origins of nextdesign geographies

MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATION

©2015NextDesign+HUMANTIFIC.AllRightsReserved.

TalkingUpSenseMaking

Origins of NextDesign GeographiesAnaBarrosoinConversationwithGK.VanPatter

Part1of3

AskHUMANTIFIC

“Yes,IwouldbehappytostartbybrieflyexplainingwherethesensemakingframeworkofNextDGeographiescamefrom,howandwhyitwascreated...Centraltowhatthedesigncommunityresearchrevealedtouswasthatthereweremultipledisconnectsbetweenthechallengesthatexistinorganizationsandsocieties,whatthegraduatedesignschoolswereteachingatthelevelofmethodsandwhatemergingpracticeswerealreadyworkingon,whatskillswerealreadyneeded.”

www.humantific.com 2 ©2015NextDesign+HUMANTIFIC.AllRightsReserved.

MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONQuestion 1.

Ana Barroso: Thanks for agreeing to do this Brazil – New York conversation. Every now and then, while reading a design or innovation related article, I find myself thinking “what would GK say about this?” Humantific has been in the sensemaking/ strategic design business a long time and there are a number of questions that I want to ask you including what you think of this article by Mercin Treder entitled “Why everyone is a designer… but shouldn’t design”.

Before I get to that let me first ask you a more general sensemaking question: For numerous years I have been watching Humantific do sensemaking work focused on the rather fuzzy subject of design / design thinking. How are you able to do that? What is your underlying interest there? How did you create the sensemaking frameworks that you use to decipher and explain the various forms of design/ design thinking that you refer to as Design 1,2,3,4?

[Note:ThisarticlewasfirstpublishedinSeptember2015onG.K.VanPatter’sLinkedInblog]

GK VanPatter:HiAna.Happytodothisinasharableway.Delightedtoseeyourevvingupyourinterestinsensemaking.UponyoursuggestionIdidtakealookatthe “Why everyone is a designer…” article.Nobigsurprisesthere.

Yes,IwouldbehappytostartbybrieflyexplainingwherethesensemakingframeworkofNextD Geographiescamefrom,howandwhyitwascreated.HopefullythiswillbeofinteresttosensemakingreadersanditmightalsocomeinhandywhenwegettoMr.Treder’sarticle…☺

Thepractice-basedviewthatwehaveonthesubjectofdesign / design thinkingtodayhasbeeninformedbymorethanadecadeofworkwithorganizationalleadersandinparticularthesensemakingresearchthatweundertookviatheNextDesign Leadership project intermittently2002-2015.ThatisessentiallyacommunitySensemakingprojectthatgrewoutofaconcernregardingthestatesofgraduatedesigneducationanddesignleadership.

AsbackgroundtothedesignthinkingmodelsandframeworksthatyouseeussharingviaNextD weconducted30+communitybasedsensemakingconversationswithnumerousexpertsoverthecourseofseveralyears.ThatresearchinformedmuchofwhatisdepictedinthevariousNextDesign LeadershipmaterialsthatremainaccessibleintheNextD Futures LibrarylocatedonIssuu.

AfteracoupleofyearsofNextD Journalconversationswewerereadytomakesenseofwhatwewereseeingandhearing.Assensemakersweknewthatsomekindoforderingsystemframeworkwasgoingtobeneededtotellthestory.Forreaderswhomightnotknow,orderingsystemsareintegraltothesensemakingbusiness.Acentralpillarin

“AfteracoupleofyearsofNextDJournalconversationswewerereadytomakesenseofwhatwewereseeingandhearing.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONourHumantificpracticeisthatsensemakingandchangemakingareinterconnected…thattheeffectivemakingsenseofasubjectwillservetoinformchangemaking.

Aswedoinallsensemakingprojectswefirstaskifanysuchorderingsystemsexistamongtheexpertiseofthesubject.Ifwearedoingafuturesrelatedprojectwewouldaskhowprofessionalfuturistsorganizethefuture.Wemightormightnotusetheirorderinglogicbutwewouldwanttolookatvariousexistingframeworks.Wealsolookinothersubjectsforpossiblerelatedsensemakingframeworks.

SomesensemakingorientedreadersmightknowthatyearsagoRichardWurmancreatedanorderingsystemframeworkfororderingsystems.KnownasLATCHitconsistsofLocation, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy.Theseareuniversalbasicsthatwekeepinmindasweconsiderorderinglogicoptions.

Ifnothingthatweseeinexistingorderingframeworkssuitthefindingsthatareembeddedintheresearchthentypicallyweknowthatitwillbenecessarytosomehowcreateaneworderingframework,adaptanexistingone,orcombineseveral.ThisappliestoallthesensemakingprojectsthatwedoatHumantific,notjustthisNextDesignLeadershipprojectandwedohundredsofprojectseveryyear.

Typicallyframeworksareconsideredthescaffoldsthathelptostructureresearchfindingsinordertoclearlytellrelatedstories.Theemphasisistypically,notontheframework,butratheronthestorywithin,whatthevariousfindingsconvey.

Centraltowhatthedesigncommunityresearchrevealedtouswasthatthereweremultipledisconnectsbetweenthechallengesthatexistinorganizationsandsocieties,whatthegraduatedesignschoolswereteachingatthelevelofmethodsandwhatemergingpracticeswerealreadyworkingon,whatskillswerealreadyneeded.Atthattimeandstilltodaytherewasaheavyemphasisonproduct/servicedesigningraduatedesigneducation.Peoplewereusingfancywordslike“wicked problems”butwhatwasreallybeingtaughtfromamethodsperspectivewasmostoftenproduct/servicecreation.

TheNextDresearchrevealedsignificantmarketplaceshifts,astrategicdesignpracticerevolutionandahighlycomplexdesigneducationmessthatinlargemeasurestillexiststoday.Ourtaskinthatmomentwastofigureoutawaytovisualizewhatwelearnedfromamethodsperspective.Weneededanorganizingframeworkthatmadesenseinthiscontext.

Latch Model: Richard Wurman


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONIntermsoforderingsystemsthatmightbeapplicableweknewthatcomplexityladdersofnumeroustypesexistedinseveralsubjects.Thecomplexityscaleideahasdeephistoricalrootsandwascertainlynotuniquetoourprojectortodesignecology..☺IfyouGooglecomplexityscalesorcomplexityladdersthousandsofversionscomeupspanningnotdecadesbutcenturies.

Aristotle (384-322BC)iscreditedwithcreatingnumerousinfluentialorderingsystemsincluding“Great Chain of Being”/ ”Ladder of Life” (“ScalaNaturae”),anearlyhierarchy-basedclassificationoforganisms,rankinghumans,animalsandplantsaccordingtocomplexityoftheirstructureandfunction.

Compressinghundredsofyearsofhistory;sufficeittosaythatsince330BCzillionsofothersensemakingthinkershaveadoptedandadaptedthecomplexityscaleideatovarioussubjectcontexts.

Complexity Scale, 16th Century depiction Great Chain of Being, Source:Internet

“Thecomplexityscaleideahasdeephistoricalrootsandwascertainlynotuniquetoourprojectortodesignecology...”



Whilewedidn’thavetoagreeordisagreewiththemallwewerecertainlyawarethatmanycomplexityscaleadaptationsexist.Acknowledgingthathistory,weknewthattheorientationofrankingorganismcomplexitywas notthefocusofourdesigncommunityresearchfindings..☺Wewereinterestedintheimplicationsofproblemorchallengecomplexityscale.

Likecomplexityladderframeworksmanyproblem scale ladderscanalsobefoundbyasimpleGooglesearch.Organizingsystemsdenotingnumbereddimensionsof1,2,3,4,5,etc.arequitecommoninsensemakinglandacrossthespectrumofmanysubjectsincludingproblemsolving.

Complexity Scale, Source: Internet

“Whilewedidn’thavetoagreeordisagreewiththemallwewerecertainlyawarethatmanycomplexityscaleadaptationsexist.”



ProblemsizescaleframeworksoftenmaptologicdevelopedandrefinedintheAppliedCreativity(CreativeProblemSolving/CPS)communityknownas“Ladder of Abstraction”,todayalsoreferredtoaschallengemapping,strategicchallengeframing,etc.

TheCPS Ladder of Abstraction hasitsrootsinthe1950s.Todaynumerousversionsexistincorporatingmanyrefinementstotheoriginallogic.

Problem Scale, Source:Internet

CPS Ladder of Abstraction 1959-2015, Source: Internet

“TheCPSLadderofAbstractionhasitsrootsinthe1950s.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONSincethefoundingofHumantific, strategic challenge framinghasbeenintegratedintonotonlyhowweworkwithorganizationalleadersupstreamfrombriefsbuthowwethinkaboutandmakesenseofproblemconstellations.Challenge mapping isitselfaformofupstreamsensemaking.Ofteninrealtimewithmanyconstituentspresentchallengesaremappedfrombroadestatthetoptonarrowestatthebottom.

Real-Time Strategic Challenge Mapping Source: Humantific

Working,notfromindividualbriefs(framedchallenges),butratherinthecontextofchallengeconstellationsisfundamentaltonumerousstrategicdesignthinkingpracticestoday.(SeeWho Owns How Might We?)Thisorientationdifferssignificantlyfromthelogicoftraditionaldesign,designthinkinginbotheducationandpractice.Challengemapsarereal-timeversionsofproblem/challenge scale ladders.

Intermsofdesignasasubject,weofcourseknewthatProfessor Richard Buchanan,ahighlyrespecteddesigneducationscholarwithadeepbackgroundinthesubjectofrhetorichadtabledanorderinglogiccalledFour Orders of Design in1991.

Buchanan stated:

“Design is the human power of conceiving, planning and making products that serve human beings in the accomplishment of their individual and collective purposes…” (1)

“Thisorientationdifferssignificantlyfromthelogicoftraditionaldesign,designthinkinginbotheducationandpractice.Challengemapsarereal-timeversionsofproblem/challengescaleladders.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATION“In approaching design from a rhetorical perspective, our hypothesis should be that all products – digital and analog, tangible and intangible - are vivid arguments about how we should lead our lives.” (2)

“Products represent the formal causes, in the sense of the formal outcome of the design process that serves human beings.” (1)

and “the new design finds expression in rhetoric and dialectic.” (1)

Itwasnosecretthat Buchanan’s orderingframeworkwasinformedbyrhetoricianRichard McKeon’s earlier4ordermodelthatsuggestedphilosophicthinkingis“manifested”infourwaysas:

1. PersonalStatement2. SocialIntegration3. ScientificFormulation4. InsightIntoFundamentalValues

Ofcourserhetoricorderinglogicshavebeenaroundforages!McKeon’s fourpartrhetoricmodelwaslikelyinformedbynumerousearlierworksincluding Francis Bacon’s (1561–1626)threepartmodel;reason,imagination,will,Cicero’s (106BC)fivecanonsofclassicalrhetoric:invention,arrangement,style,delivery,memory,Aristotle’s (330ishBC)threepartrhetoricaltriangleorderinglogic:logos,ethos,pathosandPlato’s (460BC)fourpartrhetoricmodel:delivery,style,organization,content.

For Professor McKeonthenotionthatatypeofthinkingcanbeoris“manifest”indifferentwaysevidentlymadesenseinthecontextofdepictingtheshiftingsandsofrhetoric.

Importingthe“manifesting”orientationDr. Buchananstated:“The four orders of design - manifested in symbols and images, physical artifacts, actions and activities, and environments or systems - represent new fields of cultural study as well as professional practice.” (2)

InProfessor Buchanan‘s Four Orders of Designthemanifestations werethenmappedtothedesigndisciplinelogicthatexistedatthattimein1991.Theresultisatwopartcombinationmanifesting / discipline picture.

1. Symbols,(SymbolicandVisualCommunications)2. Things,(IndustrialDesign/Materialobjects)3. Action,(InteractionDesign/Activitiesandorganizedservices)4. Thought,(EnvironmentalDesign/complexsystems/environments

forliving,working,playing,learning)

Example Model: Aristotle’s 3 part Rhetorical Triangle, Source: Internet


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONFromtheoutsetFour Orders of Designwasdepictedintheacademiccommunityasallencompassing,full-spectrumandholistic.

WhileProfessor Buchananevidentlyfoundituseful,perhapsinatheoreticalsense,toimportthe“manifesting”orderingorientationfromthefieldofrhetoric,thatthreepartrationaleofmanifesting/discipline/fullspectrummadelittlesenseinthecontextofwhatourdesigncommunityresearchrevealed.Norwasitafitwiththespectrumofgeographiesthatweknewfromdirectexperiencewerealreadypartofstrategicdesignpractice.

Inadditionandwithallduerespect,wefoundthatthetraditionaldesignmethodologydescribedinsidetheframeworkofthe1991Four Orders of Designpresentedaratherantiquatedacademicnotionofhowstrategicdesignpracticesoperate.Themethodologydescribedtherefocusingonaseriesofnestedframedchallengesisnotrepresentativeofmethodologybeingutilizedinleadingstrategicdesignpracticestoday.

Four Orders of Design Model 1991:Dr.RichardBuchanan

“Themethodologydescribedtherefocusingonaseriesofnestedframedchallengesisnotrepresentativeofmethodologybeingutilizedinleadingstrategicdesignpracticestoday.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONAdditionallywenotedthehighestorderapplicationfordesignwasdepictedinthe“Four Orders”modelas“Environmental Design”,asindesigningthe“environment/system”inwhichthedesignedactivitiesandproductsreside.Thisisan“integrated product development”(1)viewofhowdesignecologyworks.Suchviewstendtobefoundinsettings(schoolsandcompanies)withproductdesignlegacyorientation.Thisisnottheorientationofleadingstrategicdesignpracticestoday.

Evenwiththemostgenerousinterpretationsoftheterms“Action”and“Thought” suchnotionsdonotmaptothegeographiesoforganizationalandsocietalchallenges.NordoInteraction Design challengesandEnvironmental Designchallengesequatetodiverseorganizationalchallengesanddiversesocietalchallenges.Fromourexperienceworkingwithorganizationalleadersforyearswealreadyknewthatnotallorganizationalchallengesareproductrelatedandnotallinvolveinteractionortheenvironment.Thesameappliestosocietalchallenges.

TheoftencitedsupportivepaperssuchasTony Golsby-’Smith’s1996paperentitled“Four Orders of Design: A Practical Perspective” mirroredtheconceptualandmethodologicalantiquationstating;“Design is the conceptualization and creation of products.”(3)

WesawthatinacademiccirclesthreeCaseStudieswereroutinelycitedwhenreferencingFourth Order Design. 1.TaxFormsSimplificationProject,2.DMMTransformationProject,3.AustralianTaxOfficeProject.(4)Utilizingchallengeframinglogicwecouldseethatthosecasestudiestranslateintothesethreerelativelystraightforwardchallenges:

1. HowMightWeredesigntheUSPostalService’sDomesticMailManualdocument?

2. HowMightWesimplifyIRStaxforms?3. HowMightWeteachtheAustralianTaxOfficeDesign2

(productcreation)skills?

Notonlywerenoneofthosechallenges“wicked problems”(5)butfromtodayspracticeperspectiveallofthosearedownstreamframedproductdesign(Design 2) challengesnotupstreamfuzzyorganizationalchallenges(Design 3)orupstreamfuzzysocietalchallenges (Design 4).

Thepicturepaintedbytheacademicliteraturerelatedto“Four Orders” wasnotstrongonmethodologyandconveysthemisleading messagethattraditionaldesignmethodsscaletofullspectrumchallenges.Aspractice-basedmethodologistswealreadyknewthiswasnotthecase.

“Notonlywerenoneofthosechallenges“wickedproblems”butfromtodayspracticeperspectiveallofthosearedownstreamframedproductdesign(Design2)challengesnotupstreamfuzzyorganizationalchallenges(Design3)orupstreamfuzzysocietalchallenges(Design4).



“Since24yearshavepassed,itisnotsosurprisingthatthenextgenerationpracticecommunityisoperatingtodayinaratherdifferentuniverseandwithdifferentmethods.”

Whatwesawwasthatwhiletheacademiccommunityoftensoughttosplithairsoverredefiningwhataproductis,significantdifferencesinmethodologyfromscaletoscalewouldroutinelybedenied,deflectedandignoredinfavorofdepictionthattraditionaldesignmethodsscaletoallspectrumsofchallenges,astaughtinnumeroushighprofilegraduatedesignschools.

Todayinpracticeweknow,fromamethodsperspective,thatproduct,service,interaction,experienceandenvironmentaldesignalljumpofffromaframedchallenge(brief)andthusarepartofDesign 2. Design Scale 3 istheoperatingzonewhereallkindsoforganizationalchallengesexist,notjustproduct,service,orexperiencechallenges.Design 4isthezonewhereextremelydiversesocietalchallengesexist.Fromamethodsperspective, Design 1 and 2aredownstreaminnature,whileDesign 3 and 4startinadifferent,up-streamplace.

Tobebriefweconcludedthatcontrarytomuchoftheexistingacademicliterature:thecontext,geography,scale,methods,framingandlogicofthe1991Four Orders of Designmodeldoesnotmaptohoworwherestrategicdesignpracticeoperatestoday.Therewasaconsiderablemisfitthere.The“FourOrders”frameworkthereforewasnotpracticaltooursensemakingproject.

CertainlywecouldseethatBuchanan’sunderlyingintentionin1991wastopointoutthat;“We are in the middle of a revolution in design thinking…” (5)ItseemslikelythatFour Orders of Design reflectedhowtherevolutionmusthavelookedfromhisscholarly,ratheracademicperspectivein1991.Since24yearshavepassed,itisnotsosurprisingthatthenextgenerationpracticecommunityisoperatingtodayinaratherdifferentuniverseandwithdifferentmethods.

Oddlyinadditionwhatwesawduringtheresearchperiodwasthatthenotionof“manifesting”asdepictedingoodfaithbyProfessor Buchanan wasbeingcreatively,somemightsaydefensively,redepictedparticularlyinthedesigneducationcommunityasconfirmationnotonlythatdesignersalreadyinherentlyhadtheskillto“manifest” acrosswhatwasbeingdepictedin“Four Orders”asfullscale/fullspectrumbymagicallyshiftingtheirbrainfocusbutthatthislevelofskillwasalreadyembeddedingraduatedesigneducationprograms….meaningthatthefacultiesalreadypossessedsuchfullspectrumskillandwereactivelyteachingit.

Itbecameevidentthatwhilethisskillspossessionmighthavebeentrueofthesmaller1991universedepictedin“Four Orders”itwas/iscertainlynottrueofbroaderterraininplaywithinorganizationalandsocietaltransformationtoday.Theresearchshowedthatthealreadymagicallymanifestingatfullscale/fullspectrumdepictionwasafalsenarrative.


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONWhetherintendedbyBuchananornotthemagicallymanifestingschoolofthoughtseemtoalignmorewiththemythologyofdesignasaformofmagicthinkingratherthanwiththeactualitiesoftheorientation,tools,methodologyandskillsindicatedintheNextDresearch.Inessencetherewasnoresearch,scienceorevidencebehindthedesignasmagicthinkingdepictions.Whatwesawwasthatthefalsenarrativeofmagicthinkingwasoftenbeingusedtodeflectwhatwasfromourperspectivestraight-forwardproblemfindingandproblemacknowledgingrelatedtomethodologydeficienciesinstrategicdesigneducationtoday.

OfcourseitwasnotdifficulttoseehowBuchanan’sforeshortenedmanifestingframingwouldbepopularamongthedesigneducationcommunitybutthelogicofmagicallymanifestingacrossfull-spectrumwastheoppositetoourfindings.Thisnewsupsetnumerousdesigneducationapplecarts.Defuzzingandsensemakingcanbedifficult…☺

Amongourconcernswasthatwhilethedesignasmagicthinkingapproachmightservethefacultypoliticalneedsitwastremendouslyunfairtoanewgenerationofstudentsseekingskillssynchronizedtoarealchangingworld.Itmadesensethatgivingvoicetothatunfairness wouldprovetobepartofthehuman-centered/usercenteredNextD story.

TobefairtoDr. Buchananitseemedunlikelytousthatheintendedhis1991frameworktobecitedfordecadesbyslowtoadaptdesigneducatorsasaquasirationaleforwhynomeaningfulstrategicchangewasneededindesigneducation.

Whilethepolitical/defensiveposturingbynumerousdesigneducatorswasunfortunate,counterproductiveandofnointeresttous,itwasclearthatweneededanewgenerationalternateframework,areconceptualizationthatmorecloselyreflectedrealitiesonthegroundinthepresentdaycontextofstrategicdesignpractice.

Asmethodologistsweparticularlywantedtooffermorespecificsintermsofhowthecomplexityscaleplaysitselfoutfromachallenge,skillsandmethodsperspective.Thiskindoffocusanddetailisnotfoundinanyoftheexisting“manifest”models.

ForthosesoinclinedDr. Buchanan’s Four Orders of Designframeworkisstilloutthereandwecertainlyrecommendthatanyoneinterestedinthesubjectshouldreadthepapersfromthatperiod.(seeexamplesbelow)Ifthatlogicandarchitecturemakessensetoreaderstheyshouldgothatroute.

“Whatwesawwasthatthefalsenarrativeofmagicthinkingwasoftenbeingusedtodeflectwhatwasfromourperspectivestraight-forwardproblemfindingandproblemacknowledgingrelatedtomethodologydeficienciesinstrategicdesigneducationtoday.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONWhatwelikedmostaboutBuchanan’s1991observationswerethesecomments:

“Design is a remarkably supple discipline, amenable to radically different interpretations in philosophy as well as practice.” (5)

and

“The pluralism that is inherent in the ecology of culture will continue.” (2)

Itwasinthisspiritandwithnodisrespecttoanyofthehistoricalproblemsolvingandordesignecologymodelsintendedthatwedeterminedthatanewhybridorderinglogic,acknowledgingneedforchange,wouldbestexplainthefindingsandthechallengessurfacedinthe NextD research.Thisiswherethe NextD Geographies frameworkcamefromdenotingtheexpanded/reconstitutedpracticezonesofDesign Scale 1,2,3,4andtheinterconnectedacknowledgementoftheneedforshiftfrommagicthinkingtoskill-to-scale.

In NextD Geographieswearenotmappingmanifestationstodisciplinelogicbutratherchallengescalelogictoimplicationsfromamethodsperspective.Wecombinedthenotionofarisingcomplexityscalewithanincreasingchallengescaleandtheninterconnectedittomethodologydifferences.NextD Geographies ischallengescalefocusedandassumesamultidisciplinaryworld.

Figure1of40+screensfrom NextDesign Geographies 2005-2015GKVanPatter&ElizabethPastor,Source: Humantific

“InNextDGeographieswearenotmappingmanifestationstodisciplinelogicbutratherchallengescalelogictoimplicationsfromamethodsperspective.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONOncewehadlaidoutthe NextD Geographiesframeworkitwasnotdifficulttolayeronthevariousfindings.Thiswasnotjustaboutacknowledgingdifferenceinchallengescale.Ultimatelyweidentifiedadozenmethodrelatedshiftsunderwayinpracticeandnotyetpresentindesigneducation.Theseincluded:Shiftfromtinyscaletolargescalechallenges,fromlowcomplexitytohighcomplexity,fromdefinedtofuzzy,frominternalizedprocesstoexternalizedprocess,fromdownstreamtoupstreamstartingpoints,fromtacticaltostrategic,fromstrangemakingtosensemaking&changemaking,fromthinking&doingtothinking,doingandenabling,fromprescriptivetoorchestrative,fromintertribalcommunicationtocross-disciplinarycommunication,fromdeliberateexclusiontodeliberateinclusion,frommagicthinkingtoskill-to-scale,etc.AlloftheseinsightsweresharedwiththousandsofNextD subscribers.

TheorientationandskillchangeimplicationsinFigure1alone,presentedpriortothearrivalofthebigdataera,willkeepdesigneducatorsbusyforthenexttenyears.AddintothemixtheDesign Thinking Made Visible research(6)thatweundertookinparalleltotheNextD Journal conversationsanditbecameratherclearthatmuchmethodologyrenovationworkneedstobedoneindesigneducation.

TobebriefwhatallofthatmeansisthatFour Orders of DesignandNextD Geographies notonlydepictsignificantlydifferentuniversesbutassumedifferentmethodologies,differentskillsets,theformerbeingnarrower,lessdetailedandlessmethodologyorientedthanthelater.

MostsignificantlyNextD GeographiesapproachescommunityproblemfindingandproblemacknowledgingvastlydifferentlyfromhowFour Orders of Designisbeinginterpretedtoday.NextD Geographies stepsupandbitestheproblemacknowledgingbulletwhileFour Orders of Design hasunfortunatelybeenreducedtoachangeavoidancescheme.Fromourpractice-basedperspectivehavingdiversityofsensemakinglensesforpractitioners,educatorsandotherdisciplinestomakeuseofispositiveandconstructive.

Arough football analogytothecommunityresearchfindings,sensemakingstorywouldbeasituationwherethegoalpostshadbeenmovedinthemiddleofafootballgame.We did not move the goal posts.Thepostsweremovedbythemarketplace.By2005themarketplacehadmovedtheeverydaychallengesinwhichleadingstrategicdesignorientedfirmsarenowcalledupontoengageandareengaged.

“TheorientationandskillchangeimplicationsinFigure1alone,presentedpriortothearrivalofthebigdataera,willkeepdesigneducatorsbusyforthenexttenyears.”



Figure2of40+screensfromNextDesign Geographies 2005-2015GKVanPatter&ElizabethPastor,Source: Humantific

Someeducatorsseemedtobemoreawareoftheshiftthanothers.Somewereveryinterestedinengagingwithus.Othersinsistedthatthegoalpostshadnotbeenmoved.Someseemedtobeoffendedthatpracticeleaderswerepointingthisout.Somesoughttoremaininisolationontheiracademicdiscussionlists.SomeacademicscontinuetoreferenceFour Orders of Design asanallencompassing,nottobechallenged,holygrail.Manyhadbeenslowtoadapttothegoalpost/methodologychanges.Asaresultsomeweredownrighthostiletowardsthemessageandthemessengers.Somearejustnowin2015finallyacknowledgingthegoalpostsmovement.Thisispartofwhathashappenedonthebumpyroadbetween2003and2015.

Adaptingtothegoalpostsbeingmovedinatimelyway,thestrategicdesignpracticecommunityhadby2005alreadychangedhowweengage.Theboundaryassumptionsandmethodologyassumptionsfrom1991werealreadyancienthistory.Theapplicationofhuman-centered design atthescaleoforganizationsandsocietieshasbeenemergingandrefininginthepracticecommunitynotsincelastyearbutratherformorethanadecade.

“Theapplicationofhuman-centereddesignatthescaleoforganizationsandsocietieshasbeenemergingandrefininginthepracticecommunitynotsincelastyearbutratherformorethanadecade.”



Figure3of40+screensfromNextDesign Geographies2005-2015

GKVanPatter&ElizabethPastor,Source: Humantific

Anyone missingthatturnintheroadwouldbehavingadifficulttimereallyunderstandingwhatisgoingoninthedesign,DesignThinkingcommunitytoday.

Followersof NextDandorHumantifichaveknownofthegoalpostshiftsanditsmethodologyimplicationssince2005.Wehavebeenconductingpublicskill-buildingworkshopssince2005.Whattheinstitution-baseddesigneducationcommunityhasbeendoingisanotherstory.

ThekeytounderstandingthevariousreactionstoNextD Geographies isthatitcontainschange driversabsentfromthe1991magicallymanifestingFour Orders of Design. NextD Geographies seekstomoreclearlyexplainwhatischangingintherealworld,inpractice,whatispresentindesigneducationaswellaswhat’smissingspecificallyfromamethodsperspective.

WelearnedalotaboutourowncommunityfromtheNextDesign Leadershipsensemakingexperience.Amongotherthingswhatwefoundwasthatnoteveryonewasreadyformoreclarityaroundthissubjectofdesign,designthinking,designeducation.Clarity and sensemakingarenotthegoalsofeveryoneoperatinginacompetitivemarketplaceandthatnowincludesthegraduatedesignschoolsandtheirleadersresponsiblefortimelyadaptationleadership.

“Anyonemissingthatturnintheroadwouldbehavingadifficulttimereallyunderstandingwhatisgoingoninthedesign,designthinkingcommunitytoday.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONAspracticeleadersseekingtohiredesignschoolgraduatesitwasoftenratherpuzzlingtoseethedefensivereactionfromdesigneducationleaderstoacallforchangeinthedirectionofstrategic upskilling.Whatwefoundwasthatnewgenerationpractitionersandstudentswelcomedmoreclarityaroundthesubjectwhileoldergenerationpractitionersandeducatorsfoundtheclaritythreateningtotheirtraditionalways.

Assensemakerswhatwefoundwasthatcuttingthroughtheoftenheavilydefended mythologyarounddesigneducationprovedtobemuchmoredifficultthanactuallymakingsenseoftheresearchfindings.Toalargedegreeourcommunitysensemakingmadeusoutsiderstothemyth-makingneighborhoodsofourowncommunity.

The NextD storyisnotjustaboutthegoalpostsmoving.Italsoemcompasseswhattodoaboutitfromstrategy,methods,skillsandleadershipperspectives.Itwasandisaformofcommunityleadershiptakingplacebypracticeleaderswithoutpermissionfrominstitution-baseddesigneducationleaders.

TodayNextD GeographiestendstobeNOTthepreferredsensemakingframeworkforthoseacademicleadersstillengagedindefensiveposturingduetotheirownslowadaptationleadershipbutthat’sokwithus.Nobigsurprisethere.Noteveryonegetsitatthesametime.

Asstoriesgowhatturnedouttomattermostisunderstandingthatthedawdling,slowmotionadaptationofdesigneducationleadersdidnotslowthechangetakingplaceinstrategicdesignpracticecommunity.Allthedeflectionandslowmotioningbydesigneducationleadersreallydidwasdelaymeaningfulstrategicchangeindesigneducation.Nowmuchofthatcommunityisplayingcatchup.Thepracticecommunityhassince2005beensteadily buildingknowledgeofhowtooperateintheseexpandedterrains.

Thegoodnewsisthatanever-increasingbodyofresearchandinputfrompracticeleaderscontinuestosuggestsignificantdesigneducationchange,alternatetracksarenotjustneededbutarenowlongoverdue.It’snotenoughtorenameproductdesignprograms“socialinnovation”…☺WehavebeenconsistentadvocatesofstrategicchangeindesigneducationsincethecreationoftheNextD Geographiesframework,firstpresentedin2005.

Sincewewereprobablytenyearsoutinfrontofthedesigneducationcommunitywhenwestartedtalkingaboutthissubjectwhatweseeisthatmuchofwhatwehavebeendefuzzingforyearsisjustnowstartingtobeacknowledgedinthedesigneducationcommunity.

“Asstoriesgowhatturnedouttomattermostisunderstandingthatthedawdling,slowmotionadaptationofdesigneducationleadersdidnotslowthechangetakingplaceinstrategicdesignpracticecommunity.”


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONWhatisratherhumorousnowistoseesomeofthesamedesigneducationleaderswhoposturedthemagically manifesting modeforadecadenowseekingtourgentlyrepositionthemselvesasevidenceexpertsandindustryleadersinamovementbeingframedas“evidence based design”. Forveteransofthisarenathat’sarealheadspinner.Itisabsolutelynecessarytohaveasenseofhumorinthisbusiness..☺

Aspracticeleaderslookingfornewtalent,wewouldcertainlybehappytoseemoreevidencebaseddesigneducation!

StilltodayadecadeintotheshiftsdescribedinNextD Geographieswestillseeveryfewgraduatescomingoutofthegraduate/post-graduatedesignacademieswithupstreamskills.MostgraduatedesignprogramsremainfocusedonteachingDesign 2 skillsrelatedtoproduct,service,andexperiencecreation.Thestrategicdesignpracticecommunityhaslongagomovedon.

SincelaunchingNextD Geographies(7)andthevariousinterconnectedmodelswewentontocompletetheDesign Thinking Made Visible Project (postedonIssuuasavirtualbook)(6)andthebookInnovation Methods Mapping: Demystifying 80+ Years of Innovation Process Design(soontobepublished)(8).Ourfocusonadvancingmethodsrelatedknowledgecontinues.

Rightnowwhatweseeisrisinginterestonthepartofsavvyorganizationalleadersseekingtocutthroughthefogthathasincreasedsubstantiallyinthepastfewyearsaroundthesubjectofdesign/designthinking.AsstrategicdesignpractitionerswemakeuseofNextD Geographiesinallconversationsrelated.

Withoutsomekindofsensemakingframeworklinkedtomethodandskillrealitiesmakingsenseofthevariousclaimsandstatementsbeingmadeinreferencetothesubjectofdesign thinking isvirtuallyimpossible.Alotofpostingstoblogsandonlinegroupconversationonthesubjectofdesignthinkingtakesplacewithoutsuchframeworksandtendstogoaroundinendlesscircles.

Franklyspeakingwenolongerbotherwithconversationswherenosensemakingframeworkispresentandorwherethemagicthinkingadvocatesaredrivingthetrain.

“StilltodayadecadeintotheshiftsdescribedinNextDGeographieswestillseeveryfewgraduatescomingoutofthegraduate/post-graduatedesignacademieswithupstreamskills.”



“Wearehappywithourcontributiontocommunitysensemaking.HundredsofreadersaccesstheNextDFuturesLibraryeverymonthonIssuu.”

Wearehappywithourcontributiontocommunitysensemaking.Hundredsofreadersaccessthe NextD Futures Library everymonthonIssuu.

Forsometimewehaveredirectedourattentionto Humantific practice,workingwithorganizationalleaders,modelingtheactualitieswithinNextD Geographies andbuildingoursensemaking/changemakingknowledge.Wedon’texpendtoomuchenergyinthedirectionofonlinedebating..☺

IappreciateyouaskingthisquestionAnaandyourpatiencewithmydetailedreply.Wemightneedtoaddafewmorepartstothisconversation…☺

Question 2.Ana Barroso: One of the layers of findings you apply to the NextD Geographies framework has to do with the toolboxes that are increasingly more complex and cross disciplinary on Design 3 and 4. What skills does it take to conduct a visual sensemaking process? Do you believe a non-designer, without formal academic training, can make a good 3.0 or 4.0 design thinker or sensemaker? Can you describe the process of capacity building Humantific does in its innovation capacity programs?

To Be Continued in Part 2…


MAKING SENSE OF INNOVATIONReferences:

1. Buchanan,Richard:Design and the New Rhetoric, Philosophy and Rhetoric, Design Issues,Vol.34,No3,2001.

2. Golsby-Smith,Tony,Fourth Order Design: A Practical Perspective, Design Issues,Vol.12,Spring1996.

3. Junginger,Sabine:A Different Role for Human-Centered Design Within Organizations,SchoolofDesignCarnegieMellonUniversity.

4. Buchanan,Richard:Wicked Problems in Design Thinking, Design Issues,Vol.VIII,Spring,1992.

5. Buchanan,Richard:Design Research and the New Learning, Design Issues,Vol.17,Autumn,2001.Copyright1991.

6. Humantific:Design Thinking Made Visible Research (2001-2015)

7. NextDesignGeographies(2002-2015)/Making Sense of the Future That Has Already Arrived

8. Humantific:Innovation Methods Mapping: Demystifying 80+ Years of Innovation Process Design

9. NextD:When [Old Design Thinking] LOVE is Not Enough

10.Humantific:The OTHER Design Thinking

origins of nextdesign geographies

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