Wholewith

Wholewith is a neologism used in discussions of design, education, and policy to describe an approach that addresses problems by considering the entire system and all stakeholders. The term fuses “whole” and “with” to emphasize that actions should be taken with the full context and the people affected, rather than in isolation.

Origins and usage: The term first appeared in informal online discussions in the late 2010s and has since appeared in blogs, workshop notes, and some teaching materials. It does not have a formal definition in major dictionaries and is not standardized in scholarly literature.

Concept and definitions: In practice, wholewith can denote several related ideas: an inclusive process that brings diverse participants into decision making; an assessment framework that evaluates social, environmental, and economic impacts together; and a design principle that prioritizes systems thinking over isolated optimization.

Applications: In design thinking and product development, wholewith encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration and attention to equity. In education, it can guide curricula and assessments that connect classroom learning to community outcomes and real-world contexts.

Reception and critique: Some observers view wholewith as overlapping with established concepts such as holistic design, systems thinking, and participatory design, arguing that the term adds little precision. Proponents contend it offers a concise, mnemonically memorable way to signal a broad, inclusive approach.

See also: holistic design, systems thinking, inclusive design, participatory design.