“Use what you have to secure what you have not”: On Design for and from Autonomy

This paper proposes a modality for engaging communities through design that is for, and from, autonomy. I will start by situating my experience using design in the social sector and introducing the concept of Autonomous Design, as proposed by Arturo Escobar. I will then unpack the three beliefs that Escobar says are historically embedded in the mainstream practices of design, to critic them and propose alternatives. I will then move to interrogate, by reflecting on an example from my own practice, how design could change, ontologically, when we move from a needs-based approach to one that focuses on strengths in groups and communities. I will then conclude by proposing a way to frame the design work with groups and communities, inspired by the work of Escobar.