I’ve just completed a major research project with leadership psychologist Edgar Papke. We’ve synthesized our findings in a new book, Innovation by Design. The cool thing is that it is about the benefits of design thinking at scale – we looked into the intersection of design thinking, innovation and corporate culture. We went into our […]
Read MoreThe Fifth Order of Design
The evolution of design that has unfolded over the past century is likely best explained by Richard Buchanan’s Four Orders of Design. Buchanan, a professor of design, management, and information systems, suggests that as an organization matures in its use of design, it tends to move from visual design and graphic communication, to industrial design […]
Read MoreHow to multiply creativity
This post is based on an analysis of some of the most extensive and advanced use design thinking on the planet. My research partner Edgar Papke and I reached out to a select group of organizations and looked under their hoods – to understand to what level they were using design thinking, how they were […]
Read MoreWhat do design leaders lead?
Of course design leaders lead design. But there can be sooooooo much more. A good leader provides inspiration, influence, direction, guidance, control and management, a good design leader even more. Given the right context and cultural environment, design leaders can do amazing things for any company; here is a snapshot of what the best design […]
Read MoreWhat do UX leaders lead?
Given the right context and corporate culture, User Experience leaders can do amazing things for any company. Much like Design Leaders, here is a snapshot of what the best UX leaders lead, and it goes far beyond usability. Process UX is about making new experiences, services and products, and this requires process discipline and methods […]
Read MoreTen characteristics of great design leaders
After interviewing hundreds of design leaders in my recruiting business for the last three and a half years, sitting thru about 350 speeches by design leaders whilst running DMI for six years, reading about 350 articles by design leaders as the publisher of the DMI Review and the DMI Journal, and co-editing/writing four anthology books […]
Read MoreNew book: Innovation by Design
Coming this November, a new book by Thomas Lockwood and organization psychologist Edgar Papke: Innovation by Design. Why are some organizations more innovative than others? How can we tap into, empower, and leverage the natural innovation within our organizations that is so vital to our future success? Now more than ever, companies and institutions of […]
Read MoreHow to align design and corporate culture
Here is a challenging thought – I’d argue that the greatest obstacle to great design is corporate culture. Therefore, if one understands corporate culture, one could in theory and practice create and deliver much better design. This is a very powerful concept. Several years ago I began collaborating with Edgar Papke, who is a well […]
Read MoreWhat do design thinkers think?
Have you ever wondered which problem is the most important to solve? Do you focus on the smaller problem at hand, or the bigger problem that lies beneath? The answer is yes, to both. That’s what design thinkers do. They solve the issues before them, while taking a bite out of the bigger issues too, […]
Read MoreThe Anatomy of a Great UX Design Leader
Fast Company recently asked me – What makes a great UX design leader? Here is my response – Seven key traits the best UX design leaders share. The job market for user experience designers is booming, and academic programs at companies like Google have sprung up to meet demand. Missing from most discussions about the […]
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