Design for Agency

From bots to IoT products, from drones to humanoid robots, from social media sites to search engines, we are now living amongst increasingly sophisticated sense organs who are constantly sensing, collecting, and deciphering every aspect of our lives. As these softwares and systems appear increasingly autonomous, what is often not visible in these machines and interfaces, is the true motivation of their creators, and the true modus operandi of the machines themselves. The capabilities of the networks and systems that underpin our devices and interfaces have to be obfuscated and camouflaged, because only then can we experience their vitality and autonomy—sold as an asset to our everyday lives.