An extract from Tim Brown’s Change by Design.
An organization that commits itself to the human-centered tenets of design thinking is practicing enlightened self-interest. This is simply the most reliable source of long-term profitability and sustainable growth.
It is no longer possible to think in adversarial terms of a “buyers market” or “sellers market.” We’re all in this together.
We are in the midst of an epochal shift in the balance of power as economies evolve from a focus on manufactured products to one that favours services and experiences. Companies are ceding control and coming to see their customers not as “end users” but rather as participants in a two-way process. What is emerging is nothing less than a new social contract.
Every contract, however, has two parties. We cannot sit back and wait for new choices to emerge from the inner sanctums of corporate labs and studios. The public, too, must commit to the principles of design thinking.
Left to its own, the vicious circle of design-manufacture-marketing-consumption will exhaust itself and Earth will run out of fuel. With the active participation of people at every level, we may just be able to extend this journey for a while longer.
“Product” orientation to a “Service” orientation is key to scaling up the tools of the design thinker to grapple with complex systems.
Design is about delivering a satisfying experience. Design thinking is about delivering a multipolar experience in which everyone has the opportunity to participate in the conversation.
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