The seven generations principle is an idea used by Indigenous people (1) to reflect on a long-term perspective. 

It makes us look back many generations and see what we can learn from our elders. But it also makes us look forward many generations and imagine the consequences for our children of the decisions we make today.

What I love about this idea is that it gives us a rule of thumb in thinking about the past and future. Seven generations is far enough to see the true impact of bad decisions, but it’s near enough that we still can kind of imagine what would happen then. 

Action question

What’s a big decision that you have to make at work? How does it change your perspective when you think about the impact of that decision when thinking about how it will change, or not, the lives of people in seven generations?

Footnotes

(1) Marie Haley (2021). Introducing The Seventh Generation Principle – to Promote True Sustainability. The Seventh Generation Blog. Available at https://swis.ac/seven-generation accessed 24 November 2024.  

The inspiration

We discussed this principle with Service Design and sustainability nerd Haley Anderson. Watch that part of the interview here.

Daniele's notes

• This is the first shitty draft of this principle

• This principle might one day make it in the fifth book in the "Service Design Principles" series that explores how to better serve humans and the planet.

• If you're curious about service design principles, you can get the four previous books in the series, with proofread principles and less grammatical creativity.