7.0 Reflection and next steps
Looking back at process of researching and writing this study, it is interesting to compare it to the way designers frame, explore and solve problems. It appears that the mindset and methods of a designer are appropriate and valuable also in the context of academic research. Upon reflection, the topic selected for this study represents a “problem” worth solving, as it is a challenge that will face an increasing number of organisations in the time to come. Moreover, a balance between analytic and intuitive thinking has proved to be a fruitful approach for designing the research, analysing the data and in developing the recommendations framework.
During the research prosess, it seemed that some people naturally embody the mindset and values that designers use in their work. These people seem to have an inherent ability to put oneself in others’ shoes and empathise. An interesting question to consider in light on this is whether an organisation that employs these natural-born designers will experience an easier transition toward design-driven strategy than other organisations. It is also worth considering whether it is possible for organisations to be entirely driven by design. Perhaps it would be more realistic to discuss the extent to which an organisation uses design as strategy.
Throughout the learning process, continuous processing of and reflection upon the findings were given a high priority. Using an iterative approach, efforts were made to draw clear parallels between the sections and the chapters, to consider the research findings in light of existing studies and to demonstrate how the literature, findings and ideas presented work together. These activities were considered very important in order to produce an original and meaningful piece of work.
The insights, perspectives and opinions collected through the research are based on lived experiences and industry realities. Still, the recommendations delivered in this study represent an initial proposal. A logical next step is to further research and test the recommendations within other organisations across industries to validate and improve the structure.
The researcher considers this study to be a valid contribution to the research on the value of design as a strategic resource and hopes that it assists in strengthening the insufficient links between the design and management discourses of design. Moving forward, the researcher recommends that more academic work is conducted on the management discourse of design in order to provide further evidence on and substantiate the effectiveness of design as strategy.
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my great appreciation for Thomas McDonagh, my research supervisor, for his useful critiques and enthusiastic encouragement from beginning to end. To Hyper Island and my class, I am truly grateful for this life-changing experience and for learning to trust the process.
Thanks to Margrete Nielsen, for brainstorming with me and sparking the idea for this study, and to Webstep and my closest colleagues for opening many doors. This would have been much harder without your help. I am also grateful to the research participants for their time and contributions. I hope our paths will cross again.
To my friends and to Tom — thank you for always cheering me on.
Finally, I want to give my deepest gratitude to my father who made this journey possible, and to my mother for always pushing me forward. Your help has been invaluable.
© Nadine Ramsberg, 2018
Hyper Island — MA Digital Management
Industry Research Project
