Ikea lauded as ‘democratic design‘ is a commonly cited argument, but one which has not rested so well with me recently. It must be noted that those arguing for Ikea as democratic design do make convincing arguments. Ikea’s pricing model is democratic in that it clearly enables ‘the masses’ to own designed goods. Ikea enables users to ‘participate’ in the construction of the final product in it’s supply of flatpack, while Hacker and Maker communities demonstrate ‘participation’ (a fundamental element within democracy) in ‘design’ in widely blogged ikea hacks.

So while it is reasonable to suggest that ikea enables democratic consumption of design, and that by virtue of it’s pricing model reduces the barriers to hacking and customisation. I suggest that this is not strictly democratic design. Participation in the construction of flatpack furniture is not democratic design, nor is hacking a product designed as complete.

Obviously this is a difficult and perhaps contentious argument to posit, rendered difficult to defend as there is no universally accepted definition of democratic design. So why do I make this argument?

To work from the following definition, ‘Democratic implies ‘characterized by, advocating or based upon the principles of democracy or social equality’ thus, as demonstrated, arguments of democratic design as applied to ikea are flawed. Of course, truly democratic design is not  necessarily achievable or desirable, however beyond Ikea, there are better examples of democratic design.

These include but are not limited to; crowdsourcing, as found with organisations such as Innocentive, Hypios and Local motors. Social product design models as found with Quirky. Democratic design spaces such as FabLabs. Platform or toolkit provision such as Arduino or  Shapeways creator. Generative design systems such as those provided by Nervous System.

Provision of blueprints, such as those provided in the stores of Shapeways and Ponoko. Modules in which the final product is built by the end user. Incompletes where the user must participate in the design of the product to finish it, such as Droog’s ‘Do Create’.

Time to define ‘democratic’ design?