An innovation perspective on design: Part 2

The authors build on their previous paper on innovation perspectives on design, to examine new challenges in design thinking and innovation studies, focusing primarily on technical and business dimensions. They look at the work of researchers who have argued that we are currently in transition from an age of science to an age of design; previously the problems to be solved, although complicated, were not in the 'wicked problem' category. Against this, they suggest that successive generations tend to underestimate previous complexity and note a new paradigm which stresses the importance of collective social interaction, and the creation of learning devices to aid understanding of complex problems. Problems are also subjective in nature, with a problem being less 'wicked' for a business with skills and experience in similar projects than for an inexperienced business. However, whether the implementation of design thinking will work as a model for innovation in firms remains questionable, and is under-researched. Design thinking must be seen in the wider context of organisational practice, noting also that the portrayal of design as the start of a process is false. Design seldom starts with a blank sheet; re-design and re-contextualising are common activities. For design thinking to become a workable tool of management, its distinctive contribution to social issues must be defined and recognised. through a research agenda that combines innovation and design studies.