Harold Nelson and Erik Stolterman suggest a different view, when they point
out that designers are leader since every design process leads the world
into a new reality. Conversely leaders are always designers as they, by
definition, lead people into new realities. ("The Design Way" p 298)
I also take Krippendorff's "The Semantic Turn" to suggest that design can be
viewed as a rather general human activity, not only confined to a certain
profession.
That leaders also work with the problem of coming up with things that "can
only be substantiated with future tests" was noted already by Niccolò
Machiavelli in “The Prince” from 1513:
"For he who innovates will have for enemies all those who are well off under
the existing order of things and only luke warm supporters in those who
might be better off under the new." (Machiavelli & Thompson, 1992 p 13)
Machiavelli goes on to say that part of this lukewarm temper arises from the
incredulity of mankind “who will never admit the merit of anything new,
until they have seen it proved by the event.” (ibid p 13)
I suppose that I am barking up the wrong tree, but felt a need to respond...
/Lars
Ps: sorry if I sound grumpy, but as I share my time inventing things,
writing a PhD while also serving on the boards of a number of corporations I
have to say the I have become awfully tired of designer-business
stereotypes...
**************************************
Lars Albinsson
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+ 46 (0) 70 592 70 45
Affiliations:
Maestro Management AB www.maestro.se
Calistoga Springs Research Institute www.calistoga.se
School of Business and Informatics
University College of Borås www.hb.se
**************************************
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Från: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhD studies and related
research in Design [mailto:[log in to unmask]] För John Stevens
Skickat: den 29 augusti 2007 10:54
Till: [log in to unmask]
Ämne: Designers are from Venus, managers are from Mars
Dear all,
I like Roger Martin's description of designers as validity-oriented,
compared with business managers & leaders who are more reliability-
oriented [<http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/sep2005/
id20050929_872877.htm>]. Designers' output, he says, aims to meet an
objective which can only be substantiated with future tests, whereas
typical managers and business leaders prefer to work with (and
demand) reliability – the production of consistent, replicable outcomes.
General as they are, his terms seem to make sense to me, but I can't
help thinking this must be well-trodden ground in design research. Is
this so? I'd like to collate a list of similar design-versus-business
stereotypes from literature, and would appreciate any suggestions.
Best wishes from sunny Cambridge.
--
John Stevens
Doctoral candidate
Institute for Manufacturing
Cambridge University, England.
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