FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What’s this book about?
This book is about how our responsibility to society outweighs everything else we do. It’s about how we need to work ethically, responsibly, and with care. It contains examples of how the current environment in is designed so that a few select people can succeed in the short-term, while screwing many people in the long terms. It’s not pretty.
Who should read this book?
Primarily, people who design products and services. By which I mean anybody who makes any sort of decision that affects the outcome of that product or service. From the person who allocates headcount, to the person who sets deadline, to the person who says you have no time to do research, to the person who’s valiantly trying to do the right thing and feels like they’re all alone. You should all read this book.
Will Jack Dorsey READ THIS BOOK?
He should, but he probably won’t. He wouldn’t like it. Even though he’s mentioned a lot. Like, a lot!
Does it offer solutions?
It offers some solutions. But more often than not it offers the path to solutions, since solutions should be coming from diverse groups of people, not just me.
Is it political?
Design is always political. From the things we choose to design, to the people we choose to design them, the the people we exclude from the process. It’s all political. Pretending it’s not is a lie, and I don’t lie to you in this book.
Why did you self-publish?
Because publishing might be even more messed up than tech, but that’s a story for another time. Look, I realize Amazon has its own issues, I’m not pretending they aren’t there. But it was either get this book in your hands this way now, or Fall of 2020. Or later. The people who need our help can’t wait that long. And, yes, you can get it from your local bookstore. You just have to order it through Indiebound.
Is there any hope left?
Look, the most surprising piece of feedback I got on the book was that it was “strangely hopeful.” I know, it surprised me too. So yeah, maybe I think there’s a sliver of hope left. We’re gonna have to reach for it soon.
This is more of a comment than a question…
Ok, we’re done here.
“I could honestly tweet the entirety of Mike Monteiro’s book. It’s Papanek’s Design for the Real World updated for the 21st Century and with much more swearing.”