The most impactful design is not designed by designers

As designers, we often think our work can have a great impact on the world. We like to believe that our designs make the world a better place. And they do of course. Well designed products and interfaces can change people’s lives for the better.

But there is something else that can be designed that has the greatest power to change society. These things are not designed by designers. But they can be designed nonetheless. I’m talking about laws.

Laws can be designed to increase traffic safety.
Laws can be designed to improve people’s health.
Laws can be designed to accelerate the use of sustainable energy.

And laws can be designed to prevent mass shootings, like the one in Uvalde, Texas.

I don’t really read the news anymore, so I didn’t hear about it right away. But when 19 children and 2 adults get killed at an elementary school, that news reaches you sooner or later.

It made me incredibly sad, and angry. Sad because innocent children and teachers lost their lives in the most horrible way. But mostly it makes me angry, because these shootings can be prevented with better gun laws.

No amount of better designed schools, buildings, equipment or any other physical thing can compete with the power that a well-designed law can have on gun safety. America already knows what these laws should look like. The design is not that hard. But like with any design, it’s useless without implementation.

I hope for America’s sake, they postpone these laws no longer.