Mindful Technology

February 8, 2017 9:55 AM - 10:35 AM

We’ve all been witness to both the delight and the disappointment that can happen when we let technology into the most personal parts of our lives. It can sometimes even seem that we serve the machines more than they serve us. (Are you listening, Alexa?!) There’s no doubt that ever-present technology has improved our lives, given us superpowers, and made us more efficient. But at what cost?

With our addictive apps, sticky widgets, and blindly engaging interactions, we’ve created an era of distraction. Novelty and disruption trump human connection—and these days, even factual truth.

We can do better. As the bits and bytes settle into the most intimate spaces of our lives, our homes, and even our bodies, designers have new responsibilities and obligations. Author and strategist Liza Kindred’s 20-year career in fashion and technology has explored both the challenges and benefits of (literally) weaving tech into our lives. She’ll offer a host of practical examples that illustrate an eye-opening framework of design principles to guide us in how we make and use new technology. Learn how to create real insight, joy, and utility while still getting the job done.

Instead of designing for page views, it’s time to design for purpose, for calm, and for compassion. Instead of designing for engagement with interfaces, let’s design for actual engagement with the people and places we love. Instead of simply building better tech, in other words, let’s build for better human connection.

Location
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 W. 18th Street, New York, NY 10011

Speaker(s)