Exploring how technology is changing the landscape of design

Design Management Journal, Spring 2003 by Walton, Thomas

Computers, software, the Internet, intranets, digital information, and wireless communications-technology over the past 25 years has transformed how we design, the relationships we have with stakeholders and consumers, and what we design. As we move into the twenty-first century, the pervasive nature of this transformation is apparent, a metamorphosis so embracing and swift that a moment's reflection is essential to sorting out a shifting landscape in which promise and risk are equally present. This admonition to contemplate is especially important for designers, who must both exploit and direct changes. In this issue of the Journal, then, we gather wisdom and ponder the relationship between technology and design.

Kevin McCullagh, director of Foresight, a nine-person research and strategy unit at the London-based product design consultancy Seymourpowell, writes this quarter's keynote. Emphasizing balance, he highlights how technology shapes but does not determine the future, and he stresses that designers are in a uniquely creative position to leverage technology; indeed, they should use it as a platform in product development. But technology is not an end in itself. For instance, although virtual teams are an effective use of talent, McCullagh points out that face-to-face meetings are still necessary to build trust, to initialize the lines of communications, and to agree on the technologies and formats for sharing information.

For McCullagh, balance is essential in how we look at and evaluate what we design. Today, super-realistic graphics and modeling are almost always possible, but they are not always desirable, especially when projects are in their formative stages. Similarly, in developing the content of products, the designer should seek for a balance between what is technologically feasible and what users value in a technology. The ability to keep track of kids and have a handset complement an individual's wardrobe and personality may do more to drive mobile phone sales than a vast array of high-tech media options. For another counter-intuitive example, consider that interactive TV is a big hit in Europe, even without broadband connections. The message is that technology makes a difference, but it is the human dimension that ultimately determines the nature and extent of that difference.

A second perspective on technology is John Patrick's essay, "The Future of the Internet." Patrick counsels boldness. Looking at a narrower aspect of the technology spectrum, he is convinced the Web changes everything. It calls for a new attitude concerning business-a "Net attitude"-a recognition that this medium creates an environment that is always on, that (with wireless connections) will be everywhere, that makes communication instantaneous and natural, that is "intelligent" as it draws on vast pools of information, that is easy to use, and that-with advanced authentication-will be trusted. For managers and designers, Patrick's insights illuminate how technology is dramatically changing the relationship between an organization and its customers. Companies have no choice but to move into this arena. The challenge-the very difficult challenge-is to do so wisely and efficiently. Patrick maps the major features of this landscape, and fortunately other contributors explore and propose ways to navigate this frontier.

Technology and how we design

One fascinating shift is occurring in research, where digital and wireless communication is emerging as a vehicle for ethnographic studies. Tim Plowman, a design anthropologist at Cheskin, a Redwood Shores, California, firm that specializes in marketing and design research and innovation, and Davis Masten, a principal in the same company, discuss how inexpensive and increasingly refined remote-sensing devices, along with the Internet, are providing new approaches to self-reporting, passive observation, and participant observation. Referring to their methodologies as Digital Ethno, they note that researchers can now gather significant data without being present at a study site. They acknowledge the techniques may miss certain nuances, but maintain that improvements are inevitable and that, while academics may voice skepticism, businesses and design managers will find this type of research a worthwhile and cost-effective facet of the product development process. A fascinating case study on celebrating Valentine's Day elaborates specific research procedures and uncovers several clever things people do to circumvent the holiday's over-commercialization. In theory and practice, then, Plowman and Masten demonstrate the manner in which Digital Ethno takes advantage of technology to enhance the design process.

Research is also the focus of the article by Vijay Kumar and Patrick Whitney, both faculty members at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Institute of Design, in Chicago. Their interests are in improving the way companies design for new international markets. Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all mentality seldom works, firms can tweak details with product research or pursue more original directions with cultural research. Both, however, have drawbacks. Product research is fast and limits risk, but it also tends to limit success. Alternatively, cultural research can yield significant insights, but it is expensive and time-consuming. Kumar and Whitney offer two suggestions. The first is to recommend new "activity-centered" research methodologies. With modest effort, these reveal consumer needs and priorities, realities that, in turn, can be translated into innovative business opportunities. Their second suggestion is to catalogue activity-centered research in a database that can be reviewed and searched by subscribers. This leverages the value of the research and spreads the cost. Of course, technology makes all this feasible-as the means for documenting activities and as the way to organize and sort findings. To test their hypotheses, Kumar and Whitney are working with three Hong Kong companies and the Academy of Art and Design at Tsinghua University, in Beijing, to study the interactive home in Hong Kong, a project that has already identified the potential for several yet-to-be-developed products.