Charles L. Owen
Design Thinking.
Sponsored by:
ICSID; ICOGRADA; IFI; and, from the Republic of Korea:
Government Information Agency; Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade; Ministry of National Defense; Ministry of
Government Administration and Home Affairs; Ministry of
Culture and Tourism; Ministry of Commerce, Industry and
Energy; Ministry of Information and Communication;
Ministry of Construction and Transportation; Korea Customs
Service; The Korean Culture and Arts Foundation; Korea
Institute of Design Promotions; Korea Foundation of Design
Associations; and the Korea Society of Design Studies.
Abstract
This paper is a keynote speech Problems induced by continuing population growth and its pres-
given October 21 at the Life sure on resources and environment have reached a stage where
and Design in the Future serious concern must be given to the processes of decision making
Conference held at the Gwang- being used by governmental and institutional leaders. Science
ju Design Biennale 2005 in thinking is frequently unheard or unheeded and design thinking is
Gwangju City, Korea. Figures not engaged at all.
are the slides from the presen- Design thinking, as a complement to science thinking, em-
tation. bodies a wide range of creative characteristics as well as a number
of other special qualities of distinct value to decision makers. In
advisory roles, properly prepared design professionals could make
substantial contributions to a process now dominated by political
and economic views. This paper examines the nature of design
thinking as it differs from other ways of thinking. A model for
comparing fields is introduced and a number of characteristics of
creative individuals in general and designers in particular are pre-
sented.
Preparing designers for participation in policy planning will be
a challenge for design education. Meeting the challenge will
require new understanding, an extended range of design tools, and
concerted support from the design professions to demonstrate the
value of design thinking to decision making at the highest levels.
Introduction
2005 Less
1950 2050: 8 6.46 billion
developed
countries
world population rises 6
1800
1850
1900
1950
2000
2050
2100
2150
Induced Problems
Resources Depletion
Food, water and Population and Arable Land in Developing Countries
Growth of population Arable land per capita 100
State of Major World Fisheries
Fixed amount of
0.20
0.20
4.40 0.18 40
4.02
4
0.15 30
3.25
0.12
20
arable land
2.62
0.10
2
2.10 10
0.05 0
1951 1956 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991
0 0.00
Undeveloped Fully developed
1961
1970
1980
1990
1995
2050
1961
1970
1980
1990
1995
2050
2005 2005
Developing Declining
Greater pressure on
Actual Projected
global fisheries
Resources of fresh
2005
Petroleum produc-
>=1.0
No Discharge
Major River Basins
tion peaking
Sources: (upper left) UNFPA/FAO Population Reports; (upper right) adapted from BBC diagram
(Grainger and Garcia FAO Technical Paper 359); (lower left) World Resources Institute 2000;
(lower right) M. King Hubbert and The Oil Depletion Resource Page
Induced Problems
Global Warming
Climate and weather
patterns altering
Sustained Droughts
Intense Localized
Precipitation Projected Changes in Sea Ice
Average Extent of
September Sea Ice
GLOBAL THREAT
SEA ICE
Sources: (upper left) Naples Florida Daily News USA; (upper right) Tomasz Cholewo, Kentucky USA;
(lower left) Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), Reuters, November 9, 2004;
(lower right) Typhoon Imbudo, S. China Sea, July 23, 2003, NASA, Marshall Space Center
Emerging Technologies
Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology http://www.id.iit.edu
Autocatalyzed Development
Sophisticated tools for
action at fundamental
levels
again from its present 6.46 billionwith all that facts to discover patterns and insights, the de-
means for our dwindling resources. Coupled with signer invents new patterns and concepts to
that, it is at last clear that global warming is fact, address facts and possibilities. In a world with
and its growing control over Earths climate and growing problems that desperately need under-
weather systems will unpredictably complicate standing and insight, there is also great need for
problems already made serious by population ideas that can blend that understanding and
pressures (Figures 2 and 3). insight in creative new solutions. Implicit in this
The road ahead indeed seems dark, but there notion is the belief that design thinking can
is hope. A profusion of new technologies is make special, valuable contributions to decision
emerging, many with potential to alleviate or making. In this paper, I will explore the nature
even eliminate the problems induced by popula- of that kind of thinking, its value, and the differ-
tion growth. As Jared Diamond points out1, tech- ences between design thinking and other ways of
nologically complex societies autocatalyze thinking.
technological growth, and the resulting develop-
ment accelerates over time. We are, in effect, un-
intentionally creating the highly sophisticated Finders, Makers and Applied Creativity
tools (Figure 4) that may prevent the destruction
initiated with earlier created tools. A sensitive observer might notice an interesting
thing about creative people. They tend to work
in two different ways (Figure 6).
Policy Planning Those who work in the first way, might best
Decision Making with Advice
be called "finders". They exercise their creativity
Decision makers act
on advice through discovery. Finders are driven to under-
Multiple Sources: stand, to find explanations for phenomena not
Staff associates
Staff assistants well understood. In professional life, they usually
Strategic advisors Decision
Specialist experts Maker become scientists or scholars and are responsible
Concerned parties
Consultants for much of our progress in understanding our-
Lobbyists
. selves and our surroundings.
.
Oriented toward
ests of all, and when critical factors include Synthesis
Domain
Design thinking is in many ways the obverse and are responsible for the built environment
21,
October
of scientific thinking. Where the scientist sifts in which we live and work.
6 Charles L. Owen Design Thinking. What It Is. Why It Is Different. Where It Has New Value.
Differences Differences
Map of Fields Map of Fields
Context and process Symbolic Sampling of fields Symbolic
differentiate fields shows differentiation
Analytic Synthetic Analytic Synthetic
Symbolic Symbolic Symbolic Symbolic
Context: Content:
LawArt
symbolic vs real symbolic vs real Science
Process: Analytic Synthetic
Process: Analytic Synthetic
Real Real
Figure 7 Map of Fields: Context and Process Differentiate Fields Figure 8 Differences: Discrimination among Fields
tion, communicate and live together. Fields in process scale, still more synthetic than analytic,
the lower half are concerned with the real world but very much involved with interpretation of the
and the artifacts and systems necessary for man- human condition.
aging the physical environment. Design in this mapping is highly synthetic
A sampling of fields illustrates how the map and strongly concerned with real world subject
differentiates (Figure 8). The five chosen are matter. Because disciplines of design deal with
highly recognizable with well defined disciplines communications and symbolism, design has a
and well understood differences. Every field has symbolic component, and because design re-
component elements in each of the four quad- quires analysis to perform synthesis, there is an
rants. What distinguishes one field from another analytic componentbut design is a field rela-
is the degree to which a field positions its tively specialized, and specialized nearly oppo-
"center of gravity" away from the center into the sitely to science.
quadrants and the direction that positioning For almost any field, a case can be made for
takes. In Figure 8, fields close to the center are movement to the left or right based on the
Charles L. Owen Design Thinking. What It Is. Why It Is Different. Where It Has New Value. 7
variety of detailed interests the field subsumes. tecture in this century has moved up and down
Positioning is very subjective, but absolute posi- on the map as various movements have shifted
tioning is not what is important in this kind of the disciplines focus of interest between sym-
mapping. Relative positioning is. It provides a bolic and functional goals.
means for comparing multi-field relationships A fields choice of subject matter and proce-
with regard to the two important dimensions of dure distinguishes it from others. Design, as a
content and process. field, clearly occupies a special place on the
map, more complementary to science than any
other field in that, coupled with science, it fills
Differences out the space most completely (Figure 10). The
Map of Fields
source of the complementation lies in deeply
Mechanical Symbolic
Engineering
Analytic Synthetic
rooted differences in ways of thinking. To under-
stand the differences, it is useful to look at how
Symbolic Symbolic
Decomposition:
separated disciplines
with sharpened Analytic
Engineering
Science
Mechanical Synthetic
knowledge is built and used in a field.
specialization Engineering
Engineering
Design
Composition:
merged discipline
Differences
Analytic Synthetic
Real Real
with leveled
generalization Real
Complementary Fields
Design and Science Symbolic
are strongly
Figure 9 Hierarchy: Fields Decompose to Disciplines/Subdisciplines complementary Analytic
Symbolic
Synthetic
Symbolic
Fields, of course, are just the tops of hierarchies, Design: Medicine Design
Synthetic/Real
and the hierarchical nature of their subject matter Analytic
Real
Synthetic
Real
Together, they well
opens a door to the examination of relationships cover areas of decision Real
making concern
among elements at finer levels of detail (Figure
9). Mechanical engineering, a subject at the dis-
Figure 10 Differences: Design and Science are Complementary
cipline level, is nicely centered between the ana-
lytic and synthetic domains, but that is only true
when it is considered as a whole. Engineering
science, one of its sub-disciplines, would be Foundations
located much farther to the left; engineering In any field, knowledge is generated and accu-
design would be on the right. Decomposing mulated through action: the model is doing
mathematics produces, among other subspecial- something and evaluating the results. In Figure
ties, applied mathematics, which is concerned 11, the process is shown as a cycle in which
more generally with the real domain than is knowledge is used to produce works, and works
mathematics, the parent discipline. The complex- are evaluated to build knowledge. Knowledge
ity of most fields affords opportunities for such using and knowledge building are both structured
leveling and sharpening through hierarchical ex- processes controlled by channels that contain and
amination. Composition is a leveling process, direct the production and evaluation processes.
lessening distinctions and moving more inclusive
concepts, such as fields, toward the center of the
map; decomposition is a sharpening process, re-
Foundations
Knowledge Building and Using
vealing differences and dispersing more tightly
Knowledge is gener-
defined disciplines and sub-disciplines into the ated and accumulated knowledge building process
through action
quadrants. Channel
Doing something:
Movements of fields and disciplines through using knowledge to Knowledge paradigm Works
create works
time and culture can also be tracked. Through
Judging results:
much of the last two thousand years, for evaluating works to
Channel
These channels are the systems of conventions against which procedures at an operational level
and rules under which a field and its disciplines can be tested.
operate. They embody the values and integrate The third and fourth layers of the model take
the principles and measures that have evolved as values into the domain of action. The third layer,
"ways of doing and knowing" as the field has still relatively abstract, is concerned with the in-
matured. They may borrow from or emulate terpretation of values into measures that guide
aspects of other fields channels, but over time, the creation of instruments to manage the pro-
they become custom tailored to a field as pro- cesses of knowledge using and building. Meas-
ducts of its evolution. ures are conveniently conceptualized as scales.
The general model can be extended to one Because they include expressions for the descrip-
that reflects the dual nature of fields and disci- tion of quality at high and low ends, and can
plines suggested by the analytic/synthetic dimen- have intermediate descriptions as well, they form
sion of the Map of Fields. In Figure 12, this is an ideal bridge from single-word notions of
done with an addition of realms of theory and value to evaluative dimensions. Most typically,
practice within which paradigms of inquiry and measurement scales are bipolar with a "good"
practice operate3. side and a "bad" side (e.g., true/false, right/
wrong, works/doesnt work, etc.), but they need
not be. Triangular and higher dimension scales
Foundations (essentially maps) also work, but are less readily
Knowledge Building and Using
applied. Further, scales need not be continuous
The dual nature of
knowledge building Analytic Synthetic or even multi-stepped. True/false is perfectly
and using kn
valid as a binary yes/no proposition. And they
g
in ow
i ld led
e bu knowledge me ge b
s
Knowledge is dg re as u
e
need not be linear; whether steps are uniform or
u ur ild
wl as ap es in
generated kn
o me iry pa p l i c g
q u gm ra a t
by inquiry i n radi di i o n
gm
and application
pa
inc
pr dge
s
iple usin
g kno pr
wl cip
ed les
ge
in
progressively larger or smaller is not at issue
proposal e work
the issue is resolution in the measurement of
wl us
Realms of theory kn
o in
g
and practice are
seldom balanced
Realm of Theory
Finding Discovery
Realm of Practice
Invention Making value.
in a field
Works/
Doesnt Work
Design Form Cultural Fit
incorrect. These values (and Appropriateness
Effectiveness
Fits/Doesnt Fit
Elegant/Inelegant
Better/Worse
others) find expression in Sustainable/
Unsustainable/
me
led
ge
bu
led sure ap as
ure ild
knowledge
kn
ow
me
led
ge
bu
Fresh/Stale wl
ed
as
ure ap as
ure ild
Wrong, Complete/Incomplete,
Realm of Theory Realm of Practice
Works/
Doesnt Work
Design Form Cultural Fit
Appropriate/Inappropriate and Appropriateness
Effectiveness
Fits/Doesnt Fit
Elegant/Inelegant
Better/Worse
Fair/Unfair draw out the evalu- Sustainable/
Unsustainable/
From all this, it is easier to see why a combi- Questioning attitude. An inquisitiveness,
nation of science thinking and design thinking is probably imprinted in early home training that
better than either alone as a source of advice. encourages seeking new and original answers.
Either is valuable, but together they bring the Broad education. An approach to learning
best of skeptical inquiry into balance with imagi- instilled from a liberal education that puts a
native application. Both are well served by cre- premium on questions rather than answers and
ative thinking. In preparation for a wider rewards curiosity rather than rote learning and
consideration of design thinking, therefore, it is conformity.
time to look at the general characteristics of the Asymmetrical thinking. The ability to find
creative thinker. an original kind of order in disorder as opposed
to symmetrical thinking that balances everything
out in some logical way. "The creative personali-
ty is unique in that during the initial stages he
Charles L. Owen Design Thinking. What It Is. Why It Is Different. Where It Has New Value. 11
of their own insides, of their own impulses, emo- Tolerance for ambiguity
4
tions, thoughts". Abraham Maslow
Sustained curiosity. A capacity for childlike Figure 18 Creative Characteristics: Arieti
ness of those who worked before, the element of Bias for adaptivity
Predisposition toward multifunctionality
luck involved with achievement, and the relative
unimportance of past achievements in compari-
Figure 20 Design Thinking: Observed Characteristics
son with a focus on future projects; pride in the
self-assurance associated with accomplishment.
Masculinity and femininity. Psychological
androgyny enabling the best traits of bold, assert-
ive masculinity to be combined with the best
Design Thinking
Characteristics
traits of sensitive, aware femininity.
Observations from design education, research and practice
Traditional conservatism and rebellious
Systemic vision
iconoclasm. Being able to understand and appre-
Generalist view
ciate a cultural domain and its rules, while at the Ability to use language as a tool
same time being willing to take risks to break Affinity for team work
with its traditions. Facility for avoiding the necessity for choice
Passion and objectivity. Passion in the at- Self-governing practicality
Ability to work systematically with qualitative information
tachment and dedication to the cause or work;
objectivity in the ability to stand apart, detached,
Figure 21 Design Thinking: Observed Characteristics
to evaluate quality impartially.
Suffering and enjoyment. The heightened
highs and lows that come with intense involve- Conditioned inventiveness. Creative think-
ment and sensitivity, both to observed quality ing for designers is directed toward inventing.
Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology http://www.id.iit.edu
Design, on the other hand, is client-directed. with White House officials. All six science pro-
Design thinking must continually consider how posals were serious proposals for macro-
what is being created will respond to the clients engineering projects. Five of the six proposed
needs. single-minded means for relieving global
Environment-centered concern. In recent warmingat considerable cost, and with no ad-
years, design thinking has acquired a second, ditional benefits. The sixth, as an extension of a
omnipresent and meta-level client: the environ- technology already used for increasing natural
ment. Present-day thinking puts environmental gas production, had that benefit, but no other. In
interests at a level with human interests as contrast, the three macro design projects (Figure
primary constraints on the design process. Sus- 23) proposed in the Institute of Designs prize
tainable design is one very noticeable result, The winning Project Phoenix (also reported in
ultimate value of human- and environment- Popular Science 14 years earlier) all had major
centeredness is a guarantee that the best interests economic benefits in addition to their global
of humankind and environment will be consid- warming benefits8. Design thinking keeps the big
ered in any project. picture in mind while focusing on specifics.
Ability to visualize. All designers work vi-
sually. Designers can visualize ideas in a range
of media, bringing a common view to concepts
Science Thinking
Single Function Focus
otherwise imagined uniquely by everyone in a
POPULAR
Science proposals
discussion. Designers can reveal the whole ele-
sc ence
Filter CO from the air
phant that the blind men can only partially and
2
6
giant screens to scatter
Technologies
Store CO underground
2 to Halt Global
to recognize this and to establish optimistic and Warming
AUGUST 2005
Kelp beds
Mollusc farms
problems with the view that, where possible, so- Source: http//:www.id.iit.edu/profile/gallery/project_phoenix/
technologies to stop global warming (Figure 22). procedures, policies, organizational concepts and
21,
October
The story reported proposals made by the whatever else is necessary to create a holistic so-
science community at a special invited meeting lution.
14 Charles L. Owen Design Thinking. What It Is. Why It Is Different. Where It Has New Value.
View of the Generalist. Common wisdom paradox (exactly what you cannot do, as pointed
today holds that the trend of expertise is to out in the old English proverb). The optimistic,
greater and greater specialization and, therefore, adaptive designer, however, searches the compet-
success will come more readily to those who ing alternatives for their essential characteristics
choose to specialize early and plan their training and finds ways to reformulate them in a new
accordingly. Design thinking, to the contrary, is configuration. When this process is successful,
highly generalist in preparation and execution. In the result is a solution that avoids the decision
a world of specialists, there is real need for those and combines the best of both possible choices.
who can reach across disciplines to communicate Self-governing practicality. Design is a
and who can bring diverse experts together in field in which inventiveness is prized. In very
coordinated effort. For inventive creativity, the few fields is there the freedom to dream expect-
wider the reach of the knowledge base, the more ed in design. The best design thinkers understand
likely the creative inspiration. A designer is a this and learn to govern flights of fantasy with a
specialist in the process of design, but a general- latent sense of the practical. The flight is to the
ist in as wide a range of content as possible. outer reaches of what can be conceived; the
Ability to use language as a tool. Language tether is to ways that the conceivable might be
is usually thought of as means for communica- realized. This is embedded in a style of thinking
tion. For design thinking, it is also a tool. Visual that explores freely in the foreground, while
language is used diagrammatically to abstract maintaining in the background a realistic apprais-
concepts, reveal and explain patterns, and simpli- al of costs that can be met and functionality that
fy complex phenomena to their fundamental es- can be effected.
sences. Mathematical language is used to explore Ability to work systematically with qualita-
"what if" questions where feasibility may be es- tive information. As design research has matured
tablished by approximationby calculations not and design methodology progressed, design pro-
exact, but close enough to support an idea or cesses with component methods and tools have
change a line of reasoning. Verbal language is been developed and refined. As one such
used in description where explanation goes hand process, Structured Planning9 contains a tool-kit
in hand with the creative process, forcing inven- of methods for a complete range of planning
tion where detail is lacking and expressing rela- tasks covering ways to find information, gain in-
tionships not obvious visually. sights from it, organize it optimally for concep-
Affinity for teamwork. Because designers tualization, evaluate results and communicate a
work for clients, it is natural that good interper- plan to the public and follow-on teams in the de-
sonal skills become part of the professional set velopment process. Methods such as this are
of tools they develop. An additional impetus qualitative information handling techniques ap-
toward teamwork has been a movement in the plicable to many kinds of conceptual problems
professions over the last forty years toward where complex, system solutions are desirable.
team-based design, spurred by developments in They are also usable by anyone working on a
industry. Design thinking today is highly influ- planning team, enabling systematic aspects of
enced by this, and designers routinely work design thinking to be made accessible to all.
Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology http://www.id.iit.edu
skills and nuances of design thinking, and a pre- entry or during the period of education. Experi-
disposition to do so exists on the part of students ence can be built up through internships within
because they have chosen to become designers. the program, and varying degrees of foundation
For some of the characteristics, though, particu- education can be offered as additional required
larly those that have developed more recently, studies for deficient candidates who otherwise
tacit assimilation is not enough, and more pro- would be highly qualified.
gressive schools can be expected to institute
formal courses to teach them.
We can expect problems to appear, moreover,
Design Education
A Program for Policy Design Synthesis
when the context is changed. Teaching design
Factors to be considered
thinking, formally or tacitly, is one thing when
How long should the program be? One year? Two years?
the context is a traditional design career in in- Three years?
dustry or a consulting office. It will be quite Who are the best candidates for the program? Should
candidates be recruited from institutions and govern-
another when the context is institutional or gov- ment?
ernmental policy planning. And our problem is What levels of experience and schooling should be
required for entrance to the program?
just that: to train a new kind of student for that
new context. To train students for roles as policy
design synthesis advisors, it will be necessary to
Figure 24 Education for Policy Design Synthesis: Considerations
create a new kind of design program.
Some of the factors (Figures 24 and 25) that
will need to be considered are:
How long should the program be? Can it
be taught in one, two or three years? Should it
Design Education
A Program for Policy Design Synthesis
be full-time or part-timeor either?
Factors to be considered
It is unlikely that a long program will be ac-
What is the ideal mix of design tools and thinking with
ceptable. Just as business schools have crafted tools and thinking from other fields to best prepare
students for their working environment?
one and two year programs for executives
What mix of academic and internship experience should
seeking MBA degrees, a program for policy be planned?
design synthesis will in all likelihood have to be How should successful completion of the program be
judged?
relatively condensed and, perhaps, packaged in
unusual time blocks and delivery means accessi-
ble to potential students already working in
Figure 25 Education for Policy Design Synthesis: Considerations
design or planning fields.
Who are the best candidates for the
program? Should candidates be recruited from What is the ideal mix of design tools and
institutional/governmental positions? Should ex- thinking and tools and thinking from other fields
perienced senior designers be recruited? to best prepare students for their working envi-
It is not clear yet whether planners turned ronment? What tools from the available design
design thinkers or designers turned planning inventory are suitable? What modifications
Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology http://www.id.iit.edu
practitioners would be better. The correlated should be sought? What tools from other fields
question whether senior designers or policy staff could be refined for this new use? What wholly
members would benefit more than young profes- new tools would be desirable?
sionals in either field is also open. Perhaps, anal- Design research will have some new fields to
ogous programs for policy planning will be probe. Tools will have to cover at least three
instructive. sectors of policy design synthesis. First, tools for
What levels of experience and schooling design advisors to work with other planning ad-
should be required for entrance to the program? visors. These will probably be information han-
Must candidates have one or more design dling tools, much like Structured Planning,
degrees? What kind of experience is valuable? where all can work together under guidance by
Should special experience be required? someone trained in using the tools. Second, tools
2005
Some level of experience will almost certain- for design advisors to work for other planning
21,
October
ly be necessary and training in both design and advisors. These will be tools that require more
planning must be undertaken, either prior to design expertise, but whose use is for crystalliz-
16 Charles L. Owen Design Thinking. What It Is. Why It Is Different. Where It Has New Value.
ing concepts visually for the planning group. problems. For that, our design research institu-
Third, tools for design advisors to work away tions and university programs can lead the way.
from other planning advisors. These will proba- The problem is greater than the capabilities
bly be tools for specialized design simulation of any single university. Cooperation will be
and modeling work whose results will be impor- essentialto convince leaders, to create tools,
tant for the planning process, but whose work- and to train students in numbers significant to
ings require more specialized knowledge and have impactwhile there is still time.
time use than is reasonable for team members
working directly on the planning problem.
What mix of academic and internship expe- Summary and Conclusions
rience should be planned? What form should the
educational process take? Should elements of the The problems induced by a growing population
program be on-site at an institutional location? are becoming major with virtual certainty that
Packaging of the program will be crucial to their number and seriousness will increase
its success. If it achieves a high level of atten- (Figure 26). Global warming, as one of the latest
tion at executive levels, many otherwise highly manifestations, adds levels of complication and
effective, but costly, forms of education may uncertainty almost impossible to anticipate. Deci-
become possible. Very low student-to-teacher sion making at the policy level must avail itself
ratios complemented with learning settings opti- of the best advice it can find to at once confront
mally suited to the education process are an disasters on increasingly grander scales, and
example. The mix of experiences and forms of benefit from the emergence of extremely power-
involvement should be planned for maximum ful new technologies.
effect in minimum time to appeal to a potential
student population (and clients desiring to hire
them) in position to expectand sponsorthe
Summary & Conclusions
An Opportunity
best.
Design thinking has new value
How should successful completion of the Problems and Opportunities are Becoming Formidable
program be judged? Course completion? Thesis Miracle technologies will contend with population-induced disasters
The Best Advice of Science and Design Must Be Heard
or dissertation? License? Should examiners Science excels in analysis; design excels in synthesis
include internship advisors from relevant institu- Design Thinking is Different
Design thinking is well matched to real-world problems
tion? Its characteristics make it ideally complementary to science
The opportunity may be here for new forms Programs for Policy Design Synthesis Should Be Initiated
New content, processes and ways of working must be evolved
of evaluation. Design thinking is almost never Institutional and governmental clients must be found and convinced
onstration of proficiency that could take a range ways to proceed, design thinking must receive
of possible forms might be an answer. Such a equal attention. Among the many kinds of advice
demonstration could involve other students and available, the creative voices of discovery and
have evaluators from both the university and the invention as embodied in the insights of scien-
institution where the student is serving his or her tists and the ideas of designers are critical.
internship. Design thinking, less well known than
The task of creating a Policy Design Synthe- science thinking, has characteristics of great
sis program will be difficult. Governmental and value to teams dealing with complex, ill-formed
institutional organizations must be convinced that problems. Together, the characteristics of design
policy design synthesis is a valuable addition to and science thinking form a set of complementa-
the advisory skills they rely upon. For that, our ry thought processes able to add considerable
professional design societies can carry the cam- strength to the advisory task.
paign. New tools will have to be created to bring Providing design thinking in an advisory ca-
the skills of design thinking to bear on policy pacity to governmental and institutional leaders
Charles L. Owen Design Thinking. What It Is. Why It Is Different. Where It Has New Value. 17
will require an evolution in design education, 19, No. 1 (January 1998): 9-20. This paper is
design research and design professional activi- also available at www.id.iit.edu.
ties. For design education, new programs must 4. Fabun, Don, ed. You and Creativity.
be designed that bring the best of design think- Kaiser Aluminum News 25, No. 3 1968.
ing into the new context of policy planning. New 5. Arieti, Silvano. Creativity. The Magic
content will be necessary; new processes must be Synthesis. New York: Basic Books, 1976. Arieti
developed and taught; and new ways of working collects characteristics from the work of a
will have to be learned. It will be worth doing. number of researchers in chapter 15.
6. Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Creativity.
Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and In-
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tys Mother. The evolution of technology, Dont. Popular Science 267, No. 2 (August
Diamond gives a vivid analysis of how techno- 2005): 52-58.
logical capability has appeared in our and other 8. DiChristina, Mariette. Reversing the
societies and why its growth is nonlinear and Greenhouse. Popular Science 239, No. 2
autocatalyzed. (August 1991): 78-80. Also: Editors of Popular
2. Owen, Charles L. Responsible Design. Science. Fourth Annual Best of Whats New. The
Achieving Living Excellence: Implications, Warn- Years 100 Greatest Achievements in Science
ings and a Call to Action. In eDesign2004. Pro- and Technology. Popular Science 239, No. 6
ceedings of the International Conference on (December 1991): 53-83. Project Phoenix was
Environmental Design for Living Excellence: named Grand Winner in the Environmental
Contemporary Issues and Solutions. Shah Technology category, one of 10 Grand awards
Alam, Selangor, Malaysia: Universiti Teknologi given. Versions of the original reports, Project
MARA, 2004; and Owen, Charles L. Societal Phoenix: Fire Replaced and Project Phoenix:
Responsibilities. Growing the Role of Design. In Fire Reversed were reissued in 2004 with full-
Proceedings of the International Conference color illustrations at www.id.iit.edu/profile/
on Planning and Design. Creativity, Interac- gallery/project_phoenix/.
tion and Sustainable Development. Tainan, 9. Owen, Charles L. Design, Advanced
Taiwan: National Cheng Kung University, 2005. Planning and Product Development. This
Both papers are viewable as pdf documents at general explanation along with several other
http//:www.id.iit.edu. papers on the Structured Planning process and a
3. Owen, Charles L. Design Research: Build- number of project reports and presentations can
ing the Knowledge Base. Design Studies. [UK] be seen on the web site www.id.iit.edu.
Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology http://www.id.iit.edu
2005
21,
October