Design has an inclusion problem. Dr. Onafuwa will share a perspective on how a pluriversal posture can help us address these challenges and build better collective futures. Dr. Onafuwa will draw from the ontological definition of pluriverse (adopted by Arturo Escobar from the Zapatistas) as a world where many worlds fit. Anchoring on this definition, this talk will present a perspective that rejects the dominant binary problem-solving approaches in design practice and instead embraces more collective forms of problem-solving. The talk will conclude with a set of guiding principles for pluriversal design. These principles are intended to expand our understanding of difference and inclusion. Dr Onafuwa is currently testing them in the UX space to see if they can influence the experiences we deliver to our stakeholders.

This edition of the Design Lecture Series will be hosted on Zoom.  Please RSVP below in order to recieve the Zoom information prior to the lecture:

Dr. Dimeji Onafuwa is a designer and researcher with several years of combined experience in UX design and research, transition design, service design, and social design. He has worked in various capacities – from a design leader to UX consultant and researcher. After working as a senior design researcher at Microsoft (exploring the future of work), Dimeji recently joined Google as a senior researcher in the Cloud Commerce space. He also teaches Design at Emily Carr University in Vancouver, BC.

Dimeji earned a Ph.D. in Design from Carnegie Mellon University. While at CMU, his research study sought to understand commons-based approaches to user experience on platforms. During his doctoral study, he worked with various collectives to understand how platforms enable resource negotiation. Before his Ph.D., Dimeji earned an MBA in management from UNC Charlotte and BAs in design and studio art from Concord University.

Dimeji co-founded Common Cause Collective, an interdisciplinary group of designers exploring transition design methodologies for social impact in the Pacific Northwest. He has published papers, wrote a book chapter on design for the greater good, given talks, and conducted workshops on design’s role in social justice.