
From Human-Centred Design to Life-Centred Design with Dr. Martin Tomitsch
10/13/22 • 66 min
#021 - Too much human-centricity is killing the planet and we’re part of the problem. In this episode, I chat with Dr. Martin Tomitsch on life-centred design, a new way of building products and services that considers the needs of non-human stakeholders and the planet.
Martin is a Professor in Interaction Design at the University of Sydney’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning. He teaches interface design, design thinking, creativity and innovation. He also is the lead author of “Design Think Make Break Repeat”, a handbook of design methods. In this episode, we shift the focus away from human-centred design and into life-centred design. Martin shares real life examples of how human-centricity is not always good for humans or for the planet and how designers can give start to make their work more life-centric. Martin will also be giving away 2 copies of his popular book “Design Think Make Break Repeat”.
In this episode:
- What is life-centred design and how it is different to human-centred design
- Negative impact of human-centred design
- Adding Responsibility to Desirability, Feasibility and Viability
- Creating non-human personas
- and much more!
Shownotes
Follow Martin on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/martintomitsch/
https://instagram.com/martintomitsch
Linktree
https://linktr.ee/martintomitsch
“Design, Think, Make, Break, Repeat” Book
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/
Ripple Impact canvas
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/methods/impact-ripple-canvas/
Systems mapping
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/methods/systems-mapping/
Middle Out Design Framework
https://doi.org/10.55612/s-5002-050-006 (Free open access paper)
Template for non-human personas
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/methods/non-human-personas/
Life-centred design
https://sbi.sydney.edu.au/for-the-sake-of-the-planet-we-need-to-rethink-human-centred-design/
Center for Humane Technology
“Ruined By Design” book
Cathedral thinking
https://cathedralthinking.com/
“The Good Ancestor” book by Roman Krznaric
https://www.romankrznaric.com/good-ancestor
The Design Squiggle
Follow Design Feeling on social!
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/designfeelingco
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/designfeelingco/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/designfeelingco
#021 - Too much human-centricity is killing the planet and we’re part of the problem. In this episode, I chat with Dr. Martin Tomitsch on life-centred design, a new way of building products and services that considers the needs of non-human stakeholders and the planet.
Martin is a Professor in Interaction Design at the University of Sydney’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning. He teaches interface design, design thinking, creativity and innovation. He also is the lead author of “Design Think Make Break Repeat”, a handbook of design methods. In this episode, we shift the focus away from human-centred design and into life-centred design. Martin shares real life examples of how human-centricity is not always good for humans or for the planet and how designers can give start to make their work more life-centric. Martin will also be giving away 2 copies of his popular book “Design Think Make Break Repeat”.
In this episode:
- What is life-centred design and how it is different to human-centred design
- Negative impact of human-centred design
- Adding Responsibility to Desirability, Feasibility and Viability
- Creating non-human personas
- and much more!
Shownotes
Follow Martin on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/martintomitsch/
https://instagram.com/martintomitsch
Linktree
https://linktr.ee/martintomitsch
“Design, Think, Make, Break, Repeat” Book
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/
Ripple Impact canvas
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/methods/impact-ripple-canvas/
Systems mapping
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/methods/systems-mapping/
Middle Out Design Framework
https://doi.org/10.55612/s-5002-050-006 (Free open access paper)
Template for non-human personas
http://designthinkmakebreakrepeat.com/methods/non-human-personas/
Life-centred design
https://sbi.sydney.edu.au/for-the-sake-of-the-planet-we-need-to-rethink-human-centred-design/
Center for Humane Technology
“Ruined By Design” book
Cathedral thinking
https://cathedralthinking.com/
“The Good Ancestor” book by Roman Krznaric
https://www.romankrznaric.com/good-ancestor
The Design Squiggle
Follow Design Feeling on social!
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/designfeelingco
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/designfeelingco/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/designfeelingco
Previous Episode

Designing is Not Your Superpower - Joe Leech
#020 - Advisor and coach to CEOs and recovering neuroscientist and UXer, Joe Leech, gives a pep talk for designers who’re feeling bored or trapped and encourages them to question what they’re doing and why.
Most designers pride themselves on their craft. After all, that’s what clients are paying for, right? But is that what they need? In this episode, Joe Leech challenges the notion that delivering designs is a designer’s superpower and how you can find your real superpower instead. We also talk about work-life balance and doing less for more.
Most designers pride themselves on their craft. After all, that’s what clients are paying for, right? But is that what they need? In this episode, Joe Leech challenges the notion that delivering designs is a designer’s superpower and how you can find your real superpower instead. Joe is an advisor and coach to CEOs and recovering neuroscientist and UXer. We also talk about work-life balance and what to do if you’re bored as a designer.
In this episode:
- Why inexperienced designers look for answers
- The role of craft
- What can you do if you're bored as a designer
- What if you realise design is not for you
- Quiet quitting
- A designer's superpower
- A better way to do things
- Determining your value as an employed designer
- Things that scares CEOs the most
Shownotes
Find Joe Leech at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeleech/
@mrjoe on Twitter
Professional Principles to work and live by
https://mrjoe.uk/principles-work/
The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
https://medium.com/@elleluna/the-crossroads-of-should-and-must-90c75eb7c5b0
https://www.goodreads.com/uk/book/show/22859551-the-crossroads-of-should-and-must
Are you an ‘insecure overachiever’?
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180924-are-you-an-insecure-overachiever
Show credits
Illustrations by Kim Habib
Music by Brad Porter
Episode edited by Niall Mackay
https://sevenmillionbikes.com/
Follow Design Feeling on social!
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/designfeelingco
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/designfeelingco/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/designfeelingco
Next Episode

Getting cozy, juicy and real with your colleagues - Sophia and Jed Lazar
#022 - Would you like to get cozy, juicy and real with your colleagues, friends and family? Most of the time, we stay on the surface while interacting with people . We do a lot of small talk on topics like the weather, TV shows or just work. But those conversations don’t allow us to connect with people at a deeper level and get to know the real person behind the social mask.
In this episode, I spoke with with Sophia Lazar and Jed Lazar. Sophia and Jed are board game designers and group facilitators who are on a mission to help people have deeper and more meaningful interactions. I had wonderful chat with Sophia and Jed as they shared their story of co-creating the game with their users and their biggest learnings and tips on building meaningful connections with people through deliberate and carefully designed prompts. If you’re someone who wants to build deeper connections with your team, friends or family, then this episode is for you.
In this episode:
- Creating and co-creating a board game with users
- Biggest challenges for teams in building connections online
- Difference between connecting deeply and oversharing
- Creating a space for trust
- True empathy vs manufactured empathy
- and much more!
Shownotes
Cozy Juicy Real website
Online Team building
https://go.cozyjuicyreal.com/dsf-teams
Physical Board Game for Friends
https://go.cozyjuicyreal.com/dsf-notifyme
Upcoming Cozy Juicy Real events
https://go.cozyjuicyreal.com/ig-links
Dilts Pyramid - The Neurological Levels
https://www.landsiedel.com/en/nlp-library/neurological-levels.html
Rose, Thorn and Bud
https://easyretro.io/templates/rose-bud-thorn/
Appreciative Inquiry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appreciative_inquiry
The Gottman Institute
ManKind Project
Show credits
Illustrations by Kim Habib
Music by Brad Porter
Episode edited by Niall Mackay
https://sevenmillionbikes.com/
Follow Design Feeling on social!
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/designfeelingco
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/designfeelingco/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/designfeelingco
Design Feeling - From Human-Centred Design to Life-Centred Design with Dr. Martin Tomitsch
Transcript
[00:00:00] Martin Tomitsch: We as designers are really responsible for the wellbeing of future generations. And the reason we are suggesting this is that it encourages long term thinking. So rather than just thinking about the next quarter, or how can I quickly make, a lot of money with this quick idea or app or product, thinking about, okay, what does this mean for future generations?
[00:00:23] Nirish Shakya: That's Dr. Martin Tomitsch. Martin is a pro
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/design-feeling-504638/from-human-centred-design-to-life-centred-design-with-dr-martin-tomits-66406804"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to from human-centred design to life-centred design with dr. martin tomitsch on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy