> --On Saturday, January 8, 2005 3:52 PM +0100 Ken Friedman
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I have two particular questions --
>
> 1) What research topics are you pursuing ?
>
> 2) What kinds of methods are you using ?
Dear all,
Many thanks to Dick and Ken for initiating this round of contributions directly from doctoral student. I just learned that writing my dissertation is one thing (difficult enough, I might add) but that to talk about it is something quite different and not any less challenging…
Here is my response to the two questions posed:
My research concerns the problem of organizations and change. I am exploring the role of design within the organization, specifically, how and under what circumstances human-centered product development can change an organization internally. I see my work as part of a bigger trend of adding design thinking and design methods to a manager’s repertoire. Eventually, I hope that my work will lead to new practices, new skills, and new strategies both in management and design.
My method involves several steps. I am identifying four vectors along which organizations can change. Then I trace organizational changes through design driven product development in three different organizations, looking at these vectors of change.
My work is informed by design theory and previous work on product development. I am also using concepts from organizational theory and systems theory.
Sabine Junginger, PhD Candidate in Design, Carnegie Mellon University
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