Why are Design Tools Trendy? And what does this mean for the field of Design?
A 2021 Analysis of Tools, Methods, and Trends in Design
Recently there has been a proliferation of design toolkits, tools, methods, and more generally, design resources made available to all. Organizations, design studios, companies, universities, and other institutions have been making public different ways to help people learn and explore design through sharing tools, methods, and other resources. During my work at the Center for Design in 2021, I immersed myself in an adventure — trying to find and collect these design resources in a repository. This also led to a bunch of conversations with different designers, practitioners, and thought-leaders.
We have built a “Design Resources” collection (still in-progress) to support designers and the general public to easily find and access information and design materials, and to use them accordingly. To cite a couple of my favorite designers and thought-leaders, Pangaro and Dubberly are big believers that we as designers, should always think about providing people with more choices and alternatives, creating conditions in which others can design (Dubberly & Pangaro, 2019). More recently, Paul Pangaro talked about the importance of designing toolkits to enhance the design practice by providing frameworks and models, best practices, terminology, and samples (Pangaro, 2021). In addition, following a metadesign approach (which I am also a practitioner of) of enabling others to choose, design, and act; this post intends to share the work we are doing aiming at re-framing and re-shaping this repository making it more useful and accessible for all.
This work has also sparked discussions around the different ways in which people understand, categorize, and utilize these available resources, bringing to light research ideas and opportunities. Here, I share higher-level findings from the analysis of this ongoing collection.
Summary of findings: Tools, Toolkits, Methods, Reports, and more
Good visuals are important.
The websites we have found present tools in an engaging manner, with good visual and engaging elements.
Tools and methods provide guidance for people to follow through and perform certain tasks and processes.
There is a thin line between tools, toolkits, and methods (though they are conceptually and technically different, I share some definitions below) they both provide the means for people to apply them in different contexts to achieve a certain goal. However, there are very specific distinctions about both that we try to incorporate within our repository:
Tools are defined as (Tool | Definition of Tool by Merriam-Webster):
- a handheld device that aids in accomplishing a task
- something (such as an instrument or apparatus) used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a vocation or profession
- a means to an end
Whereas methods are defined as (Method | Definition of Method by Merriam-Webster):
- a procedure for attaining an object
- a way, technique, or process of or for doing something
Tools specifically relate to certain design fields.
Some of the most explored relate to human-centered design and design thinking, service design, data visualization, UX and UI, and social impact and civic engagement, to cite some.
Tools boost remote collaboration.
Tools and online platforms are being designed to help people boost collaboration among remote team members — e.g., Miro, MURAL.
Websites, but also downloadable PDFs.
Toolkits are directly explained and showcased on websites, but most of them also have downloadable worksheets and other documents. In addition, some sites provide downloadable toolkits and templates for people to use and practice, e.g. Customer Journey Map Template or Tools for environment-centered designers: Actant Mapping Canvas, Prototype Mapping, Ecosystem Mapping, Frame Your Design Challenge, among others.
Audio-visual tools are trendy.
Organizations are using podcasts and videos to communicate with the audience in addition to PDFs and visual materials on their websites. Furthermore, there is an explosion of different kinds of webinars and online recordings of different talks, presentations, and lectures (Vimeo, Youtube).
Some trendy topics: systemic design and design for social impact.
Topics that seem to be relevant are systemic design, systems thinking, design for change or design for social impact, civic design — though the way in which they are named and presented varies depending on the different organizations.
Case studies, insights, and reports to showcase design work.
Organizations upload case studies and reports as ways to demonstrate their work and generate brand value and positioning. Case studies and reports are also a way to demonstrate the application of toolkits and methods. In some cases, case studies are being presented as “proof of concept” for certain tools and methods. In addition, some organizations showcase and sell books, while others provide as mentioned, downloadable PDFs.
There is a need to showcase work through articles and blog posts internally and externally.
Most organizations are also connecting with a broader network of stakeholders and publishing their work through articles in different media — e.g. Medium — in addition to their own websites and social media channels.
Courses and webinars.
Courses seem to be another way to engage with the public… most of them have a cost, though some are free and tend to be shorter in format, like talks or webinars.
To summarize this section then, tools, toolkits, videos, tutorials, courses, podcasts, written documentation (Medium-like posts/blogs), case studies, books, and reports seem to be trending in organizations, design studios, and beyond as part of their service and added value, and as a way of showcasing their design research and work to their audiences.
What Topics/Themes seem to be trendy?
After analyzing several sites, I categorized and clustered topics as follow:
- Rethinking Design Thinking: adapting the methodology to diverse users
- Inclusive Design | Ethical Design | Social Impact | Design for Equity | Civic Design
- Strategic Futures | Strategic Foresight | Design Futures | Future’s Thinking
- Designing holistic experiences: Experience Design | Systems Thinking/Design | Service Design | Product-Service Ecologies
- Participatory Design | Co-Design
- Conversational Models for Interaction | Design for Conversation | Interaction Design
- Information Design and Data Visualization
- AI | AR/VR | Big Data | Crowdsourcing | New Technologies
- Sonic User Experience Design
How is this re-shaping the field of design?
Trend of trends
If organizations and design labs are making all these tools and methods easily available for individuals, how is this re-shaping the field of design? A potential way of thinking about this, as we mentioned previously, has to do with an approach to design as metadesign. It also seems to point to the need for multidisciplinary collaboration for tackling current and future complex problems.
Here are some other ideas that shed light on this trend-of-trends:
Metadesign, Systemic Design and Systems Thinking for Design (Buchanan, 2019). This is also being enhanced by other subtrends: a more open and democratized design and design process, diversity and inclusion — making tools and methods available for all, the need for more co-design and participatory design practices — inviting different stakeholders and providing them with tools as we all seek to address wicked problems.
Design for Social Impact and Social Innovation, addressing challenging wicked issues in our society, e.g., Impact and IMPACT, Civic Service Design Tools + Tactics, among others.
Ethics as a key component of design, for humans, non-humans, and the environment, including sustainable design, service design, and product ecologies.
Futures Thinking as a practice of designing the future and for the future in which we all want to live in, preventing negative outcomes of our own doing.
New Technologies. Embracing and learning new technologies and digital and analog tools is key for designers. This will allow us to understand possible future negative impacts — e.g. Rethinking AI is key (Distro4.4, n.d.).
Technology-driven innovation and synergies, where design + technology and AI become allies and collaborate with one another, empowering and boosting designers’ potential.
Experience Design and Choice Architecture. Designing holistic experiences, providing people with more choices and agency, yet also boundaries, minding the balance between digital and real-life — The more subtle and important trend is the ability to integrate many kinds of data and experience dimensions into an elegant whole — Larry Keeley (SDN | 5by5: A Conversation about the Future of Service Design, n.d.). In addition, employee experience becomes a fundamental aspect to focus on as we prepare for new work environments and futures.
Designers as lifelong learners. This sharing of tools and methods also provides designers with the opportunity to learn from other fields, helping them enhance their own abilities, expand their skillsets, and boost future cross-collaboration.
This also means reshaping as designers.
We can think of ourselves as ever-evolving, long-time learners, becoming:
- Ethical futures’ thinkers
- Systems’ thinkers
- “Scientists” and tech and digital-savvy
- Facilitators rather than “experts”
- Multidisciplinary collaborators and cross-cultural savvy
- Environmentally responsible
- Problem Finders and Problem Framers
- Agents of Change or Change Makers
Rethinking the future of design education.
Based on these trends, envisioning designers as all of the above needs to be considered in the future of design education.
Estefanía Ciliotta, Center for Design, Northeastern University
This is a preliminary analysis of the resources found during our research in 2021. We hope this is the beginning of conversations that can help each other as designers reshape and enhance our practice.
What do you think? Comment here or reach out on social media!
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