It is undeniable that the world and society are developing at an incredible pace. Whereas the first computer was invented halfway through the 20th century, it took only the past two decades to evolve this computer into the self-learning machine through artificial intelligence. Countless emerging technologies are integrated into our daily lives, processes are standardized and replace manual work, and people become more individualistic as they no longer depend as much on others as before (Khaustova et al., 2024). Meanwhile, there is a cry for emphasizing personal attention, and inclusion of everyone’s needs (Levitas, 2005). These two opposing trends coexisting inspire me to design for this intersection and the direction in which society is moving: how do we navigate ourselves through an individualistic society that asks for inclusivity?

The ever-changing world demands people to learn and adapt to new circumstances. After all, it is in people’s nature to learn and acquire skills and knowledge (Wedemeyer, 1981) to steer through life. A phrase that truly resonates with me, is to never stop learning. However, learning is not always accessible to everyone. The current education system often fails to meet the diverse learning needs of individuals, something I have experienced among my family, friends, and professionally. The traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ education does not cater to individual learning needs, while differentiated learning makes people more engaged and motivated (Ralabate, 2011). I believe that design can play a vital role in offering valuable experiences through design technologies to create equitable learning opportunities. The creative and innovative approach of designers can effectively respond to societal developments, to make learning more accessible.

I think it is especially important to acknowledge that to achieve this, the voice of the people must be heard. A design is never a product or service in itself, independent, but rather a design for someone. User-driven designers offer a unique lens that goes beyond current efforts to improve education, which are often only pedagogical and didactic. When approaching this problem through user-centered design, it offers a perspective on innovation, psychological reasoning, and market positioning, leading to more effective and adaptable solutions. This not only ensures technically advanced products, but they also have a deep understanding of the needs of the user.