Each Project is an Opportunity for Invention

“A design attitude views each project as an opportunity for invention that includes a questioning of basic assumptions and a resolve to leave the world a better place than we found it.”

– Boland & Collopy, Managing as Designing (2004)

Many people think that design is just about making things “pretty.” It’s this misconception that puts designers first on the chopping block when budgets get tight. Unbeknownst to many, experienced designers are valuable problem solvers. Design is not just a veneer. Good design is how something works and how something helps — functional solutions that are a product of the due diligence we designers call ‘Design Thinking.’

 The first step in the Design Thinking process is identifying the problem to be solved. Discuss your business challenge with your designer and identify your core issues, but be careful of limiting constraints. Be careful not to define the problem and the vehicle for which the problem is solved. It may be necessary to reframe your language. For example, don’t ask the designer to build you a bridge, instead ask them to help you find a way to cross the river. Then allow your designer time to research, define, understand, and explore possible solutions. Freedom to “design think” allows more creative solutions to emerge. In this process, your designer might consider 50 solutions to your problem. Of course, not all of these will be viable solutions, but it allows them space to identify and define the most appropriate solution for your specific problem.  

Designers hold the key to new types of solutions that businesses need to stand out in the marketplace. Initiate an environment that fosters creative dialog then stand back while they create something great.