Rebecca AckermannFeb 10, 2023
Cyd Harrell
I'm quoted in this @rebackermann piece on the problems of "design thinking" in the #MITTechReview - there are more great perspectives in here as well, check it out! https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/02/09/1067821/design-thinking-retrospective-what-went-wrong/
Design thinking was supposed to fix the world. Where did it go wrong?

An approach that promised to democratize design may have done the opposite.

MIT Technology Review
Feb 10, 2023 at 4:03pmWeb
Show threadAdam LissFeb 10, 2023

@cydharrell @rebackermann A fantastic read and something that really resonated for me, even in the corporate world.

Often you do the design work, present the findings and then… nothing changes. But you get paid, your team gets a case study, and the client gets to say they did design thinking. Except it’s far more pernicious in the public sector/nonprofit space where money is tighter and the stakes are higher.

Show threadAdam LissFeb 10, 2023
@cydharrell @rebackermann I still believe in the power of design and holistic problem solving, but this makes me wonder how you can square it with limited budgets and spaces where understanding your user community takes more than a couple days of observation.
Show threadDan HonFeb 10, 2023
@cydharrell @rebackermann It was an excellent piece and I see also by @rebackermann!
Show threadVikramFeb 11, 2023
@cydharrell @rebackermann Indeed, very well written and thought provoking. I wonder if current methodologies might incorporate context by taking the emergent ideas and running another DT cycle focused solely on problems and context where no designers participate, but other experienced “execution” stakeholders do. Marry empathy with practicality.
Show threadLambert HellerFeb 12, 2023
Recommended reading. An essay which critically acknowledges what #DesignThinking is about, plus the context it originally came from. Worth a read also for my #librariesandlibrarians bubble, since it's a lot about bringing innovation and enthusiasm to a resource deprived public sector. (I hope I got your attention now.✨)