Q: How did ipad redefine "the game?" A: Design Thinking
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a designer, always have been. And I spend a large amount of my week thinking about organizations. I think about whom they really are, what they say and how they want to be perceived. I think about their values and strategies for effectively communicating those values.
So, when thinking about design today, I thought of the value designers obtain from watching, listening and thinking. Design thinking is not a desire for a superficial look and feel, rather it is the art and science of reinvention and smart recombination. (E.G. the apple ipad)Whether you believe that design is “moving from an existing condition to a preferred one” (Milton Glaser), “a plan for action” (Charles Eames) or, “the human capacity to plan or produce desired outcomes” (Bruce Mau), design is, at its core about looking at things sideways.
See, I’m a huge advocate of reframing, rearranging, experimenting and refining. Each and every conversation is another opportunity for me to smartly ask stupid questions.Critical formula for corporate clients: Design + Thinking = Transformation
Communicating your company’s value to the market is not as simple as “make it look like this.” It’s about designing the way the company behaves, communicates and interacts – doing this well and recognizing what will happen if we don’t. Effective design is about going deep and figuring out what people need before they know they need it. And realizing what a brand or business is all about – then bringing it to life through designed experiences.
There are too many companies reacting to the business of sustainability and simply slapping an “It’s green” label on their product or service. They may be scared of the change, looking at Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and asking “why should we even be bothered with this?” To that, ask “why not?” Design thinking should be applied to the challenges of business, including corproate responsibility. After all, design is the act of questioning basic assumptions (E.G. my business doesn't need to address CSR and sustainability). And now, more than ever, design can be the first step toward reinvention and meaningful change.
Comments [1]