PechaKucha Presentation—A label can be accurate and inadequate at the same time. A fish is a fish, but it’s also a sea-dwelling, scale-covered, egg-laying, underwater-breathing creature. Many of us believe in the power of words to change the way we think about something. But are we always aware of how the labels we use influence our perspective? We’re on a mission to better understand how, when, and why people use labels at work. We come across labels in project briefs, some emerge during fieldwork, and then there are labels we use to define what we do. We use them to communicate and refocus, but they also restrict our thinking. Through participation, observation and conversation, we’ve reflected on how labels can help us and hold us back.
Daniela Cuaron is Empathy’s research and strategy lead. She applies anthropological research with purpose to create meaningful strategies. Dani’s work sees her striving to understand and address people’s unmet needs. dani@empathydesign.com
Nik Jarvie-Waldrom is a writer who finds efficient, powerful ways to help others understand what you really mean. Her experience as radio producer feeds into her creative approach to writing, and equips her to identify, structure and clarify relatable narratives. nik@empathydesign.com