Title: A design-driven innovation process for the exploration of organisational scenarios: action research conducted in a manufacturing company

Authors: Carlo Franzato; Flaviano Celaschi

Addresses: Design Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Dr. Nilo Peçanha 1640, Boa Vista, 91330-002, Porto Alegre, Brazil ' Department of Architecture, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40135, Bologna, Italy

Abstract: Design is essential to any organisation. As a method of innovation, it can significantly contribute in many areas of commercial activity and not only in the development of new products. This paper analyses and discusses design-driven innovation processes which explore organisational scenarios, allow for an evolving understanding of a company and foster organisational learning. In these processes, broad design networks are developed across various departments, thus integrating organisations both horizontally and vertically and often connecting them to external actors. This paper presents an action research study conducted in a security door company that focused on scenario building and the concept generation. This study reveals how design contributes to innovation and strategy development in companies. A deeper consideration of this experience results in proposing design as a special form of reasoning that is helpful in exploring a variety of possible scenarios and outcomes.

Keywords: design-driven innovation; strategic design; process; scenarios; concept generation; exploration; design networks; organisational learning; new product development; action research; security doors.

DOI: 10.1504/JDR.2017.089906

Journal of Design Research, 2017 Vol.15 No.3/4, pp.309 - 328

Accepted: 26 Sep 2017
Published online: 18 Feb 2018 *

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