Design Management as core competency

Introduction: Changes in design activity are linked to changes in the environmental context
Designers have always been “actors of change “in society. Studying both the history of design
and the history of organizations demonstrates how the environment shapes simultaneously the
activities of designers and managers. Historical phases in organization theory follow the same
framework of design theories and design processes. There are no changes in design or in business
that are not derived from, or influenced by, changes -- whether social, technological or cultural.
Consequently, there is constantly a contradiction between the reality of the design activity
(through design projects classified under many design disciplines, namely ‘tangible design’, or “design
you can see”) and the definition of the design activity (that emphasizes design science, design ethics
and processes, design theory -- all intangible design attitude or ways of working, “design you can’t
see”).
As an example, see the present failure of “eco-design” which has not been sufficiently
powerful to change an economic system aimed at overconsumption. Few environmentally aware
designers find a way to follow their consciences whilst thriving economically. Most designers at a
professional level cannot follow their “Victor Papanek” consciences, and instead must apply their skills
to market forces. Designers should play a greater role in transforming society through more win-win
relations on broader, supra systems - but how
Managers and designers alike research changes in the world. From this research phase,
designers discover new trends in technology and culture, and new needs in and for human behavior,
which they embed in innovative cultural artifacts. Managers agree to develop these artifacts because
they see their coherence with their own research on the global context of change. Just as designers
are making new cultural routes tangible through their work, management are developing new strategic
routes according to the new challenges in the outside environment.
So what has changed What are the changes in our postmodern context that all decision
makers, including designers, have to face, andwhat are the challenges facing contemporary decision
makers in society What is their potential, and impact, for and on design
- Managing complexity: This requires applying “design thinking” as both a holistic view and as
“information design“; visualization skills are used to simplify complex environments, and to
build scenarios for system change.
- Globalization and innovation: Companies have to be international; design teams are used to
multicultural working environments, and creativity has no borders.
- Process-oriented companies: Companies have to be more human-centred, customerdriven,
and process-oriented; new information systems have to be invented for Customer
Experience Management. Designers have to take a wider view for “user oriented
2