• Thoughts

Designing the Future: The Meta-Dilemma on the Role of Designers in a Virtual World

Quinn Levine, Catherine Keywan
Two pixelated hands reaching toward each other against a starry cosmos backdrop in glowing red and pink neon light.

What comes to mind when you think of the Metaverse?

Freeing us from the confines of our physical world, the Metaverse entices us with the promise of a life with virtual experiences. Yet the Metaverse is still in a conceptual stage, leaving us to wonder what it will be like and when it will be "here."

In our new series, three designers draw from their professional experiences, curiosity, and research about the virtual world. They offer unique perspectives on what we can expect and the role designers will play in this new frontier.

Designer responsibility in virtual worlds. Designer in white shirt against blue-lit black background with geometric lines.
Smiling woman against black background with purple lighting glow, accompanying article on virtual retail customer experiences

By Kate Francis

Multi-family housing opportunities in virtual worlds. Designer portrait against black background with yellow accent lighting.