Design for wellbeing during Covid-19: A cybernetic perspective on data feedback loops in complex socIotechnical systems

van der Maden, W.L.A.; Lomas, J.D.; Hekkert, P.P.M.

doi:10.21606/drs.2022.771

Design for wellbeing during Covid-19

Title

Design for wellbeing during Covid-19: A cybernetic perspective on data feedback loops in complex socIotechnical systems

Author

van der Maden, W.L.A. (TU Delft Design Aesthetics)
Lomas, J.D. (TU Delft Design Aesthetics)
Hekkert, P.P.M. (TU Delft Design Aesthetics)

Date

2022

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has put wellbeing on the global agenda like never
before. Many businesses, organizations, and even governments have recognized
wellbeing as a formal policy goal. This paper addresses the question of how to design
complex systems to improve the wellbeing of their stakeholders. We present a case of
helping a university adopt a systematic approach to wellbeing assessment and
improvement during the COVID-19 crisis. To support the improvement of student and
staff wellbeing, we adopted a cybernetic perspective. Practically, this involved focusing
on the design of a feedback loop that used wellbeing assessments to inform
organizational actions. We argue that “off-the-shelf” assessments of wellbeing are
often insufficient for supporting a systemic response to data because they lack
context-sensitivity and actionability. While a “cybernetic perspective” may evoke a
sense of the inhuman or mechanical in the optimization of wellbeing, our case study
suggests otherwise. At least from our perspective, a society that aims to improve
wellbeing may look more like a deliberative or dialogical democracy than an
automated AI system.