We also analyse the necessity and impact of a systematic guided approach using extreme-user inspired design methods that inform designers of the experiences that would enhance the usability of their PSSs design. In this thesis, we empirically test the underpinnings of extreme-user experiences and simulated extreme-user experiences for design creativity. Therefore, there is an opportunity to advance creativity in mainstream PSSs design by systemic adoption of extreme-user experiences. While simulated experiences that emulate reduced physical and cognitive abilities are adopted to improve designers’ understanding of the needs among such extreme-users, they are seldom applied beyond the realms of assistive and inclusive design solutions, especially as a tool for design creativity. Works in the past have observed this potential (as the extreme-users) among the older adult users and users with reduced physical or cognitive abilities for the products, services, or systems (PSSs) that primarily target the mainstream general population users. This shift in perception is achieved by incorporating the perspectives of extreme-users who experience the latent unmet needs among the rest of the population and have the potential to inspire design professionals. Measurement of design impact will specifically allow for closed loop feedback that can enhance organisational strategies for implementation of design.Įxtreme-user experiences have a unique potential to enhance designer creativity by altering one’s perception of their own designs. Measurement is a key for any assessment process. As we understand design impact, we will be able to develop approaches for planning, executing, and measuring the implementation and management of design, ultimately leading to innovations for chosen opportunities. Ultimately, the developed and validated design framework is relevant to individuals, teams, organizations, companies, communities, business sectors, social innovators, and even cities and countries.
We validate the framework over a three-year period through a nation’s top award program, and 59 design projects shortlisted for the award. A design impact framework is developed as part of this study, based on empirical sources from international design awards and competitions, the literature, exemplar projects, and experts.
But how do we understand and measure the impact of design? In this paper, we study this important and elusive topic of the impact of design, across disciplines and across scales.
Design, across professions, disciplines, commercial sectors, and public organizations, makes a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis and has the potential of tackling the world’s grand challenges and wicked problems. Design Thinking, as known in the popular vernacular, affects every business, community, and community member. Most intriguingly, the research reveals insightful heuristics that practitioners can exploit to generate high value from low and high fidelity prototypes alike.ĭesign, as a set of principles, skills, and mindsets, crosses and transcends disciplines, academic fields, industry sectors, professions, and the scale of projects and applications. Our research explores ways of quantifying prototyping value and reinforcing the asymptotic relationship between value and fidelity. We investigate this topic by conducting an inductive study on industry projects across disciplines and knowledge domains while collecting and analyzing empirical data on their prototype creation and test processes. To help practitioners, designers, and researchers leverage prototyping most economically, we seek to understand the tradeoff between design information gained through prototyping and the resources expended prototyping. Yet, there is little reliable understanding of how resources expended and views of dimensionality across prototyping translate into value. There is likewise a need to understand the dimensions, and lenses that make up an economic profile of prototypes. Economic use of early stage prototyping is of paramount importance to companies engaged in the development of innovative products, services and systems because it directly impacts their bottom-line.