The unique power of an outsider’s perspective in human-centered design
The notion of an outsider’s perspective in human-centered design and design research carries many advantages that can lead to more innovative, inclusive, and impactful outcomes. Drawing on George Lamming’s “The Pleasures of Exile” and Edward Said’s “Representations of the Intellectual,” this essay explores how being an outsider can enhance a designer’s ability to observe, understand, and innovate within their field. These works affected me deeply, informing my development as an artist, designer, and intellectual.
In “The Pleasures of Exile,” George Lamming describes how being an outsider brings unique insights and perspectives. Lamming, a Barbadian novelist and essayist, discusses the notion of exile not solely as a physical dislocation but as a mental and emotional state that can foster a deeper understanding of society. George Lamming moved to England in 1950, seeking the broader literary and intellectual opportunities that were scarce in his native Barbados. He felt like he was in exile from his homeland because the colonial education system and societal structure in Barbados left him and many others culturally dislocated, pushing him to search for a sense of identity and belonging in the wider diasporic community in England. Despite his efforts to integrate, George Lamming realized he would never be fully accepted in London due to racial prejudices, yet he also felt alienated in his native Barbados, where his education and experiences abroad had irrevocably altered his cultural identity, leaving him straddling two worlds without fully belonging to either.
When I first read this book in my early twenties, it resonated strongly with me and helped me cope with my own experiences of alienation. Growing up with undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), I experienced challenges in school and society, including difficulties in social interactions and communication, which led to feelings of isolation and misunderstanding. Behavioral issues, sensory sensitivities, and co-occurring conditions like anxiety and depression further complicated my daily living.
I was born in California but spent my early childhood years in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up with a hippie artist mother, attending an alternative school with no traditional classrooms, and spending the summers on the road living out of our orange Volkswagon van, we lived on the fringes of America society. Experiences with the Tohono O’Odham, Navajo, and Hopi cultures deeply impacted my worldview. At the age of ten, we moved back to California, and the culture shock was powerful: school was rigid and often overwhelming, other kids dressed and talked differently, and listened to entirely different music. My neurodivergence made me especially vulnerable to bullying, and I felt deeply isolated. Returning to Tucson years later, I witnessed the places of my childhood overrun by urban sprawl and gentrification, the desert landscapes and diverse communities displaced and erased. It became clear that my feelings of exile would be permanent. Lamming’s words helped me embrace that feeling and recognize the advantages of the perspective it bestows.
Designers and design researchers can experience an exile from the immediate context of their work. This distance is not detachment; rather, it’s a vantage point from which to observe and analyze patterns, behaviors, and needs that might not be apparent to those on the inside. This allows designers to question assumptions, challenge norms, and see beyond the constraints of their environment, leading to solutions that are not only innovative but also more broadly relevant.
Incorporating Lamming’s perspectives on exile can inform how designers and researchers approach human-centered research with the innocence and empathy of a foreigner, keenly attuned to human behavior and psychology and the effects of institutional power structures. Lamming’s insightful reflection, “The exile is a [person] who never arrives, [their] journey does not end,” captures the perpetual state of learning and observation that is common in the outsider’s stance. This statement highlights the continuous journey of discovery, understanding, openness and curiosity that is crucial for human-centered design. By adopting the stance of an eternal foreigner, designers and researchers are continuously exploring and questioning, never settling for surface-level understanding. With a deep empathy for the user, we are able to design solutions that resonate on a more personal and impactful level.
Edward Said was a Palestinian-American scholar and literary critic best known for his seminal work “Orientalism,” in which he analyzed Western cultural representations of the East and argued that these depictions often reinforce and justify Western dominance over Eastern societies. Said thus pioneered the field of post-colonial studies. In his book “Representations of the Intellectual,” Edward Said explores the role of public intellectuals in society, arguing that they have a duty to challenge and critique established norms and power structures, using their position to advocate for truth and justice from the margins of society.
The thesis of “Representations of the Intellectual” complements Lamming’s ideas by positioning intellectuals as outsiders who question the status quo and advocate for change. Said argues that intellectuals are responsible for dissent and challenge, using their position at the margins to critique and offer alternative perspectives. For design professionals, being an intellectual outsider means leveraging your unique position to challenge prevailing design paradigms and advocate for designs that are inclusive, accessible, and socially responsible. It involves recognizing the power of design to shape societies and cultures and, therefore, the importance of having a critical, questioning approach to design problems.
Edward Said’s observations further complement Lamming’s viewpoints by illustrating the liberating aspects of the outsider perspective: “A condition of marginality, which might seem irresponsible or flippant, frees you from having always to proceed with caution, afraid to overturn the applecart, anxious about upsetting fellow members of the same corporation.” There is a creative freedom to being on the margins. For design researchers, this includes the liberty to challenge conventional wisdom without fear of disrupting norms. Rather than being a hindrance, this marginality is a source of strength designers can use to propose novel solutions that might have too radical or unconventional for those deeply entrenched in the status quo. It encourages a bold approach to problem-solving, where the primary goal is not to conform but to innovate and address real human needs.
One of the primary advantages of having an outsider’s perspective is the ability to innovate. Being removed from conventional ways of thinking and doing allows designers to approach problems with a fresh set of eyes. This new leads to groundbreaking ideas pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Moreover, by not taking the way things are for granted, designers are more likely to question why things are the way they are, leading to a deeper understanding of the problems at hand and more thoughtful, effective design solutions.
Additionally, an outsider’s perspective fosters empathy and inclusivity in design. By viewing ourselves as outsiders, designers can better empathize with those often marginalized or overlooked in the design process. This empathetic approach leads to design outcomes that are more accessible to a diverse range of users, thereby broadening the social impact of design. In this sense, the outsider’s perspective aligns closely with principles of human-centered design, which prioritize the needs, wants, and limitations of end-users in the design process.
The insights from Lamming and Said provide a strong approach for human-centered research and design. By embracing the role of the exile and the intellectual outsider, designers can navigate the complexities of human behavior and psychology with a fresh perspective characterized by conscientious innocence, empathy, and daring to challenge the status quo. This approach enriches the design process and ensures that the outcomes are more human-centric, inclusive, and impactful. For designers, the journey of exile is endless, but this perpetual journey is the key to unlocking profound insights and innovative solutions that truly resonate with the human experience.
