Understanding the idea of Commons
Researching, Understanding and Implementing the idea of Commons
Duration: 4 Weeks
Project Type: Research, Visual Design
Tools: Indesign, Canva
Team: Group Project with 5 people (Deepthi, Megha, Spoorthi, Shinjini, Aparajitha)
Keywords: User Experience Design, Digital Wellbeing, Mental Health, Inclusive Design
Project Overview: Given the topic of commons, we (as a team) chose to delve into the topic and implement it within our college campus. We summarised our understandings, research and findings in a format of a magazine.
There is no commons without commoning
as Peter Linebaugh says.
What was my initial understanding of commons?
Actually, I had no initial idea of what "commons" meant.
However, from basic research on Google I've come to understand it as encompassing the things we inherit, create jointly, use, and enjoy collectively. The concept of the commons challenges traditional notions of ownership by responding to exclusivity, proprietary claims, monopolies, individualism, capitalism, commodification, and urbanism. The commons include not only gifts of nature like air and water but also shared social creations such as libraries, public spaces, scientific research, and creative works. These resources are integral to fostering a sense of community and collective responsibility, offering alternatives to the privatization and commodification that often characterize modern society.
We went on a few field visits to understand the idea of commons...
My visit to the Ulsoor Gurdwara was a profound experience, especially while exploring and participating in the community kitchen, known as the langar. As I joined in the service, preparing and distributing meals to all who came, I witnessed firsthand the spirit of selfless service and equality that defines this sacred space. The open, welcoming atmosphere, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity regardless of their background, deepened my understanding of the concept of commons.
Here, my idea of commons resonated with the idea of community that fosters a sense of belonging and mutual support among all participants.
We looked through our campus with a fresh perspective trying to identify commons
During the second activity, we walked around our college campus and hoping to interact with the support staff. We observed the support staffs, sketched them from a distance and started interacting with them as well. Only while interacting with them did I realise how they were literally the 'invisible pillars' of my campus. This metaphor, 'invisible pillars' sparked an interest in me and I decided to pursue it further. During this period, I identified my group mates who shared the same interest with me and we decided on understanding the idea of commons on a very grass root level, starting from our very own campus.
Questioning the idea of commons ⁉️
Can the idea of commons exist in a divided world like ours?
The biggest confusion we had once we understood the definition of commons was if it could actually exist in the real world?
When we frantically searched for the definition of commons online (Google, AI chatbots, websites, artices etc.) this is what we found..."A "common" typically refers to a shared resource, space, or idea that is accessible to and utilised equally by a community or group of people. It is characterised by collective ownership, where individuals have equal or communal rights to the resource."
While the definition finally helped us comprehend the concept of commons, we were suddenly confused on how it could work in real life? Are there commons in real life? Or, is this just another utopian concept?
So, I searched for different case studies to understand the implementation of commons in real life...
By reading the real life study of women of Nichlagarh & Forest, I learnt some key points regarding the idea of commons:
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Collective Ownership: It involves collective or communal rights among individuals.
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Tangible Assets: Commons can include physical resources like land or water.
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Cooperative Management: The concept emphasizes a cooperative and inclusive approach to resource management.
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Equitable Distribution: Commons often involve a focus on fair and equitable distribution of resources within a community.
This case study gave me better insights of how commons and commoning could work in the real world.
Asking the right questions 👀
How do we implement the idea of commons in a campus level?
Though we had already talked to the support staff around our campus, this time, we dug deeper into their interests and also interacted with other stakeholders in our campus like the facilitators and students
We talked to the students, facilitators and support staff of our college campus to understand their roles, the activities they engage in around campus, the days/timings they are present etc. By simply mapping out the different stakeholders and understanding their roles & responsibilities, we were able to identify a few existing commons that can be established. Earlier, we had tried to make the campus itself a common for all the stakeholders. However, we were quick to realise that each of the stakeholders roles are different and that has to be accounted for in the design and implementation. This understanding helped in identifying realistic goals and expectations, a key moment in our project. Post this realisation, we mapped out the different possible commons and interviewed relevant stakeholders along these lines. Below is a post-it mindmap we had created post this interview session:
The Outcome 🎬
What was the final intervention we came up with?
We tested the idea of a learning common...
Based on our research on learning commons, we tested the concept by having a support staff member teach us how to create a rangoli. She explained the point system, provided coloring tips, and we reciprocated by teaching her some English words and helping her write her name in English. The small scale of the project made scheduling easy, and we faced no technical or logistical difficulties.
Ideally, our intervention was to establish a learning common where anyone part of our college campus can come together to learn and teach each other. While the campus might not be a common, the practices that are important to the campus could be.
As we worked on this project, our understanding of commons deepened and evolved, leading us to redefine the concept according to our comprehension.
“A shared resource or idea, accessible to all, nurtured by a collaborative attitude and governed by those who utilize it, prioritizing equity through tailored access, promoting fairness, inclusivity, and peaceful coexistence while fostering a sense of belonging for all.”
Learnings & Reflection 🧠
What comes out of this journey?
Understanding the idea of commons
This project introduced us to the concept of commons, which was unfamiliar to us at the start. It was challenging to initially grasp and implement the idea. However, the experience opened our eyes to re-examine existing practices on our campus and beyond, encouraging us to question and explore new perspectives.
I learnt a few visual design skills
As a team, we chose to present our research in a magazine-like book format, which required translating our findings into graphical elements and design. This project helped me gain confidence in Adobe InDesign and allowed me to experiment with publication design while creating and formatting our research into a magazine.
What would I do if I had more time?
Since we spent considerable time understanding the concept, there was a time crunch for ideating, experimenting with, and testing interventions. Thus, I would focus more on this aspect of the project.
This site was designed with love, patience, loads of ice cream & the need to find the right opportunities.