A Research on Designer Roles in Industries

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to explore if roles of designers change in different industries. It was studied if expectancies from designers change according to industry they work. This study is linked with a prior study which investigated general expectancies from designers to get a hint about their work environment. In a prior study done by the authors, it was investigated if current tendencies about design have an effect on requirements from designers. It was found that companies asked for skills addressing capabilities for tasks like team management and process management. However, the effect of industries’ environment on requirements was not explored. In the scope of this study, 10 companies from 5 different industries with diverse characters were briefly interviewed to understand industry effect on requirements from designers. Industries included were shoe & bag, furniture accessories, jewellery, packaging and advertising & exhibition. A total of 50 companies were interviewed in this study. Companies were chosen among those 5 industries, each designing their own products. It was aimed to ask organizations their expectancies from designers, so each of these firms employ designers either regularly or project base. When results of the current study are investigated, it may be suggested that requirements from designers can change according to industries they work. Brown, T., 2008, “Design Thinking”, Harvard Business Review, June, 1-11. Cooper, R., 2009, Junginger, S., Lockwood, T., “Design Thinking and Design Management: A Research and Practice Perspective”; Design Management Review; 20-2, 45-55. Dorst, K. 2003.The Problem of Design Problems. Expertise in Design. Design Thinking Research Symposium 6. 17-19 November. University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. Hobday, M., Boddington, A., Grantham, A. 2011. An Innovation Perspective on Design: Part 1. Design Issues, 27:4, 5-15 Hobday, M., Boddington, A., Grantham, A. 2012. An Innovation Perspective on Design: Part 2. Design Issues, 28:1, 18-29 Perks, H., Cooper, R. Jones, C. 2005. Characterizing the Role of Design in New Product Development: An Empirically Derived Taxonomy. The Journal of Product Innovation Management. 22, 111-127. Rittel, H.W.J, and Webber, M.M. 1973. Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences. 4,155-169.