Quick Guide to Forming a Design Team Based on the Writings of Daniel Raphael and the Seven Core Values

This guide is designed to help in forming an effective design team, rooted in the principles of social sustainability according to the writings of Daniel Raphael, and aligned with the seven core values. These values are essential for creating a team that not only aims for high-performance results but also promotes well-being, equality, and collaboration throughout the creative process.

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1. Core Value: Life

Principle: Life is the central and supreme value. All design must be based on respect for life, promoting an environment that fosters life in all its forms.

Application in the team:

• Select people committed to respecting life in all its forms, including respect for the time, energy, and contributions of others.
• Create an environment that fosters psychological safety, where each team member feels that their well-being is a priority.
• Design projects should consider their impact on sustainability, ensuring they do not compromise life at environmental, social, or economic levels.

2. Core Value: Quality of Life

Principle: Design should improve the quality of life, not only for end users but also for those involved in the creation process.

Application in the team:

• Encourage a healthy work-life balance within the team, preventing burnout and promoting personal satisfaction.
• The work environment should be stimulating and positive, offering adequate resources so that each member can perform to their fullest without sacrificing their well-being.
• Designs should focus on enhancing user experience, considering functionality and accessibility to benefit the largest number of people possible.

3. Core Value: Growth

Principle: The design team should be oriented toward continuous growth, both on a personal and professional level.

Application in the team:

• Promote continuous learning through constructive feedback, training, and skill development.
• Encourage members to step out of their comfort zones by exploring new techniques, tools, and design approaches.
• Growth is not only in terms of skills but also emotional and spiritual understanding, fostering self-reflection and the holistic development of each member.

4. Core Value: Equality

Principle: Equality ensures that all team members have the same opportunities to participate, contribute, and be recognized for their efforts.

Application in the team:

• Create an inclusive environment where the opinions and perspectives of all members are equally valued.
• Ensure that opportunities for advancement, participation in key decisions, and access to resources are available to everyone without bias.
• Maintain transparency regarding the distribution of roles and responsibilities, ensuring fairness within the team.

5. Core Value: Compassion

Principle: Compassion allows the design team to operate with a humanitarian vision, seeking to alleviate suffering and promote the well-being of others.

Application in the team:

• Foster compassionate leadership that listens to and supports team members when they face personal or professional difficulties.
• In design, adopt a user-centered approach that takes into account fundamental human needs, with special attention to vulnerable groups.
• Design with a focus on how to alleviate potential problems or difficulties that users may face, creating solutions that promote dignity and respect for all.

6. Core Value: Empathy

Principle: Empathy in design allows for a deep understanding of the needs and emotions of users, creating products that resonate with their experiences.

Application in the team:

• Conduct regular brainstorming sessions where designers share personal experiences and perspectives to enrich the understanding of user needs.
• Encourage empathy among team members, helping them understand each other’s emotions, challenges, and motivations.
• Perform user-centered research, involving direct observation and interviews to capture underlying emotions and how designs can positively influence users’ lives.

7. Core Value: Generalized Love

Principle: Universal love for humanity should be present in every aspect of teamwork, fostering an environment of harmony, respect, and altruism.

Application in the team:

• Encourage a culture of mutual support, where each team member works not only for personal success but for the collective well-being.
• Design with a broad vision that considers not only the present but how products and solutions can contribute to the future well-being of humanity.
• Promote collaboration over internal competition, ensuring that love for humanity and service to others are the driving forces behind design.

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Conclusion

Forming a successful design team goes beyond merely gathering technical skills. According to the principles of Daniel Raphael and the seven core values, it requires a holistic approach that values life, promotes equality, encourages growth, and is grounded in love, compassion, and empathy. By building a team based on these principles, not only are better products designed, but the foundation is also laid for richer and more meaningful collaboration, which has a positive impact on humanity.

This quick guide provides concise direction for those seeking to form teams that are not only productive but also conscious, humane, and socially responsible.