The need for sectoral transition design: A case of the shift to renewable energy

Abstract

In recent years the role of design has been expanding to tackle increasingly diverse and pressing societal challenges, known as ‘wicked problems’. However, little research exists that explores the role of design in developing and facilitating solutions to a major reoccurring wicked problem: sectoral transitions. Therefore this paper explores the role of design in facilitating societally required sectoral transitions through business- and governance-model innovation. The results of 28 semi-structured interviews, led to the development of a new overarching design approach, which is the adaptation of the existing design innovation and business model innovation approaches. This new design approach named ‘sectoral transition design’, exemplifies the need for designers to adapt their existing approach to creating individual product or service solutions for businesses and government and deliver solutions capable of providing societal-level solutions that can then subsequently be converted to business- and governance-model solutions to facilitate necessary sectoral transitions.