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Show Notes
Design for Belonging (Susie Wise)
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1984858033?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Design-for-Belonging-Susie-Wise.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/belonging-and-healing-creating-awesomeness-for/id1691393007?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Design+for+Belonging+Susie+Wise+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/1984858033/
#belonging #inclusiveleadership #communitydesign #collaboration #designthinking #psychologicalsafety #culturebuilding #DesignforBelonging
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Belonging as a Designed Experience, Not a Lucky Outcome, A core idea in the book is that belonging does not just happen because people are friendly or because a mission statement says everyone is welcome. Belonging is shaped by what a community repeatedly does and what it implicitly rewards. Wise positions belonging as an experience that can be designed, meaning it can be observed, mapped, improved, and maintained. This includes noticing the moments where people decide if they fit in: first meetings, introductions, how names and identities are handled, who speaks first, and how disagreement is managed. The design mindset helps communities move from abstract values to specific behaviors and structures. Instead of asking do we have inclusion, the book pushes toward questions like where do people drop off, what friction do newcomers face, and what signals communicate insider versus outsider. A design approach also invites experimentation. Communities can prototype a new onboarding ritual, adjust meeting formats, or change how decisions are communicated, then learn from feedback. This framing is empowering because it treats belonging as something within reach, while also demanding accountability: if certain people consistently feel marginal, that is a design problem to address rather than a personal failure or an unavoidable reality.
Secondly, Understanding Barriers and Power Dynamics in Communities, The book highlights that inclusion is not only about warmth and invitation, but also about examining barriers that are often invisible to those who already feel at home. These barriers can be logistical, such as time, cost, childcare, transportation, or digital access. They can also be social and cultural, such as jargon, unspoken norms, humor that excludes, or expectations about how to speak and participate. Wise encourages readers to look for patterns: whose voices are missing, who does extra emotional labor, and who has to adapt to fit the dominant culture. This naturally connects to power, because decisions about what counts as normal are usually made by people who already hold influence. A design lens can help communities map roles, gatekeeping points, and the flow of information, making it easier to see where power concentrates. Importantly, the goal is not to blame individuals but to redesign systems so participation is more equitable. That might mean clarifying how to get involved, rotating facilitation, creating multiple ways to contribute, or making decision processes transparent. By treating barriers as design constraints, communities can respond with creativity and fairness, while building trust through visible changes.
Thirdly, Rituals, Norms, and Signals that Create Psychological Safety, Wise focuses on the everyday mechanics of community life: the rituals, norms, and signals that tell people whether it is safe to take interpersonal risks. Psychological safety is crucial for collaboration because people will not share ideas, admit mistakes, or challenge assumptions if they expect embarrassment or punishment. The book points to practical design elements that shape safety, such as how meetings begin and end, how feedback is requested, and how conflict is handled. Even small signals matter: who is welcomed by name, how introductions are structured, whether pronouns are respected, and whether newcomers are guided or left to guess expectations. Rituals can be designed to reduce anxiety and increase connection, for example through consistent onboarding, check ins that invite authentic participation, and reflection moments that normalize learning. Norms around turn taking, listening, and credit sharing also affect whether collaboration feels equitable. Wise treats these as adjustable components rather than fixed traits of a group. Communities can test new rituals, observe how people respond, and refine. Over time, well designed rituals and norms reduce the social cost of participation, making it easier for diverse members to contribute fully and for the group to benefit from a wider range of perspectives.
Fourthly, Designing Spaces and Experiences for Inclusion, Online and Offline, Another important topic is the way physical and digital environments shape belonging. Space is never neutral. Layout, accessibility, signage, lighting, seating, and even where people stand during informal moments can influence who feels comfortable. Wise invites readers to treat spaces as tools for collaboration, asking what behaviors a space encourages and what it discourages. For example, a room arranged for lecture style communication can limit discussion, while flexible seating can support small group exchange. Accessibility considerations are part of inclusion, including mobility, sensory needs, and clear wayfinding. Digital spaces carry similar dynamics. Who has access to channels, how information is organized, whether meetings accommodate different time zones, and whether cameras are required all affect participation. Wise encourages thoughtful choices about tools, facilitation, and documentation so that participation is not restricted to the loudest voices or the people who can attend live. By intentionally designing the experience across touchpoints, communities can make it easier for members to engage consistently, understand what is happening, and feel that their presence matters.
Lastly, Prototyping Inclusion: Small Experiments that Scale Culture Change, The book emphasizes that building belonging is an ongoing practice, and that lasting culture change often starts with small experiments rather than sweeping declarations. Wise draws on design thinking habits such as observation, ideation, prototyping, and iteration. This approach helps communities avoid getting stuck in theory or perfectionism. Instead, a team can identify a specific pain point, propose a change, test it quickly, and learn. Examples of prototypable elements include onboarding processes, meeting agendas, decision making templates, recognition practices, and ways to gather input. The key is to treat inclusion work as measurable and improvable: define what you are trying to change, decide how you will know if it worked, and invite feedback from the people most affected. Prototyping also reduces defensiveness because it frames changes as trials rather than permanent judgments of past behavior. Over time, repeated experiments can shift norms, redistribute participation, and build shared ownership of the community. Wise also encourages reflection on maintenance, because belonging can fade if practices are not sustained. By creating a rhythm of learning and adjustment, communities can adapt to growth, membership changes, and external pressures while keeping inclusion and collaboration at the center.
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1984858033?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Design-for-Belonging-Susie-Wise.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/belonging-and-healing-creating-awesomeness-for/id1691393007?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Design+for+Belonging+Susie+Wise+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/1984858033/
#belonging #inclusiveleadership #communitydesign #collaboration #designthinking #psychologicalsafety #culturebuilding #DesignforBelonging
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Belonging as a Designed Experience, Not a Lucky Outcome, A core idea in the book is that belonging does not just happen because people are friendly or because a mission statement says everyone is welcome. Belonging is shaped by what a community repeatedly does and what it implicitly rewards. Wise positions belonging as an experience that can be designed, meaning it can be observed, mapped, improved, and maintained. This includes noticing the moments where people decide if they fit in: first meetings, introductions, how names and identities are handled, who speaks first, and how disagreement is managed. The design mindset helps communities move from abstract values to specific behaviors and structures. Instead of asking do we have inclusion, the book pushes toward questions like where do people drop off, what friction do newcomers face, and what signals communicate insider versus outsider. A design approach also invites experimentation. Communities can prototype a new onboarding ritual, adjust meeting formats, or change how decisions are communicated, then learn from feedback. This framing is empowering because it treats belonging as something within reach, while also demanding accountability: if certain people consistently feel marginal, that is a design problem to address rather than a personal failure or an unavoidable reality.
Secondly, Understanding Barriers and Power Dynamics in Communities, The book highlights that inclusion is not only about warmth and invitation, but also about examining barriers that are often invisible to those who already feel at home. These barriers can be logistical, such as time, cost, childcare, transportation, or digital access. They can also be social and cultural, such as jargon, unspoken norms, humor that excludes, or expectations about how to speak and participate. Wise encourages readers to look for patterns: whose voices are missing, who does extra emotional labor, and who has to adapt to fit the dominant culture. This naturally connects to power, because decisions about what counts as normal are usually made by people who already hold influence. A design lens can help communities map roles, gatekeeping points, and the flow of information, making it easier to see where power concentrates. Importantly, the goal is not to blame individuals but to redesign systems so participation is more equitable. That might mean clarifying how to get involved, rotating facilitation, creating multiple ways to contribute, or making decision processes transparent. By treating barriers as design constraints, communities can respond with creativity and fairness, while building trust through visible changes.
Thirdly, Rituals, Norms, and Signals that Create Psychological Safety, Wise focuses on the everyday mechanics of community life: the rituals, norms, and signals that tell people whether it is safe to take interpersonal risks. Psychological safety is crucial for collaboration because people will not share ideas, admit mistakes, or challenge assumptions if they expect embarrassment or punishment. The book points to practical design elements that shape safety, such as how meetings begin and end, how feedback is requested, and how conflict is handled. Even small signals matter: who is welcomed by name, how introductions are structured, whether pronouns are respected, and whether newcomers are guided or left to guess expectations. Rituals can be designed to reduce anxiety and increase connection, for example through consistent onboarding, check ins that invite authentic participation, and reflection moments that normalize learning. Norms around turn taking, listening, and credit sharing also affect whether collaboration feels equitable. Wise treats these as adjustable components rather than fixed traits of a group. Communities can test new rituals, observe how people respond, and refine. Over time, well designed rituals and norms reduce the social cost of participation, making it easier for diverse members to contribute fully and for the group to benefit from a wider range of perspectives.
Fourthly, Designing Spaces and Experiences for Inclusion, Online and Offline, Another important topic is the way physical and digital environments shape belonging. Space is never neutral. Layout, accessibility, signage, lighting, seating, and even where people stand during informal moments can influence who feels comfortable. Wise invites readers to treat spaces as tools for collaboration, asking what behaviors a space encourages and what it discourages. For example, a room arranged for lecture style communication can limit discussion, while flexible seating can support small group exchange. Accessibility considerations are part of inclusion, including mobility, sensory needs, and clear wayfinding. Digital spaces carry similar dynamics. Who has access to channels, how information is organized, whether meetings accommodate different time zones, and whether cameras are required all affect participation. Wise encourages thoughtful choices about tools, facilitation, and documentation so that participation is not restricted to the loudest voices or the people who can attend live. By intentionally designing the experience across touchpoints, communities can make it easier for members to engage consistently, understand what is happening, and feel that their presence matters.
Lastly, Prototyping Inclusion: Small Experiments that Scale Culture Change, The book emphasizes that building belonging is an ongoing practice, and that lasting culture change often starts with small experiments rather than sweeping declarations. Wise draws on design thinking habits such as observation, ideation, prototyping, and iteration. This approach helps communities avoid getting stuck in theory or perfectionism. Instead, a team can identify a specific pain point, propose a change, test it quickly, and learn. Examples of prototypable elements include onboarding processes, meeting agendas, decision making templates, recognition practices, and ways to gather input. The key is to treat inclusion work as measurable and improvable: define what you are trying to change, decide how you will know if it worked, and invite feedback from the people most affected. Prototyping also reduces defensiveness because it frames changes as trials rather than permanent judgments of past behavior. Over time, repeated experiments can shift norms, redistribute participation, and build shared ownership of the community. Wise also encourages reflection on maintenance, because belonging can fade if practices are not sustained. By creating a rhythm of learning and adjustment, communities can adapt to growth, membership changes, and external pressures while keeping inclusion and collaboration at the center.
