Technology, business, and culture were the precursors in development that led the field of design for over 175 years. Design manages to stay relevant through its prevalence of continuous adaptation in forever changing circumstances. This continuation of relevance has led to the profile of the ‘Designer’ being redefined and has elevated its status in today’s age.

Further changes came with the development of new technologies and increased global competition, with profits driving production from the ‘West‘ to the ‘East’ to keep manufacturing costs down. This led to the West moving towards a knowledge and service based design approach. With the need now for ‘Design Thinking’ to be integrated into their business model, organisations moved away from outsourcing their work to design agencies.

The influence that designers have on business and society is elevated now more than ever before, as more organisations value the strategy of design thinking which has become a critical corporate asset. Increasingly designers are becoming involved in corporate strategy enabling organisations to improve both User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) for their products.

Another domain where designers are excelling involves the startup Sector which is gaining momentum with businesses that deal specifically with digital technologies. This is a positive trend for designers as they are more actively involved with venture capital companies as partners and with more startups willing to trade part of their equity for access to design services.

New solutions and unconventional approaches are needed with design thinking and evidence-based human-centered design leading the way to positive change, through tackling issues such as globalisation, terrorism, epidemics, overpopulation, environmental issues, multiculturalism and financial stability.

The answers to all of these problems are out there but how do we join the dots?

When does a designer lose their soul and become entwined with the corporate rat race?

Is this inevitable or can good design win over the big corporate conglomerates and save the world from capitalism?

 

 

References

Muratovski, G. (2015). Paradigm Shift: Report on the New Role of Design in Business and Society. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, [online] 1(2), pp.118-139. Available at: http://Paradigm Shift: Report on the New Role of Design in Business and Society [Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].