Bringing design to technology organizations: Based on over a hundred interviews with designers and managers in different organizations and countries, we’ve identified three typical pitfalls in bringing design into organizations – and how to avoid them:
2. Applying design THINKING only. A lack of knowledge is rarely the main culprit in lingering change. Training needs to be accompanied by action and beginners in design thinking need design experts in order to benefit from new ways of working.
1. Boxing in design with ineffective crossfunctional collaboration. One of the key values the design can bring to organizations is the asking of new questions, but these don’t necessarily follow function and unit lines. You need to create a culture of collaboration in order to explore new ideas and low-threshold opportunities for joint efforts.
3. Fragmented design efforts. Be inclusive and welcome different flavours and variations of design, creating a community of designers and design-minded allies. In addition to preaching design, speak in languages – connect design to the bigger picture of your organization, sharing showcases on how design can add value to things that already matter for the people in the organization.
Learn more in: Björklund, T.A., Maula, H., Soule, S. & Maula, J. (2020). ‘Integrating design into organizations: The coevolution of design capabilities’. California Management Review, 62(2) 100– 124.
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Research Wing - Experiments