innovation driven design (IDD) Identification and categorisation of driving forces within product design and the exploration of a methodical process of approaching design that strives to innovate
Master thesis at Design School Kolding By Mikkel H. Mikkelsen
Master thesis of: Mikkel H. Mikkelsen Supervisor: Richard Herriot Institute: Design School Kolding Industrial Design Assignment: Master’s project, written component. (KI2KPA-KME)
abstract (English)
Due to global warming and environmental issues, new technologies and sustainable materials are emerging. The need for dealing with these issues represents new opportunities within design practice. This calls for new methods of proactively working towards innovating and utilize new materials. This study seeks to identify and develop a meta-method of how to approach innovation driven design. The theoretical foundation of this study is based upon a literature review of existing design methods. These include methods such as material driven design, technology driven design and process-driven design. The meta-method developed in this study builds upon these existing methods. The innovation driven design method is described and supported by a model that simplifies and visualizes the ideas behind the meta-method. Finally, to verify if the developed meta-method works in practice, a workshop is facilitated. 12 first year industrial design bachelor students attended this workshop. The aim of the workshop was to introduce the innovation driven design method/model to the students followed by an individual assignment where each student should use the method in practice to come up with new design ideas based on a chosen material. In this workshop the participants works methodically with IDD, towards giving objects and materials new meanings. The feedback from the workshop was mainly positive. The meta-method turned out to work as a functional tool for the students to work towards innovative ideas.
Keywords
Design methodology, Innovation driven design (IDD), Driving forces in product design, Design for sustainability.
Innovation Driven Design
The fast growing need for more sustainable products and solutions makes it highly relevant for designers to approach design in new ways. It is therefore highly relevant to look into new design methods when innovation is the main driving force.1
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abstrakt (Danish)
Grundet den globale opvarmning og miljømæssige udfordringer udvikles der hele tiden nye teknologier og bæredygtige materialer. Behovet for at imødekomme de udfordringer, som vi står over for, repræsenterer nye muligheder inden for design praksis. Designere må bruge nye metoder til proaktivt at arbejde med innovation og iværksættelsen af nye materialer. Denne afhandling forsøger at identificere og udvikle en meta-metode, som beskriver hvordan man kan arbejde med innovationsdrevet design. En gennemgang af eksisterende designmetoder danner det teoretiske grundlag for udviklingen af den innovationsdrevne designmetode. Disse eksisterende designmetoder omfatter blandt andet materialedrevet design, teknologidrevet design og procesdrevet design. Meta-metoden i nærværende afhandling bygger på disse eksisterende metoder. Den beskrevne metode for innovationsdrevet design understøttes af en model, som forenkler og visualiserer ideerne bag meta-metoden.
Innovation Driven Design
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For at teste den innovationsdrevne designmetode i praksis, afholdes en workshop. 12 første års industriel design bachelorstuderende deltog i denne workshop. Formålet med workshoppen var at introducere de studerende for den innovationsdrevne designmetode/model. Efterfølgende blev eleverne stillet over for en individuel opgave, hvor meta- metoden skulle bruges i praksis til at udvikle et design koncept baseret på et selvvalgt materiale. I workshoppen arbejdede eleverne metodisk med innovationsdreven design med det formål at tildele objekter og materialer nye betydninger. Tilbagemeldingerne fra workshoppen var primært positive. Meta-metoden viste sig at være et effektivt redskab for eleverne til målrettet at arbejde med udviklingen af innovative designløsninger. Behovet for at skabe bæredygtige produkter og løsninger er stort og bliver mere og mere relevant. For at imødekomme denne udvikling må designere tilgå design på nye og mere utraditionelle måder. Det er derfor yderst relevant at afsøge nye designmetoder, hvor innovation er den primære drivkraft.1
Nøgleord
Design metodologi, Innovationsdrevet design (IDD), Drivkræfter i produktdesign, Design for bæredygtighed.
table of contents Abstract (English) Abstrakt (Danish)
iii iv
1. 1.1
Introduction Motivation
1 1
2.
Theoretical Foundation
2
Identification of Driving Forces in Product Design Categorization of Methods & Driving Forces
3 5
Problem Driven Design
6
3. 3.1 4. 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3
Innovation Driven Design (IDD) IDD in Practice Identifying the IDD Method Developing a model for the IDD Method
8 10 12 14
6.
IDD Workshop
15
7.
Conclusion & Disscussion
17
8.
Reflection
18
9.
Bibliography
19
Categorization of Metods & Driving Forces Table IDD Model IDD Workshop Outcome
21 22 23
10.1 10.2 10.3
1. introduction
Innovation Driven Design
1
We as common species are facing some alarming environmental issues. The world population is rising from approximately 7.5 billion today to an estimated 11 billion by the end of this century (Roserc & Ortiz-Ospina, 2017). The enormous consumption of natural resources and our current way of living is not sustainable in the long run – especially not when taking into account the rising population and thereby growing demand. At the same time the standard of living is increasing worldwide, which represents an even larger demand of materialistic products, thereby resources. This over-consumption of natural resources during the last centuries, renewable as non-renewable, has led to a point in history where we are now starting to run out of certain resources such as naturally occurring minerals, fossil fuels and even whole ecosystems. In this global crisis of limited resources, we are now facing several issues resulting in an increased focus on innovative and sustainable materials and new ways of living. In general, the awareness around the subject and the motivation for action is high in multiple governments and organizations worldwide. This calls for new methods on how to design and innovate around these new materials. During the last decade, several new methods are starting to emerge within the area of design and in particular within the area of physical products. Methods such as material driven design and technology driven design are examples of methods where a problem is not the focus nor even the starting point, but rather an opportunity of utilization of a material, technology etc.
1.1 motivation “What a man can be, he must be.� (Maslow, 1943, p. 10)
With all these new sustainable materials, technologies and processes constantly being developed, I feel both a personal and professional responsibility as to utilise these into our world, replacing existing less sustainable solutions. In order to methodically do this, new methods needs to be developed that can deal with this kind of pro-active innovation on a professional level. My main motivation for writing this paper, is to be part of developing theses new methods After all, we as designers do bear a large responsibility when it comes to the utilisation of large amounts of materials and energy consumption. So the question remaining; how can we as designers create the most possible value, with the smallest impact possible?
2. theoretical foundation Looking into a broader historical view of how we got to the design methods we have at our disposal today, I will use the article “Generations in Design Methodology” (Broadbent, 2003) to understand the existence of these methods up until today. I will then use the methods proposed in “Design-driven innovation” (Verganti, 2009) and “Material driven design (MDD)” (Karana, Barati, Rognoli & Zeeuw van der Laan, 2015) to establish a general understanding of these new methods, all mainly focusing on innovation as their primary driving force. After having established this understanding, I will look into the different methods and how they relate to each other, as well as which elements they may have in common. Based on the theoretical background combined with my personal experiences I will develop a meta-method of how to approach innovation driven design. The meta-method will be represented in a model that outlines and visualizes the overall process. Finally, I will look at the results through an empirical study with first year industrial design bachelor students. The study tests the developed model by hosting a one-day workshop. The aim of the study is to verify if the method/model is comprehensible and useful in serving as a tool in design practice. 2
Innovation Driven Design
Through Jordan’s (2000) hierarchy of consumer needs, I will reflect the developed method upon the creation of sustainable products, the method’s relevance today and how the method potentially can impact my own design practice.
3. identification of driving forces in product design In the evolution of design methodology, different methods have developed to deal with emerging problems in the best possible way given the knowledge available at the time. When new problems and possibilities have emerged, new methods of dealing with these have developed correspondingly. Looking back at these methods in retro-perspective, they have shown to fall into four main stages, referred to as the following: Craft, Design-by-Drawing, Hard System Methods and Soft System Methods. In each of these stages, a variety of new methods have evolved. Each method represents new ways of attending design practice and dealing with exponentially more complex problems. Nevertheless, none of the methods have shown to cancel out their predecessors. Each method simply add to an ever growing toolbox of design methods (Bürdek 2005). Broadbent (2003) chronologically goes through each generation, explaining its emergence, content and impact on general design practice. In the following section, I will shortly recap Broadbent’s descriptions and go through each generation.
Innovation Driven Design
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Craft Methods The oldest design methods are craft methods. Craft methods are considered to have emerged 250.000 years ago when humans first started using tools to perform simple tasks such as cracking a nut and hunting. These methods where mainly developed through trial and error and handed over to generations through apprenticeships. A product’s blueprint was stored and passed on in the physical object itself.
Design-by-Drawing Around the 15th century, a new generation of methods driven by drawing mediums began to emerge. This method did not just allow for separation of design and production facilities - it also allowed for the creation of much more complex products and constructions. This method was quickly adopted, especially amongst architects. The fact that the blueprint now was in drawing allowed for large geographical distances between the designer and the production site. Design practices did no longer have geographical limits because these could be shared over great distances.
Hard System Methods In the 1950’s a new school in West Germany called “Hochschule für Gestaltung“ opened. This school was determined to create a new set of methods that would move the design practice from art and crafts into natural sciences where design could be measured and did not depend upon the individuals’ intuition and feelings.
At this point in time, extensive research within design methodology was now available to the individual designer. The designer works both nationally and internationally, and in the aftermath of the industrial revolution the designer now had a lot of opportunities when it came to materials, technologies and processes.
Soft System Methods Already 20 years after the introduction of hard system methods, a new set of methods started to emerge. Hard system methods had proved incapable of dealing with more user centered and complex problems, referred to as “wicked problems“. These new methods where called soft system methods and incorporated social sciences such as sociology, psychology and behavioural science in design practice. At this point the designer now has acces to vast information sources, analog as digital and design practice is often performed in collaborations across professions.
The Next Generation in Design Methodology According to Broadbent (2003) a new generation in design methodology is emerging. “The change process between generations appears to be a double exponential, suggesting that a fifth generation in design methodology is now emerging“. (Broadbent, 2003, p. 2)
- include all stakeholders and demand of them to view the world from different perspectives. - be dynamic and subjective. - embrace the fact that no final solution exists, that data collecting never ends and therefore will seek to satisfy rather than complete. This last claim seems to fit the conclusion made by Rittel (1986) very well in the sense that no single method itself can solve all emerging problems. “…There cannot exist anything like ‘the’ design method which smoothly and automatically resolves all difficulties. Those people who claim the existence of such a device postulate nothing less than the solution of all present and future problems of the world”. (Rittel, 1986, p. 371)
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This leaves us with multiple questions; did a paradigm shift already happen, and will we only be able to identify it in retro-perspective? Which new elements will it bring to design practice and how will it affect the methods at our disposal today? Based on previous paradigm shifts, Broadbent (2003) predicts that the next generation of design practice will:
3.1 categorization of metods & driving forces Looking into the early stages a design process, one will find that it consists of three main headlines: context, motivation and approach. It’s crucial for the designer to be aware of these three factors from the very beginning of his process, in order to understand his objective and thereby choose corresponding metodes of accomplishing this.
Context The context can be defined as the space in which the design process is being carried out, it consist of a varity of different factors such as individuals involved, proffesions involved, geographic location, culture etc. This context can also be reffered to as the stage from where the designer performes his act.
Motivation (The Driving Force) Most design projects has a fixed startingpoint, this is the initial objective either created by or given to the designer, Such an objective could be framed as either a problem statement focusing on solving a problem, or a design challange focusing on creating a surguestion of utilisation for a material, technology etc. These two approaches can arguably be defined as whats known as “market pull” and “market push” in a common business plan, explaining the products relation to the market; is it supplying an exsisting demand through a market pull stratergy or is it trying to create a new market through a market push stratergy.
Innovation Driven Design
5
Approach When the designer becomes familiar with his design objective and motivation, he will have an approach to realize it’s potential. Most common in the design practice will be to use one or mutiple metodes of accomplishing this in a methodically “linear” process that to some exstend promisses an outcome, in the shape of a suggestion or solution relevant to the initail objective. In the table on the next page you will see a categorized overview of the listed above, including examples on differnt methods. Table in larger scale available in appendices, Appendix 10.1
Ideology, Demographics, Ethnographies...
Context
Problem Driven
Innovation Driven
Motivation
User Centered Design Ergonomic Design Patecipatory Design Service Design Interaction Design ...
Material Driven Design Technology Driven Design Production Driven Design Ideology Driven Design Disruptive Design ...
Methods
Observing problem, user etc.
Exploring materials, processes, technologies etc.
Approach
Market pull, supplying a demand.
Market push, creating a demand.
Market relation
4. problem driven design
(Armstrong, 2011). Following are four different headlines outlining the basic design process and how to attend these for a problem driven design process.
Motivation In a problem driven design process the overall objective is to solve a problem or supply a market demand. All further work from here can be held up against this objective in all decision making, in the sense of how well it complies with the objective.
Innovation Driven Design
Problem driven design strives to solve a problem in the best possible way. It often includes methods such as user centered design and in recent times increasingly more and more patecipatory design where the user is involved in studies, but also actively in ideation and decision making
6
Approach & Research In a problem driven design process the main focus is on observing and analysing the user and problem. This can be done by gathering data on the problem from user studies, interviews, problem analysis, specialist consultations, analysis of exsisting solutions etc. and often include user-centered methods as well as patecipatory design.
Objective & Ideation “How might I solve this problem in the best possible way?” From the gathered knowlage, a specefic problem statement can be made, stateing “how might I.. by.. in order to..?“. Example: how might I help people with an ankle injury protect themselves from any further damage, by creating an object that helps stabalizing their ankel movement, in order to inssure that no furter damage is done?
When the problem statement and a possibly updated objective is set, the designer can now start ideating on how to achieve this based on observations and findings from his research phase.
Innovation Driven Design
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Development & Realization Based on the research phase and the final objective, the outcome from the ideation phase can now be evaluated based on how well the ideas meets the objective, fit into the context, solves the problem and other factors such as economic preferences, ease of use etc. When evaluated the idea with the most potentiale can be selected and refined into the final concept. With the final concept set, the development from concept to product begins. The designer should now be able to stay objective in relation to the transformation from concept to product in the sense that all decitions from functional to aestetics should be made based on gained knowlage and the overall objective. Non the less, in order to get to a coherent end-result the individual designer should somehow act subjective in this decision making.
5. innovation driven design (IDD) Innovation driven design seeks to pursue opportunities and utilise these. These opportunities are often found in the development of new sustainable materials, innovative technologies and production technices. IDD to a large extend suggests the exclution of the user, in particular at the first half of the design process, in order to move away from, and beyond whats exsisting. By not looking directly at a problem or need, the designer is now in a position to create something people dont know they wont, through the use of radical new meanings or “what people could want..“ (Verganti, 2009). Another famous example of user exclusion as to achieve radical new meaning for an object, is Henry Fords well known qoute: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.“ - Henry Ford
Following are four different headlines outlining the basic design process and how to attend these for a innovation driven design process.
Approach & Research For a IDD process the main focus is on examining and experimenting in the search for oppertunies of utilisation. This is done by exploring and gathering both theoretical and emperical knowlage on the medium as to benchmark its properties and characteristics. IDD includes methods such as material driven design, technology driven design, process driven design etc. All methods where the user is not included until late in the process.
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Innovation Driven Design
Motivation In innovation driven design the overall objective is to utilise an opportunity. This opportunity will be represented in the properties, abilities and characteristics of the medium. In the IDD process the objective is somewhat more unclear than in the problem driven design process, using this method the designer first needs to create a vision for the utilisation of the opportunity, before the final objective is clear. When it comes to the base of decision making for this method, a big factor to include is the properties, abilities and characteristics represented by the opportunity, these united with the vision should together define the basis of decision making, further on I the process.
Objective & Ideation From the gained theoretical knowlage, experiments and property benchmarking a design challange can partly be formulated, but to get to the final objective for the project, the designer needs to create a vision of utilisation for the opportunity first. When then the final vision is created, the design challange can be fully formulated, stateing “how can I utilise.. through.. in order to..?“ example: how can I utilise the unique sensory properties of cork through the introduction of cork-textiles in the car industry, in order to replace exsisting polymer/animal materials with a higher environmental impact then cork?
When the final design challange is clear, the designer can start ideating on how to fulfill his vision for the opportunity, based on his experience and findings from the research phase.
Development & Realization Much like in the problem driven design process, the development phase can now begin based on the research phase and the final design challange. The outcome from the ideation phase can be evaluated based on how well the specefic ideas meets the objective, fit’s into the context, fulfills the vision and other factors such as economic limitations, ease of use etc. The idea with the most potentiale can then be selected and refined into the final concept. Now that that final concept is set, the development from concept to product can begin. In this case the designer have to act both objectively and subjectively in the decision making. some decisions should be made objectively based on research findings and others subjectively based on the vision created for the utilisation.
Innovation Driven Design
9
5.1 IDD in practice In everyday design practice, innovation driven design play out in different ways. Below, three examples on how an IDD process could present itself are listed; - A collaboration with a material supplier can result in the presentation of a new material that the designer finds intriguing and wants to utilise. - The discovery of a new technology at a fair can trigger new ideas of utilisation that could be used in the development of a new product. - A company develops a new method of bending wood and reaches out to designers, hoping to find new ways of utilising the new technique. Many other examples, like above, play out every day in design practices around the world leading to the development of new product meanings creating completely new markets that consumers did not even know existed. In order to constantly evolve and stay updated, designers must be aware of how the IDD process can play out and know which methodical approach to use. The examples of IDD above also highlights the importance of interdisciplinary work and dialogue across professions. The sections below presents two different scenarios of IDD in more detail.
Scenario 1: Material Driven Design / Coir
(Materia.nl)
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Innovation Driven Design
Coir is a natural fiber from the coconut husk. The coconut husk is a waste material from normal coconut productions. The Dutch company Enkev has created the trademark Cocoform, which is a product that combines coconut husk with natural latex. The material is natural and sustainable, which makes it an attractive material for designers to use. This leads to the next question: how can this material be utilised? In the search of possible applications for the material, the designer undergoes a process of exploring and benchmarking the material’s technical and sensory properties. The research concludes that the material is very cheap, lightweight and has a “warm“ feeling to it. Upon the establishment of this understanding of the materials and having identified its unique characteristics, the designer begins to ideate on how to create value through the utilisation of these properties. The designer comes up with the idea to use the material for natural packaging of food. When the final concept is clear, it is a matter of transforming this into a product. At this stage, the designer needs to make aesthetic and functional decisions based on the vision and combined with the material’s properties identified in the initial research phase.
Scenario 2: Technology Driven Design / E-textiles
E-textiles or Electronic textiles enable digital components such as batteries, sensors, lights and other electronics to be a part of the textiles. Ohmatex is a Danish company that develops these smart textiles. Ohmatex collaborates with external companies such as Viking, Edema and Nasa. In this scenario, Ohmatex has developed garments that integrate thermal sensors and displays. Once again, the question emerges: How can this technology be utilised? Since the technology is already developed, the designer can quickly move directly into the ideation phase and start thinking about potential applications where the technology can create value. After this, he can begin looking into the individual ideas and select the idea with the greatest potential. In this case, that idea was to integrate thermal sensors into firefighter jackets. These jackets monitors the surrounding temperatures and allow the firefighter to follow this information live on a display. The jacket alarms the firefighter if the temperature is reaching dangerous levels. With the final concept in place, it is time to implement the technology into the actual jacket. In this case, it is now vital to include the end-user to figure out where it would make sense to position these sensors, where the display will be most accessible and how to alarm the firefighter in the best possible way. When this information is processed, the designer creates the final jacket that creates most value to the firefighter.
Innovation Driven Design
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(Ohmatex.dk)
5.2 identifying the IDD method This section chronologically lists and explains the steps of an IDD process. This will establish a foundation of guidelines to act by, for designers who seek to perform proactive innovation. The steps listed below focus on the overall meta-method of IDD and do not include detailed descriptions on sub-methods such as material driven design, technology driven design, production driven design etc.
Context Arguably, the “context” is not a part of the design process itself. It is included here because it is vital that the designer is aware of it when making decisions. The context can be individual or external, depending on the project. The context is individual if the project originate from the designer’s own motivation. On the other hand, if the project is handed over to designer in a design brief, the context is external. The context is everything that surrounds the project; people, demographics, ethnographies, ideology etc. All these factors should be the foundation of the ongoing decision-making - not in the sense of letting the context take control, but in the sense of creating the most possible value for all stakeholders.
Motivation In IDD the main motivation and driving force will always be to innovate, or at least that is the initial goal. How the objective then might change over the course of the project is irrelevant since no method is insulated. Methods are guidelines to act by and not rules to follow.
- Gathering theoretical & empirical knowledge. - Benchmarking technical and sensory properties & characteristics. - Consulting relevant experts of the medium. - “Bring it alive, what does it want to look like, act like, speak like...”
Objective When a deeper understanding of the medium is established, the designer must identify its unique properties and characteristics. These can be translated into a design challenge, phrasing the objective for the medium. For instance: “How can can I utilise this medium’s unique properties of...”. At this point, the designer can choose to create a set of rules and guidelines for the utilisation of the medium based on findings from the previous step. These can be listed as hard and soft demands for the final design.
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Approach This step describes how the designer attends an IDD, and where he begins. In IDD, the initial focus is on exploring, experimenting and understanding the medium. This can be done in several ways. Below a few examples are listed:
Vision When the objective is clear, the designer must come up with a vision for the utilisation of the medium. This is most commonly done through the use of brainstorming and conceptualising, which leaves the designer with multiple concepts and ideas to be reviewed and evaluated based upon the overall objective for the project. When the final idea or concept has been selected, this can be manifested into a vision for the final utilisation of the medium.
Realization From the research findings, design brief, created guidelines and final vision that have been established at this stage in the process, the development from concept to product can begin. In this transformation, the designer must balance the obtained knowledge from the project and transform the concept from idea into product. Meanwhile, the designer must keep in mind; aesthetic, ergonomics, function etc. At this point, the end-user is included in order to prepare the product for market implementation. This step can be looped several times through prototyping, testing and modifications before moving on to the last step of the IDD process, implementation.
Innovation Driven Design
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Implementation Arguably, this step may also be located outside the core method of IDD, but is included in order to point out the importance of the actual implementation into market. Since IDD is focused on radical innovation, giving objects new meanings and creating completely new markets, this step is crucial for the product’s success; How is the product introduced, where and how will it be sold, how does it represent value for the user and how is the story communicated? This step is all about setting the stage for introduction of the product.
5.3 developing a model for the IDD method This section presents a model of the IDD method developed in the previous section. The aim of the model is to communicate and visualize the IDD method in an easy comprehensible and simplified way. The aim of the model is to meet the following criteria: - The model should only contain headlines representing the most essential information to keep it simple. - Contain visuals that explains the headlines’ relation to one another. - Present the IDD method as a linear process to keep it similar to already existing design practices. - Easy comprehensible in relation to other methods. The model presents the IDD method together with its contrary method, problem driven design. By including a contrary method, it becomes easier to illustrate and understand the differences and thereby understand the IDD method better. Self-Actualization Pleasure - The model is not self explanatory, but it works Esteem as a supplement to the described method. Combined, the two should work as a tool for how to Love & Belonging Usability approach the IDD method. Safety Functionality
Physiological Maslow, A.
IDD Model
Jordan, P.
The model is available in a larger scale in Appendix 10.2. Motivation
Approach
Objective
Vision
Realization
Innovation Driven Method
Explore
Design Challenge
Ideating
Development
Context
Discover
Observe
Problem Statement
Generate
Ideation
Develop
Development
Implementation
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Problem Driven Method
Define
6. IDD workshop To verify if the developed method and model are comprehensible and are capable of serving as a useful tool in design practice, I hosted a workshop in collaboration with a fellow student, Carl-Ludvid Svensson. The aim of the workshop was to test the usefulness of the IDD method and model in practice. 12 first year industrial design bachelor students completed the workshop. Workshop Agenda: - Presentation: Explain different driving forces within product design. - Presentation: Explain the theory behind IDD. - Presentation: Present the developed method and model of IDD. - Workshop: Carry out an individual IDD project focusing on materials and come up with a concept of utilisation of the self-selected materials. Duration: 3 hours. - Student presentations: Pitch your process and concept. Duration: 2 minutes per student. - Open discussion: Discuss the relevance and need for this kind of methods as well as the specific method and model presented. By the end of the workshop, all the students had come up with different concepts of utilisation of their materials. In the three following sections, three concepts from the workshop is presented. All the concepts created by the students are available in Appendix 10.3.
Innovation Driven Design
15 Concept 1 In this concept, the student chose to work with a material consisting of coir fibers mixed with natural latex. The properties the student found to be unique and wanted to utilise for this material was its sensory properties, combined with the fact that it could be casted into various shapes and hardness. The final concept was to create “landscape mats“ for kids to interact and play with. The mats would be very tactile, both hard/soft, and playful.
Concept 2 In this concept, the student chose to work with a more well-known material, brass. The oxidation process of brass was found to be a unique property of this material. The oxidation process is the change of color over time due to surrounding conditions. The final concept was to create a brass label for food packaging. The label will oxidate over time and work as a more organic indicator of when food is turning bad or expiring.
Concept 3 In this concept, the student chose to work with ash wood. Two of the unique properties, he chose to carry on with and utilise, were its warm feeling and bright color. The final concept was an analog and ambient light source that the user can have in the home to enhance and distribute natural lighting inside the house.
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Innovation Driven Design
Workshop Results “The students thought it was an exciting workshop because they got concrete methods to actively work with materials in their design processes. They found the IDD method and model useful and would possibly use this in their future design work“. - Tobias Tøstesen, Teacher (Translated from Danish)
At the end of the workshop, all the students had created a vison of utilisation of their chosen material. They all came up with a concept based on the materials’ properties. The students’ feedback was mainly positive, and the general view was that the presented method/model had been helpful in pushing them to concepts that they might never had come up with on their own.
7. conclusion & discussion This study seeks to identify, analyse and categorize different driving forces within product design. Based on this, a meta-method of how to approach innovation driven design is developed. The purpose of the meta-metod is to work as a tool for designers to proactively work with IDD. The innovation driven design method is developed based on existing theories within design methods combined with personal empirical knowledge gained from six years of experience working within design practice. To verify if the final method and model is useful, I hosted a workshop for first year design bachelor students. The aim of the workshop was to test the innovation driven design method/model in practice and discuss the relevance and need for such a method. The outcome of the workshop was mainly positive. The general view among the students was that meta-method was capable of serving as a useful tool when approaching innovation driven design. Though the students approached the meta-method in different ways and with different intentions, the method still proved to be a useful tool. It should be noted that the workshop participants were first year students with little experience within design practice. Consequently, the students may not be fully able to refer and compare the meta-method to existing methods yet. Again, Rittel’s (1986) quote is relevant when evaluating the innovation driven design method developed in this study:
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“…There cannot exist anything like ‘the’ design method which smoothly and automatically resolves all difficulties. Those people who claim the existence of such a device postulate nothing less than the solution of all present and future problems of the world”
Innovation Driven Design
(Rittel, 1986, p. 371)
As this quote explains, any one method for solving all emerging problems cannot exist. It is important to keep in mind that the developed meta-method is a suggestion for an additional tool for designers to use and not a substitute for any existing methods.
Contemporary Relevance In a time of new sustainable materials, digital technologies and revolutionary production methods, we are constantly being presented for new visions for the future. The IDD method seeks to create a tool to methodically work with such suggestions. The intended outcome of the IDD process is a successful implementation of innovative sustainable products/solutions that make our daily lives easier, increase living standards and possibly replace less sustainable products/solutions. This study suggests a meta-method of how to approach innovation driven design. However, this study is limited due to the time frame and small sample size. The meta-method was only tested on 12 students. This is not representative. In order to generalize the findings of this study, further research needs to be done, and the meta-method must be tested on a larger scale. Nevertheless, in order to meet future environmental challenges, designers must approach design practice in new ways making the need for new design methods highly relevant.
Through this study, one question kept coming up; does people adjust to technology, or does it adjust to us? The answer is ambiguous. Sometimes technology pushes people to change, and sometimes people pushes technology to evolve. When it comes to the use of IDD methods in my personal design work, this study has not only helped me understanding the subject of IDD, it has also given me useful tools to work with IDD proactively in my own design projects. The method itself cannot be sustainable, but it can serve as a tool for designers who seek to create sustainable products through the use of the method. Then again, what is the definition of sustainability, and how can it be measured? One way objects can become more sustainable is by making a product that people value highly, causing them to take better care of it. As a result, people will keep the product for a longer time and maybe even create an emotional bond to it. So how does one create valuable products?
The Creation of Valuable Products Jordan (2000) has drawn an analogy from Maslow’s (1943) theory of human motivation to products and consumer needs. Maslow’s theory describes human needs and what motivates people in life. Jordan translates this model into what motivates consumers to buy products. Both theories believe that people will always strive to move up from basic needs such as physiological and functional needs to more pleasurable needs such as self-actualization. Based on Jordan’s theory, it is suggested that the most valuable products are created by fulfilling all of these different needs. I.e. the product must be both functional, usable and pleasurable at the highest level. So, if designers creates more desirable products that fulfills several needs, instead of just focusing on functionality, would that make consumer products more sustainable and environmentally friendly? (Combined model of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Jordan’s Hierarchy of consumer needs.)
Self-Actualization
Pleasure
Esteem Love & Belonging
Usability
Safety Functionality
Physiological Maslow, A.
Approach
Objective
Vision
Jordan, P.
Realization
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Innovation Driven Design
ation
8. reflection
9. bibliography - Books, articles, and texts.
Armstrong, H. (2011) “Participate: Designing with User-Generated Content” - Princeton Architectural Press, ISBN 978-1-61689-025-4 Broadbent, J. (2003) “Generations in Design Methodology” - The Design Journal, 6:1, 2-13. Bürdek, B. E. (2005) “History, Theory and Practice of Product Design” - Walter de Gruyter, ISBN: 978-37-643-7681-9. Jordan, P. (2000) “Designing Pleasurable Products: An Introduction to the New Human Factors.” - London: Taylor and Francis. Jussi, A. (2016) “On the Hierarchy of Product Needs” - Available at: http://jussiahola.com/ articles/2016/1/on-the-hierarchy-of-product-needs.html [accessed 25. January 2018]
Innovation Driven Design
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Karana, E., Barati, B., Rognoli, V., & Zeeuw van der Laan, A. (2015) “Material driven design (MDD): A method to design for material experiences.” - International Journal of Design, 9(2), 35-54. Lefteri, C. (2007) “Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design” - Laurence King Publishing Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-85669-749-1 (2nd edition). Maslow, A. H. (1943) “A Theory of Human Motivation” - Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396. Quick, M. (2012) “Stock Check” - BBC, available at: http://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/ BBCF_infoData_stock_check.pdf [accessed 27. January 2018]. Rittel, H. W. J. (1986) ”Some principles for the design of an educational system for design - part II (conclusion)” - Design methods and theories: journal of the DMG, 20 (1), 366-375. Roser, M. & Ortiz-Ospina, E. (2017) “World Population Growth” - ourworldindata.org, available at: https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth [accessed 27. January 2018].
Verganti, R. (2009) “Design-driven innovation: changing the rules of competition by radically innovating what things mean� - Harvard Business Press ISBN: 978-1-42212482-6.
- Visual Material.
Materia.nl Cocoform, Enkev - available at: https://materia.nl/material/cocoform/ [accessed 31. march 2018]. Ohmatex.dk E-textiles, Ohmatex/Viking - available at: https://www.ohmatex.dk/?project=viking-life-saving-equipment [accessed 31. march 2018].
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Innovation Driven Design
Methods
Material Driven Design Technology Driven Design Production Driven Design Ideology Driven Design Disruptive Design ...
Exploring materials, processes, technologies etc.
Market push, creating a demand.
User Centered Design Ergonomic Design Patecipatory Design Service Design Interaction Design ...
Observing problem, user etc.
Market pull, supplying a demand.
Market relation
Approach
Motivation
Context
Innovation Driven
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Problem Driven
Ideology, Demographics, Ethnographies..
Innovation Driven Design
10.1 categorization of metods & driving forces table
Problem Driven Method Observe
Discover
Explore
Innovation Driven Method
Innovation Driven Design
Context
Approach
Motivation
Problem Statement
Ideation
Generate
Ideating
Design Challenge
Define
Vision
Maslow, A.
Objective
Physiological
Safety
Love & Belonging
Esteem
Self-Actualization
Jordan, P.
Development
Develop
Development
Realization
Functionality
Usability
Pleasure
Implementation
10.2 IDD model
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10.3 IDD workshop outcome
Innovation Driven Design
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(In danish)