Could posture be a designer’s most overlooked tool?
In Japan, everyone bows. And there are several types of bows: deep 45-90 degree apologetic bows, medium 15-30 degree thank you or respect bows, casual head-greeting nods and an array of variations in-between. Returning home, it takes me about a week to stop bowing instinctively. Unfortunately, I also slip back into a slightly less polite, less humble version of myself. It’s very hard to be arrogant while bowing and there’s something about posture that I’d like to explore in relation to design. Could we design posture into our products and services to change the way people feel and interact with them?
Our physiology and psychology are deeply related. Feel sad, look sad. Look sad, feel sad. There are many postures that are universal and intrinsic. I’ve seen posture been considered in Experience and Spatial Design, but not nearly enough as it’s potential. In one of my thought experiments, I started to wonder: what would a ‘confidence office chair’ look like? (In my early career in sales, I took my most difficult calls standing up. This was fine when I worked from home but slightly awkward in the office.) Since I am not a product designer, it conjured up some rather ridiculous imagery in my mind, but interesting to ponder nonetheless.
Or: what if healthcare service design paid attention to designing for posture? How would that impact patient-doctor relationship, the hospital vibe, recovery time, surgeon concentration… there are so many applications I feel have not been explored, and I’d invite you, in whichever field you’re in, to explore this with me.
Here are 3 simple examples of how posture is being used today to change one’s state:
Posture prepares people for an experience
Imagine this - you’re walking around town and see this pop-up exhibition and decide to go in. The entrance is an intriguing archway that’s slightly low and a little narrow, making you crouch as you pass through. As you emerge, you lift your head and the exhibit comes into full view. This shift in body posture emphasizes the transition and evokes a sense of discovery. It sets one’s state-of-being up for wonder, intrigue, and an openness to explore.
Reflect: What posture does the product you’re designing put your user in? What are the alternatives you could design?
2. Posture evokes actions and behaviors
When I worked in corporate, we were taught the "Superman Pose." It’s touted as a quick confidence boost before a big presentation. Stand tall, feet apart, hands on hips and puff up your chest. Making your posture big is an animalistic and universal gesture of power. Amy Cuddy’s study on "power posing" suggested that adopting expansive postures could reduce stress and increase feelings of control. This is an example of how posture can change your physiology by raising your testosterone, which then regulates endorphins, which then changes the way you feel and think, and subsequently the way you act and behave.
Reflect: What would the most suitable emotion be to experience your product or service? Reflective? Safe? Adventurous? Relaxed? What environment does your product or service exist in, and what would likely influence your user’s posture?
3. Posture fosters interactions
How we position ourselves in relation to others also makes a difference. In the book Make Space by Scott Doorley and Scott Witthoft (2012), they explore how spatial design impacts human interaction and can be used to foster creative work. Changing the height or orientation of chairs, for example, can shift the dynamics of a workshop or meeting. Standing tables encourage active discussion, while relaxed seating fosters open, creative dialogue. These design choices show how posture can influence not only individual behaviour but also group dynamics.
Reflect: What interactions do you want to foster? How can you design for happenstance? How can you design for delightful collisions?
Applying ‘Posture Design’ to our work
Design is about more than just the physical product, space, or service; it’s about designing experiences. Experiences are meaningful, influential, and therefore it’s a privilege and responsibility to consider the experience we are creating. Posture is often overlooked, but is a powerful tool to support immersive experiences. Thinking broader, we can influence the world to be a place we want to live in, by considering designing for humility, collaboration, respect, generosity, and altruism.
With the goal of becoming more intentional and responsible as designers, next time we design a product, service, or experience, we can ask ourselves:
What posture(s) does my design stimulate? Is it desirable? Is it what I intended?
How might that influence the way people think, feel, or behave?
What interactions does it encourage?
Does it contribute to the type of society we want to live in? What are the long-term impacts?