Wicked problems

What product designers are familiar with making is something physical. But there are many experiences which have been designed. Joe Gebbia, co founder of AirBnb, has learned to use design as a tool to combat the fear of sharing your home with strangers.

In the earliest stages that AirBnb started, the main concern was addressing this fear. Over the years Gebbia found that the guests feel a great responsibility in an unfamiliar home. It is this factor that inherently keeps the homeowner feeling "safe" and the guest feeling welcome. As designers we learn to realize that a seeming problem or mistake may present its a solution or opportunity that we did not expect.

Gebbia imagines a world of shared commerce and transactions. We are raised to fear strangers but what would a world be like where cities are filled with communal living arrangements? I myself have always felt uncomfortable sharing my personal space with all of my belongings. But I think that it is the sometimes unspoken issues such as these that need the most creativity addressing. It is here where design may play a hand in aiding to tackle wicked problems.

To listen to Joe Gebbia's complete talk watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16cM-RFid9U