Short answer

Shift focus from immediate user satisfaction to designing for the well-being of future generations, incorporating mechanisms that reward long-term thinking and sacrifice.

Field: Sustainability
Source: Sustainability (2020)
Method: Theoretical framework development, laboratory and field experiments, and practical application case studies.
Evidence: Moderate effect

Designing social systems that foster 'futurability'—the capacity to experience happiness from foregoing present benefits for future generations—is crucial for achieving sustainable environments and societies. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Sustainability. Using Theoretical framework development, laboratory and field experiments, and practical application case studies., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Shift focus from immediate user satisfaction to designing for the well-being of future generations, incorporating mechanisms that reward long-term thinking and sacrifice.

Study

SustainabilityHigh ImpactModerate effect

Designing Social Systems for Intergenerational Equity: The Power of 'Futurability'

Sustainability · 2020

Key Findings

01Liberalism, with its derived market and democracy, may not be sufficient to avoid future environmental and societal failures.
02Activating the human trait of 'futurability' can lead to increased happiness by prioritizing future enrichment over current benefits.
03The 'imaginary future generations' method can be a valuable tool for designing and studying sustainable social systems.

Application

Design takeaway

Shift focus from immediate user satisfaction to designing for the well-being of future generations, incorporating mechanisms that reward long-term thinking and sacrifice.

How to apply

When designing products, services, or policies, consider how they might impact future generations and explore ways to integrate incentives for long-term thinking and sustainability.

Project actions

01Consider the long-term consequences of your design choices.
02Explore how your design could foster a sense of responsibility towards future users or environments.

Method & Evidence

AimWhat social system designs are necessary to bequeath sustainable natural environments and societies to future generations?

MethodTheoretical framework development, laboratory and field experiments, and practical application case studies.

ProcedureThe research explores the concept of 'futurability' as a human trait that can be activated through specific social system designs. It examines the limitations of liberalism, market, and democracy in preventing future failures and proposes 'imaginary future generations' as a method for studying and designing for long-term sustainability.

ContextSocietal design, environmental sustainability, intergenerational equity.

Variables

IVSocial system design features aimed at fostering 'futurability'.

DVReported happiness, decision-making towards future benefits, perceived intergenerational equity.

CVSocio-economic background of participants, cultural context, perceived urgency of current needs.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Addresses a critical and often overlooked aspect of design: intergenerational impact.
+Proposes a novel psychological framework ('futurability') for driving sustainable behavior.

Limitations

It can be challenging to accurately predict the needs and values of future generations, making it difficult to design for them effectively.

Reliability & validity

Reliability could be improved through standardized experimental procedures and larger sample sizes. Validity would be enhanced by using multiple measures of 'futurability' and long-term orientation, and by comparing findings across diverse cultural groups.

Think critically

To what extent can individual happiness be genuinely linked to sacrifices for unknown future generations, and how can this be reliably integrated into design?

Design Principles

"Design social systems that incentivize and reward intergenerational stewardship."

This research challenges conventional market and democratic systems, suggesting they may inadvertently lead to future failures. It offers a framework for designing societal structures that actively promote long-term well-being over immediate gratification, a critical consideration for any design project with lasting impact.

What This Means for Your Design

We need to design our societies so that people feel good about making choices now that will help people in the future, rather than just focusing on what's good for us right now.

How to use in your project

1.Use the concept of 'futurability' to justify design decisions that prioritize long-term benefits over short-term gains.
2.Discuss the limitations of current systems in addressing future challenges and how your design offers an alternative.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This design project aims to address the critical need for intergenerational equity by incorporating the principle of 'futurability.' Recognizing that current societal structures may not adequately safeguard future environments and societies, this design seeks to foster a sense of happiness derived from foregoing present benefits to enrich future generations, drawing inspiration from research on designing social systems that activate this human trait.

Source

Sustainability

Future Design: Bequeathing Sustainable Natural Environments and Sustainable Societies to Future Generations

journal · 2020

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about designing social systems for intergenerational equity: the power of 'futurability'?: Shift focus from immediate user satisfaction to designing for the well-being of future generations, incorporating mechanisms that reward long-term thinking and sacrifice. Evidence: Sustainability (2020).
Why does "Designing Social Systems for Intergenerational Equity: The Power of 'Futurability'" matter for design?: This research challenges conventional market and democratic systems, suggesting they may inadvertently lead to future failures. It offers a framework for designing societal structures that actively promote long-term well-being over immediate gratification, a critical consideration for any design project with lasting impact.
How can designers apply this research?: Shift focus from immediate user satisfaction to designing for the well-being of future generations, incorporating mechanisms that reward long-term thinking and sacrifice.
What were the main findings?: Liberalism, with its derived market and democracy, may not be sufficient to avoid future environmental and societal failures.. Activating the human trait of 'futurability' can lead to increased happiness by prioritizing future enrichment over current benefits.. The 'imaginary future generations' method can be a valuable tool for designing and studying sustainable social systems.
What research method was used?: Theoretical framework development, laboratory and field experiments, and practical application case studies..
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Sustainability.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing products, services, or policies, consider how they might impact future generations and explore ways to integrate incentives for long-term thinking and sustainability.
What are the limitations?: The effectiveness of 'futurability' and the 'imaginary future generations' method may vary across different cultural and socio-economic contexts. The inherent difficulty in accurately predicting future needs and values poses a challenge.