#article #2021/ this text was written for [merge magazine](https://online.fliphtml5.com/comhc/felq/#p=50) and presents a reflection on the place of design in today's society. ![[design como solução.png]] i do not doubt that every creation has its impact. whether that creation is the text i write, the computer that supports my writing or the chair that seats me during this creative endeavour. all three of these creations have an impact: the text i write can be the reason for starting an argument; the computer, as well as making sure millionaires rich and increasing social disparities, is also the reason for the constant increase in landfill sites, given how easily it becomes obsolete after two years; the chair, not discounting the associated environmental and economic impacts, i confess is not at all comfortable and will probably lead me to see an orthopaedic surgeon or a physiotherapist regularly. it seems easy to criticise everything and everyone; some of the criticisms i present are factual, and others are more personal. for many, criticism, specifically criticism of design, is nothing more than a niche and somewhat unnecessary, but in reality, it is not. i have an opinion; you have an opinion. we all have opinions about the objects, spaces and structures around us. moreover, it is more essential than ever to challenge those opinions and to invite as many people as possible to get involved in discussions. it is necessary to take the conversation outside closed circles and explore issues that resonate with a broad societal audience, opening the door to pressing topics and perspectives that are only sometimes heard. i do not see criticism as something derogatory but as an opportunity to question design and, thus, finally, deconstruct the image of it as nothing more than an aesthetic object. i see it as something much more complex, and i am sure i am not the only one. design is not just about how a product looks; it is also about the needs that the product fulfils, how it works, how it is used or how the interaction between the user and the entire designed solution is. as a designer, i have the difficult task of fitting into an activity that i find very broad and fascinating. moreover, i need help to define what it is to be a designer in a few words. so, what do you see as the role of design? what is its place? - they ask. essentially, although i consider it an incomplete definition, i see design as a creative tool of transformation that tries to think and act in different contexts and circumstances, knowing that when we create something, we have the magnificent power to transform not only the path of the people who interact with or see the design object but also to transform the practices and mentalities of a given place. yes, design is a promotional medium that combines sensitisation with transformation. it is best to convey this message with a practical example. it is increasingly urgent to unearth ignored and neglected stories, which we believe have been deliberately marginalised and excluded from the social environment. by bringing these issues into the design debate, we will give power and voice to an unequal mass that feels ignored and unknown. we will start to question how certain things are built, demand changes, realise the urgency of redesigning an entire system capable of accommodating and accepting all types of people, and make more people aware of this cause. i now realise more regularly that, when designing, it is increasingly important to challenge myself to broaden my thinking by actively relating to people who have different perspectives, ways of being and abilities; in other words, to get out of my comfortable place and try to get to know the other person's place. this will allow me to understand how best to create solutions that satisfy diverse human needs and motivations, thus making them more plural and inclusive. i realise we are all different, and there is no denying that. we are different for many reasons, from the culture that has influenced us to the melanin that pigments us or the age we cannot escape. the communion and cooperation of these differences, and respect for them, is one of humanity's most outstanding achievements. projects must reflect this diversity. whenever i create something, i aim to bring a small quantity of this narrative to everyone. i am still at the beginning of a learning process, but i am confident that i have this responsibility as a designer and human being, and i have no doubt that if i fulfil this goal, i will become an agent of change. i will provide a more comprehensive, fairer and equal place for someone else.