I just read Karls post about "designing for experiences" refering to Marc Retting and Aradhana Goels
presentation on the subject. Find the presentation here or via Karls post.
Among alot of other things the presentation states;
"Experience design, or "design for experience" is a name for enlarging scope to consider patterns of life, goals, activity, context, repeated use, learning, sharing, emotion and more…while applying the design process".
It also includes a small exercise;
- Design a vase
- Design a way for people to enjoy flowers in their home
I think that the exercise and the definition above in a simple way explains what design can do for business - it can enlarge the scope of business and find new solutions to old problems, new value to old needs. Re-phrase the questions and bring new light to the why the company exist and where it can find new ways/markets to create and provide value in/to.
I think one of the most important hurdles in business today, especially if the company has been around for a while, is that companies has been around their own (and their competitors) products for so long they can think outside of that role, that box. Their view on themselves are linked to the product they provide not the problem they solve. They produce and sell "vases" and not "ways for people to enjoy flowers in their home"!
I know, this is hardly new but I certainly got an aha-experience when looking through the presentation. Have a look yourself…it’s also full of tools and methods, explaining the process in a good way.