Clarity: The Next Design Thinking Evolution

MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATION

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TalkingUpSenseMaking

Clarity: The Next Design Thinking EvolutionAnaBarrosoinConversationwithGK.VanPatter

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“Fiveyearsagonoonecouldhaveguessedthatby2015claritywouldbecomethenextdesignthinkingcompetitiveadvantagebutthemessthathasbeencreatedaroundthesubjectnowmakesthatratherclear.”

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MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONQuestion 3.

Ana Barroso: GK, you mention that your clients “needs have played a significant role in the development and fine tuning of what we do and how we do it. We design from the outside in.” That seems very aligned with the past 7 years of design thinking practice I have conducted in Brazil, with clients from very different industries and completely different challenges. Those are some of the variables that usually inform the tools we end up using in the sense making and change making phases of the design thinking process.

I personally have found that many pre-framed tools and canvas that are used in the market place were created with product, service and experience outcomes in mind, and in a organization transformation and social innovation context, they represent, to use your words; “a methodology misfit”.

In his article entitled “Why Everyone is a designer…but shouldn’t design” Mercin Treder talks about the importance of the designer in the facilitation of the design process. Treder writes about bringing everyone into the design process, and then “kicking them out”. I would be interested to hear your view of Mercin Treder’s comments.

In Humantific-land, what tools are used to conduct the sensemaking and changemaking processes? What is Humantific’s approach to collaboration and consensus?

[Note:ThisarticlewasfirstpublishedinOctober2015onG.K.VanPatter’sLinkedInblog]

GK VanPatter:HelloagainAna:IamonmywaybacktoNewYorkfromLondonandamhappyonroutetodiveintothislastpartofourconversation.Ididtakealookatthe“Why Everyone is a designer…but shouldn’t design”articlebyMercinTreder.thatyouhavereferenced.ItseemstocontainsomeinterestinganddramaticconstructionsaswellasseveralassumptionwrinklesbutletspausetogiveMrTredercreditforwritingaboutanissuethatmanyinpracticegrapplewith.HeseemstobequestioningthemainstreammediaKoolaidonthesubjectofdesignthinkingandfrommyjournalisticperspectivethecommunityneedsmoreofthatkindofwriting.

Inessence,MrTrederseemstobeadvocatingformorecourageonthepartofdesignprofessionalsinthefaceofwhatmanyperceivetobethedumbingdownofdesign/designthinking.InthisregardIwouldagree.Thedesigncommunityincludingthedesigneducationcommunitycouldusemanymorecourageousleaders.EvenifIdonotagreewitheverydetailofMrTreder’spostitis,frommyperspective,aconstructivecontribution.

“Inessence,MrTrederseemstobeadvocatingformorecourageonthepartofdesignprofessionalsinthefaceofwhatmanyperceivetobethedumbingdownofdesign/designthinking”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATION

“Atthismomenttheideaofanadaptivestrategicdesignthinkingisoutinfrontofmanyoftheactualmethodsbeingusedandstilltaughtinmanyofthegraduateschools.”

IwouldgenerallyagreewithyourobservationsAna,that“many existing design thinking tools and canvases that are used in the marketplace were created with product, service and experience outcomes in mind and in a organization transformation and social innovation context, they represent, to use your words; “a methodology misfit”.”

Inthebigpicturesensethedesigncommunity,suchasitis,isalwaysatnotone,butrathernumeroussimultaneousgivenmomentsinaverylongdevelopmentmaturitycycle.Onanygivendaydifferentpartsofthediversecommunityareatverydifferentpointsinthecycle.Thatcanmakeforaconfusingpicture.Ifthetruthwerejournalisticallytolditwouldbethatrightnowalargepartofthecommunityispassingthroughwhatmightbecalledtheredepictionera.Inpartthisisoccurringbecausemuchofthegraduatedesigneducationcommunitywere,formorethanadecade,veryslowtochangeinternally,methodologicallyinresponsetoexternalchangeoccurring.Oneresultisthatthemarketplaceisfullofhighlyqualifiedprofessionalstrainedtocreateproducts,servicesandexperiencesregardlessofwhatthechallengesnowfacingplanetearthare.

Atthismomenttheideaofanadaptivestrategicdesignthinkingisoutinfrontofmanyoftheactualmethodsbeingusedandstilltaughtinmanyofthegraduateschools.Caughtoffguardbythemassivemovetowardsmorefuzzy,complexsituationsmanyofthegraduatedesignschoolssimplychangedtheirmarketingmaterials,nottheirmethods.Asaresulttheamountofenergybeingputintoredepictingproductandservicecreationasdesignthinkingapplicabletoworldpeacesizechallengesisconsiderabletoday.Muchofthecommunityincludingthemajorityofgraduatedesignschoolsarepresentlyandoftenratheruncomfortablyinthemiddleofthatredepictioncycle.Theredepictionwavehascreatedmountainsofconfusionaroundthesubjectofdesignthinking.

Ofcourse,soonerorlaterthelogicofaddressingmassiveorganizationalandsocietalchallengesbycreatingmoreproducts,servicesandexperienceswasgoingtobepointedoutasarathersillyassumption.

Journalisticallyrightnowweseealotofwritingonthesubjectofdesign/designthinkingthatreflectsthetransitionalredepictionera.UpstreamstrategicdesignthinkingvisionsareoftenbeingcitedbutthencombinedwithdownstreammethodologicalorientationsandtraditionalDesign2logic.Thevisionofdesignthinkingisoftenoutofsyncwiththemethodsbeingreferenced.

Thisodd-balldynamiccanbeseeninnumerousmainstreammediaarticlesthathaveappearedrecentlyinHarvardBusinessReview


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONincluding“DesignForAction”,“DesignThinkingComesofAge”andmanyothers.Productcreationlegacyorientationrunsdeepinnumerouscurrentwritersonthesubjectofdesignthinkingatthemoment.Thisodd-balldynamicentangledinthemessofredepictionseldomaddsclarityandmostoftenaddstothemountainofconfusionaroundthesubject.Notsurprisinglymostdiscussionlistsarealsooverwhelmedbytheredepictionmethodologyforce-fitlogic.Aspractice-basedmethodologistswebelievethisbumpymomentwilleventuallypass.

Eventuallythemethodsofdesignthinkingwillmorebroadlycatchupwiththeadaptablevisionoftenseeninthemedia.Thisshifthasalreadyoccurredinthestrategicdesigncommunitybuthasnotyetoccurredinthebroaderdesigncommunity.Thisshiftwilleventuallyoccurmorebroadlynotbecauseit’sagoodideabutratherduetoglobalization….anentiresubjectforanotherday.

Acknowledgingthatwritingonthesubjectofdesign/designthinkinginthemiddleoftheredepictioneraiscomplicated,messyandconfusedweweaveourwaythroughanavalancheofposts,checkinginwiththeweatheronaregularbasis.WithoutsomekindofsensemakingframeworklikeNextDGeographiesitcanbeaconfusingpicture.

InevitablyMrTreder’spostcontainsnumerousassumptionsbeingmadearoundcomplexmuddytermssuchasleadership,design,facilitation,problem-solver,designer,designprocess,skill-set,skillsladder,etc.Eachofthesetermshavemultiplemeaningswhichmakewritingaboutthempreciselyratherdifficult.Forexampletheterm“facilitation”seemstohaveonemeaninginthedesigncommunityandadifferentearliermeaningintheappliedcreativityorCPS(creativeproblemsolving)communityasdotheterms“problemsolver”and“skillsladder”.IamnotsurewecangettoallofthatinthisshortconversationAna.☺

IdidappreciateMrTreder’snoblethrusttowardsbeingastraight-shooter,tellingitlikeitis.IwouldlikedtohaveseensomeofthatstraightshootinginthedirectionofacknowledgingthatUXdesignisnotmetadesigninthatitbeginsdownstreamwithanassumptionthataUXchallengeexists.TheredepictiondynamicseeninMrTreder’sarticleandmanyotherslikeithascausedasmuchconfusionaroundthesubjectasthemanyinstantexpertswritingaboutdesignthinking.

MrTrederreferencesDonNorman,awell-knownandhighlyregardedDesign2practitioner.Norman’sinterests,concerns,valuesandlogicsprobablymirrorthoseofMrTreder.Nobigsurprisethere.DoesDonNormanworkintherealmsoforganizationalandsocietaltransformation?AsfarasIknowthisisnothisexpertise.Hespeaks

“IdidappreciateMrTreder’snoblethrusttowardsbeingastraight-shooter,tellingitlikeitis.IwouldlikedtohaveseensomeofthatstraightshootinginthedirectionofacknowledgingthatUXdesignisnotmetadesigninthatitbeginsdownstreamwithanassumptionthataUXchallengeexists.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONfromaspecificproductcreationrelatedvantagepointandaddsvalueinthatcontext.Design2isoneofnumerousoperationalcontextsthatnowexist.Todayeachdesigngeographyhasitsthoughtleaders.

UtilizingtheNextDGeographiesframeworktohelpmakesenseofMrTreder’spostwecanimaginethateachgeographyprobablycontainsmultipleperspectivesonthenowwidelydiscussedsloganthat“Everyoneis(orisn’t)aDesigner”.

Thatnotionmightmakelesssenseatthescaleofposterdesign,toothbrushdesignorinterfacedesignandmakemoresenseatthescaleoforganizations,communities,policiesandorsocieties.Likemanyotherdesignrelatedquestionsthecontextofchallengescaleisimportant.Thereisnotoneperfectanswer.

RegardingyourquestionaboutcollaborationandwhatwedoatHumantific:Wefindthatconsiderationsandapproachestocollaborativecocreationchangefromscaletoscale.Cocreationhasalonghistoryintheappliedcreativitycommunityandmuchlesshistoryinthedesigncommunity.Somewritersliketobedramaticusingtermssuchas“kicking”participants“out”oftheprocessatvariouspoints.Inlessdramatictermsitisquitecommonforastrategicdesignteamtofigureoutwhentoincludevariousexpertsandnonexpertsinanyinnovationcycle.NostrategicdesignpracticethatIknowofhaseveryoneinvolvedatthesamelevelofdetailthroughouteverystageofaprocesscycle.

LetskeepinmindthatinDesign1and2whatisoftenbeingproducedareexternallydirectedconsumergoods.InDesign3and4thenotionofinternalbuy-inistypicallymoreimportant.Itisrathercommonknowledgethatinvolvementinprocessbyconstituentsiskeytoobtainingbuy-in.Ofcoursethereisanartandasciencetoenablingbuyandbuy-in.TheformerareprimarydynamicsofDesign1and2andthelaterofDesign3and4.

Wedofindthatinadditiontotheoftenconfusingredepictionwaveunderwayinthemarketplaceevenmoreconfusionisaddedintothemixwhensomewritersdon’tseemtoknowwherethevarioustermsandtechniquescamefromhistorically.Redepictionandmiscreditingindesignthinkingjournalismrepresentsaconfusiondoublewhammy.IntheinterestofclarityforourreadersIwillpointoutacoupleofhiccupsthatappearinthe“Why Everyone is a designer… but shouldn’t design” article.

MrTrederstates:“You can use the How might we approach of design thinking.”

Notexactly.Folkswithknowledgefromotherchangemakingneighborhoodsknowthattheinvitationstem“Howmightwe”

“Wedofindthatinadditiontotheoftenconfusingredepictionwaveunderwayinthemarketplaceevenmoreconfusionisaddedintothemixwhensomewritersdon’tseemtoknowwherethevarioustermsandtechniquescamefromhistorically.Redepictionandmiscreditingindesignthinkingjournalismrepresentsaconfusiondoublewhammy.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONcomesfromtheappliedcreativity(CPS)community,notthedesigncommunity.SomewhatironicallyitisadevicethatwascreatedbyDr.SidParnestobeusedaspartofabroaderupstreamtechniquecalledchallengeframing,whichisnottypicallyfoundinthetraditionaldownstreamdesigncommunity.

MrTrederstates:“Good design is about making decisions.”

Notexactly.Convergentthinking,ie:decisionmakingisonlyonehalfthedesignprocessandifthetruthweretolditwouldbethatconvergentthinkingistypicallysignificantlyoverlyrepresentedcognitivelybyfolkswithnon-designbackgrounds.Foranumberofgoodreasonswedon’twantthedesignprocesstobeequatedtodecision-making.Inaddition,wedon’twantthefolkssellingdecision-makingasthehighestformofvaluetooverpowerandredesigndesignorintegrativethinkinginthatdirection.That’saformulafordisaster.That’saformulafortheoppositeofinclusiveinnovation.

MrTrederstates:“Everyone is a problem solver.”

Notexactly:Whilemanyadultshavelearnedsomeversionofproblemsolvinglite99%ofprofessionalswithgraduatedegreesoperatinginorganizationswerenotschooledinhowtodocomplexproblemfindingandsolvingincross-disciplinarysettings.100%oftheorganizationsthatweworkwitharecross-disciplinaryinnature.

MrTrederstates:“Everyone is a design participant but you’re the expert.”

Asorganizationalchangepractitionerswewouldsaythisquitedifferently.Everyonecanbeaparticipantintheinnovationdesignprocess.Theprofessionaldesignerscanprovidethecross-disciplinaryprocessleadershipexpertise,andonmanyprojectscontentexpertiseintheformoftwoormoreindividuals.Processfacilitationisnotacontentroll.Content(subjectmatter)expertiseisnotprocessexpertise.

ItmighthelpifIclarifythatmuchoftheworkwedoatHumantificinvolvesthedeliberateconstructionofinclusion.Sinceourfoundingadecadeagoinclusionhasbeenandremains,underneatheverythingwedointermsofinnovationstrategy,culturebuilding,teamdynamics,methods,information,theworkenvironment,etc.

Havingsaidthat,wedon’tsubscribetothepopularsocialmedianotionthateveryonecanbeeverythingbywatchingafewYoutubevideos.Wedosubscribetothephilosophythateveryonehasthecapacitytobecreative.Wedosubscribetothenotionthateveryonecanparticipateinanydesign,innovationorchangemakingprocess.

“Wedosubscribetothephilosophythateveryonehasthecapacitytobecreative.Wedosubscribetothenotionthateveryonecanparticipateinanydesign,innovationorchangemakingprocess.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONWedon’tsubscribetothenotionthatwith15minutesoftrainingeveryoneisaprofessionallevelengineer,designerorscientist.Inmostsubjectsthereisacontinuumorskillsprogressionladderthatishardtoarguewithanddesignisnoexception.Numeroussuchprogressionladdersexist.Participatinginaprocessisnotthesameashavingdeepexpertise.Letsrespectthedegreeofeffortanddedicationthatallfolkshaveputintotheirdisciplines.Consideringthecomplexityofchallengesoftenbeingfaced,diversedeepskillsareneeded.

Everybodyisn’tinstantlyeverythingbuteveryonecanrespectfullybringtheirbackground,knowledge,experienceandskillsintoanyinnovationcycle.

ForourHumantificclientswhatwedoiscreateasystemicwaytoensurethatdiversethinkingstylesandviewsareincludedintheinnovationprocess.Wecangettothatatateamandculturebuildinglevelwithoutconvertingeveryonetoaninstantdesigner.Forusthat’sabitofasideroad,moresloganeeringthenreality,andnotcentraltoourchangemaking,capacitybuildingmission.Knowledgeregardinghowtoconstructinclusivehuman-centeredinnovationcultureshasbeenpartofourstrategicdesignpracticeforatleastadecade.

Weknowfromexperiencethatitisnotenoughtowishfullysayweshouldrespecteachother’sdifferences.Todothiswork,tools,methodsandknowledgearerequiredinordertomakethecaseforinnovationdiversitybullet-proofandstickyatthelevelofbehaviors.

Otherprofessionalssuchasengineersapproachandleadinnovationenablinginmuchdifferentlyways.Howhuman-centerednessworksitselfoutatthescaleoforganizationsandsocietiesiswhatthenewworkisoftenallabouttoday.Strategicdesignthinkingiswellsuitedtooperateinthiscontext.

Wehavewrittenaboutthiselsewhere.Tokeepitsimple,weseeandexplaindesignthinkingthisway:

Design Thinking (alsoknownasMetaDesignThinking,StrategicDesignThinking,andTransformationbyDesign)startsupstreamwithnooutcomeassumptionsandresultsindiverseoutcomes.

Product Design Thinkingstartsdownstreamwithproductcreationassumptionsandresultsinproductoutcomes.

Service Design Thinkingstartsdownstreamwithservicecreationassumptionsandresultsinserviceoutcomes.

“ForourHumantificclientswhatwedoiscreateasystemicwaytoensurethatdiversethinkingstylesandviewsareincludedintheinnovationprocess.Wecangettothatatateamandculturebuildinglevelwithoutconvertingeveryonetoaninstantdesigner.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONExperience Design Thinkingstartsdownstreamwithexperiencecreationassumptionsandresultsinexperienceoutcomes.

Alloftheseapproachesarebeingsoldtodayinthemarketplace(andbyvariousgraduateschools)asdesignthinking.Itispresentlyquiteamessoutthere.

UnderstandingthatthisconfusingmessarounddesignthinkingnowexistswhatHumantificrecommendstoorganizationalleaderswhoareconsideringthepossibilityofbuildingsomeformofdesignthinkingcapability,istostepbackandfromasensemakingperspective,betterunderstandthevariousdifferences,options,intentions,limitationsandpossibilitiesbeforeinvestmentsaremade.

Don’tgobuildadownstreamProduct, Service or Experience Design Thinking capacityandexpectittopreformlikeanupstreamStrategic Design Thinkingcapacity.Whiletheyalladdvalue,wesuggestbeingclearaboutwhatchallengesyouseektoaddressandwhatvalueyouseektocreate!Onesimplethingtodowhensomeonebringsupthesubjectissimplytoask:Whichdesignthinkingmethodologyareyoutalkingabout?

Thegoodnewsisthattodaymarketplaceexpectationsaroundthesubjectofdesignthinkingarechanging.Savvyorganizationalleadersnowexpectlessspinandmoreclarity.Withthedesigneducationinstitutionsuptotheireyeballsinmarketingredepictionspin,thereisaneedforstrategicdesignpracticeleaderstoadvocateturningthecornerinthedirectionofaneweraofadvocacyfordesignthinkingclarity.Perhapsironicallymostgraduatedesignschoolsarenowpoorlypositionedtoleadtheclarityevolutionindesignthinking.Thatturningisnotlikelygoingtocomefromtheacademiccommunityanytimesoon.Thatturningisalreadyunderwayinstrategicdesignpractice.

Adecadeinthemaking,theevolutionofstrategicdesignremainsinmotionwithmainstreammediafinallycatchingonhoweverimperfectly.Clearlythereisneedforanewgenerationofstrategicdesignjournalism...anothertopicforanotherday.

Onthehorizon,partofthenextcyclewillseemanyorganizationalleaderscomingtotermswiththerealizationthatproduct/servicedesignthinkingmethodologicallyisnotaSwissarmyknife.Inthefuturetherewillbeabetterfitbetweenmethodologiesandchallengescale.

Fiveyearsagonoonecouldhaveguessedthatby2015claritywouldbecomethenextdesignthinkingcompetitiveadvantagebutthemessthathasbeencreatedaroundthesubjectnowmakesthatratherclear.Anewimperativehasemergedandthatissimplybeingmore

“Partofthenextcyclewillseemanyorganizationalleaderscomingtotermswiththerealizationthatproduct/servicedesignthinkingmethodologicallyisnotaSwissarmyknife.Inthefuturetherewillbeabetterfitbetweenmethodologiesandchallengescale.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONclearaboutdesignthinking,whatitisandisn’tfromamethodologyperspective.Understandinghow,whereandwhentotapintovariousversionsofdesignthinkinghasbecomekey.

Wearecertainlyhappytobeplayingasmallroleinadvocatingthatturnawayfromtheoldredepictionspineraandtowardsanembraceofmuchmoreclearthinkingondesignthinking.Lettheclearthinkingondesignthinkingerabegin.

IamcurioustoknowwhatyouthoughtofMrTreder’sarticleAna?

Ana Barroso: A lot of what you have mentioned had caught my attention when I read the article, and I also specially appreciated Treder’s intention to dispel the “everyone is a designer” myth that has been so wrongly perpetrated by design thinking enthusiasts that position themselves as innovation experts. I see a whole lot of that in the marketplace right now.

The excitement that the design mindset has brought into the business environment by young and enthusiastic entrepreneurs trying to lead all sorts of complex projects may have reinforced that idea to participants of product, service and experience design thinking processes. Being heard, “thinking outside of the box”, working with professionals from different areas is usually novelty in a corporate context and it gives clients the feeling that they are entering the innovation space – and for that reason they can’t seem to fully appreciate the difference between mature innovation practices and young design entrepreneurs.

So it’s import to bring attention and a sense of clarity to what are complex problem-solving skills, the difference between facilitating participation and actually conducting cross-disciplinary innovation, between process and content expertise. All those things are very muddy in the article, and that is a mirror of what I see in the marketplace.

That’s where formal training comes in, not to mention practice. There’s a whole lot that has been done and published in the past not only in design but in other fields of knowledge, by brilliant thought leaders, that inform the best of what we see going on right now in terms of organization and social transformation.

Humantific does a great job making things clear, understandable, teachable and visual for the industry.

GK VanPatter: IthasbeenfunandconstructiveinthepastfewweekstochatwithyouonlineandoffAna.Weknowyou,welikeyouandwelikeBrazil!

ThisyearwehopetobringHumantificto3newcountries.IsBrazilreadyforHumantific?

Ana Barroso: Woooo Hooo Lets do this!

Clarity: The Next Design Thinking Evolution

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