The core of ‘design thinking’ and its application

This paper takes a critical look at the design thinking discourse, one that has different meanings depending on its context. Within the managerial realm, design thinking has been described as the best way to be creative and innovate, while within the design realm, design thinking may be partly ignored and taken for granted, despite a long history of academic development and debate. In the design area, we find five different discourses of ‘designerly thinking’, or ways to describe what designers do in practice, that have distinctly different epistemological roots. These different discourses do not stand in competition with each other but could be developed in parallel. We also observe that the management discourse has three distinct origins, but in general has a more superficial and popular character and is less academically anchored than the designerly one. Also, the management design thinking discourse seldom refers to designerly thinking and thereby hinders cumulative knowledge construction. We suggest further research to link the discourses.

Design Thinking: Past, Present and Possible Futures

Roger Martin, dean of the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, is interviewed on the subject of “design thinking”—approaching managerial problems as designers approach design problem...

Design Thinking and How It Will Change Management Education: An Interview and Discussion

http://www.ruthnbolton.com/Publications/BoltonSaxen-IyerInteractiveServices.pdf

Interactive Services: A Framework, Synthesis and Research Directions

Special Issue Alexander Osterwalder Business Model Foundry osterwalder@gmail.com

Designing Business Models and Similar Strategic Objects: The Contribution of IS

Design in business

To what extent does a building reflect the image of the corporation? Frequently there is a relationship between business strategy and design. It would be a mistake to view this purely as fashion: there is a need to “brand” buildings as though they are items of merchandise. Facilities managers need to understand the organisation′s brands and markets so that investment in design and building complements the organisation′s market positioning.

Sam Cassels

Papers

Design in business

In Pursuit of Reality