Design is a mindset
Good design is behind every successful commercial product. A designer, through their work, leaves a mark and sometimes an immortal legacy in the material world. Raymond Loewy sketched trains, Frank Lloyd Wright houses, Charles Eames chairs, and Coco Chanel Haute Couture. Dieter Rams designed Hi-Fi devices and his creations experienced a stunning renaissance.
This historical self-image of a designer has come to an end. The role of the designer has changed radically due to digitalization. Design has distanced itself from the shaping of the world of physical products and taken on the intellectual principles as laid out in design thinking. This new way of thinking, which is said to solve the complex problems and challenges of a society or company, requires a new mindset.
For designers, everything has to change: the idols are dead. No longer does the designer, a solitary genius, create something for eternity. Rather, the designer as part of a team is optimizing for the next beta version. Their brilliance sparkles only for a moment in a seemingly liquid environment. Digital products, brands and services are never completely finished.
And the currency has changed: In the past, a designer showcased their talents through their sketches (portfolio!) that covered a broad spectrum ranging between fine art and commercial art and then converting it for commercial applications for a bit of pocket change. Then, it would grow in importance, becoming academically valuable; or they would trade the design for obscene paychecks.
These old rules for a classic design career paid off before the digital era. Still valued today by the institutions of design – universities, academies, councils, and competition juries – they are simply no longer valid. In these digital times, the designer is not a hero anymore. The only way out is to reflect on the former role and become a mediator between technology and the living environment.
„For designers, everything has to change: the idols are dead. And the currency has changed.“
Design Thinking uses the methods of design to square human needs with technological possibilities. Where these intersect, there is room to develop new products and business models, generating new chances on the market and improving customer loyalty. To do so, designers need a mindset that is solution-oriented rather than problem-oriented. It is about gauging the future and with creative fantasy and imaginative power, illustrating a development trajectory that most corresponds with the needs of customers and consumers.
Empathy is necessary to do so. That means having intuition, an awareness of trends and cultural sensitivity as well as a profound understanding of the true desires and needs of those in the target groups. A valuable bargain for the designer is his profound knowledge of the living environments and cultural discourses significant to identified target groups.
„Design has distanced itself more and more from shaping the world of physical products to transferring its principles into the thinking.“
The designer’s task of mediating technology and the world we live in should not be overlooked. Because digitalization changes everything: the way we live and work, what we value, and how we perceive brands. Considering that increasingly intelligent devices and products exist and there are new rules of interaction, designers and creatives must look beyond the superficial. Designing products and digital services requires a profound knowledge of the customers and the underlying technological infrastructures. As such, they should have a broad range of skills and be able to work in close collaboration in interdisciplinary teams.
„The top design talents have high demands when it comes to working autonomously, with flat hierarchies, and in a creative atmosphere that allows for sufficient freedom and mistakes.“
Essay by Philipp Thesen
Based on the speech announcing the German Design Award Newcomer Benjamin Würkner
Design is a mindset
Good design is behind every successful commercial product. A designer, through their work, leaves a mark and sometimes an immortal legacy in the material world. Raymond Loewy sketched trains, Frank Lloyd Wright houses, Charles Eames chairs, and Coco Chanel Haute Couture. Dieter Rams designed Hi-Fi devices and his creations experienced a stunning renaissance.
This historical self-image of a designer has come to an end. The role of the designer has changed radically due to digitalization. Design has distanced itself from the shaping of the world of physical products and taken on the intellectual principles as laid out in design thinking. This new way of thinking, which is said to solve the complex problems and challenges of a society or company, requires a new mindset.
For designers, everything has to change: the idols are dead. No longer does the designer, a solitary genius, create something for eternity. Rather, the designer as part of a team is optimizing for the next beta version. Their brilliance sparkles only for a moment in a seemingly liquid environment. Digital products, brands and services are never completely finished.
And the currency has changed: In the past, a designer showcased their talents through their sketches (portfolio!) that covered a broad spectrum ranging between fine art and commercial art and then converting it for commercial applications for a bit of pocket change. Then, it would grow in importance, becoming academically valuable; or they would trade the design for obscene paychecks.
These old rules for a classic design career paid off before the digital era. Still valued today by the institutions of design – universities, academies, councils, and competition juries – they are simply no longer valid. In these digital times, the designer is not a hero anymore. The only way out is to reflect on the former role and become a mediator between technology and the living environment.
„For designers, everything has to change: the idols are dead. And the currency has changed.“
Design Thinking uses the methods of design to square human needs with technological possibilities. Where these intersect, there is room to develop new products and business models, generating new chances on the market and improving customer loyalty. To do so, designers need a mindset that is solution-oriented rather than problem-oriented. It is about gauging the future and with creative fantasy and imaginative power, illustrating a development trajectory that most corresponds with the needs of customers and consumers.
Empathy is necessary to do so. That means having intuition, an awareness of trends and cultural sensitivity as well as a profound understanding of the true desires and needs of those in the target groups. A valuable bargain for the designer is his profound knowledge of the living environments and cultural discourses significant to identified target groups.
„Design has distanced itself more and more from shaping the world of physical products to transferring its principles into the thinking.“
The designer’s task of mediating technology and the world we live in should not be overlooked. Because digitalization changes everything: the way we live and work, what we value, and how we perceive brands. Considering that increasingly intelligent devices and products exist and there are new rules of interaction, designers and creatives must look beyond the superficial. Designing products and digital services requires a profound knowledge of the customers and the underlying technological infrastructures. As such, they should have a broad range of skills and be able to work in close collaboration in interdisciplinary teams.
Essay by Philipp Thesen
Based on the speech announcing the German Design Award Newcomer Benjamin Würkner