the innovations.
For example, consider the development of a social media platform. These social platforms are created for various purposes: selling consumer data, content creation, marketing incentives, news source alternatives, global community access, and, unfortunately, designing addictive digital features for algorithmic leverage.
The decisions made in designing these platforms about how to moderate content, how to prioritize user data, and what features to highlight are shaped by political dynamics. Those with executive privilege dictate how these decisions are made, whereas external influences, such as public opinion or regulatory pressure, play a critical role in defining what the platform becomes. Ultimately, the intention and motive behind these social platforms shape the positive and negative consequences of Political Design.
The same political dynamics apply to the rise of cryptocurrency. The design of decentralized financial systems wasn’t just about creating an innovative payment method; it involved decisions about how the technology would be regulated, who would have access to it, and how the wider financial system would adapt. These decisions are all deeply rooted in political dynamics, including regulatory frameworks, corporate interests, and cultural perceptions of finance.
Political Design in Action
Whether we observe it or not, Political Design is always in action. Every creation, decision, discussion, and perspective has an indirect or direct effect on the design process.
The smartphone evolution is a good example. It is more than a device that connects people; it determines who has the ability to develop and deploy these devices, who has access to the technology, and how industry leaders make decisions regarding hardware, software, and data distribution. Companies like Apple® and Google™ don’t just compete for market share; they are also making decisions that influence societal norms, cultural shifts, and political behavior. Decisions on privacy, access to apps, and data usage are all products of Political Design.
The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is another good example. The design of AI systems involves technical algorithms, yet it also concerns political decisions on who develops the technology, how AI is governed, and what ethical considerations should be implemented. The people in charge of these decisions hold the leverage to shape the future of industries, economies, and society. Decisions on transparency, data usage, authenticity, and sustainability will drive AI’s management moving forward. As these technologies expand, the role of Political Design will become even more impactful and pervasive.
The Role of Design Thinking in Political Design
In traditional design thinking, we create pleasing, user-centered, and innovative solutions. Political Design, however, proceeds further by considering how power structures, cultural dynamics, and regulatory systems shape those solutions. Political Design forces us to ask what is possible and what is ethical. It requires designers to consider the trade-offs of who will benefit from a particular solution versus who will be negatively affected.
Designing a digital platform for education, for example, creates engaging learning experiences. Political Design, however, brings forth considerations for who accesses the educational platform, who gets to decide what content is featured, and who governs the policies guiding the platform’s creation.
Political Design works subtly behind the scenes, influencing technologies, policies, and products that become a part of our lives. We need to be aware of its impact and also understand the broader impact of decisions on society. Recognizing these political dynamics helps us make informed choices, challenge systemic obstacles, and design a world that is more authentic, transparent, and compassionate.
Political Design has little to do with technical knowledge and implementation but more to do with the soft skills of humanity: communication, open-minded approaches to conflicts, collaboration, presence, resilience, and empathy. Designers, strategists, leaders, and problem-solvers hold the power to shape the future, not only for profit, but also for people, the planet, and generational progress. In the end, Political Design is not an abstract concept; it’s a real-world responsibility.
More Reading
Autonomía y Diseño: La Realización de lo Comunal
Designs for the Pluriverse: Radical Interdependence, Autonomy, and the Making of Worlds
The Politics of Design: A (Not So) Global Manual for Visual Communication
Lloyd Hervey, II brings 15+ years of UX strategy, agile leadership, and industry experience to deliver impactful, user-centered solutions. With an MS in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Lloyd consults for clients and drives measurable results through creative insight, collaboration, and social impact across the product lifecycle.
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