Let's explore the SMEH of boundaries... What's that? It's a pretty average acronym with an important message. It stands for: Setting Maintaining Enforcing Honouring Let's dig in... SETTING BOUNDARIESIdentifying and setting boundaries is crucial for our wellbeing and safety, both personally and professionally. Feelings of being taken advantage of or ignored often signal crossed boundaries we didn’t know existed. A reflective process helps uncover and define these boundaries, re-establishing...

Imagine a sandy beach... where drawing a line marks your space. This line is your boundary, clear and essential. In design, boundaries are like that line in the sand—they define what’s acceptable and what’s not. They ensure you can make choices that reflect your values and ethics. Boundaries aren’t just about saying “no”; they are about creating safe, respectful, and productive spaces for everyone involved. Think of Johnny Castle’s famous line from Dirty Dancing: “This is my dance space, this...

“Knowledge is power.” Francis Bacon coined this sizzling term in the 16th century, sparking the rise of the scientific method. Nowadays, we might say, “information is power.” In design, this is especially true when discussing project rules and norms. These rules shape our collaboration, defining participation and knowledge sharing. Rules can be straightforward, like how long a co-design session lasts, or subtle, like expected behaviour during critiques. They also cover language, jargon, and...