Lucy Kimbell On User-Centred Design To Designing For Service
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"The distinction is between an idea of design that focuses on the user and their interactions with things, that serves firms and markets, and an idea of design that is about exchanging service for service. The first is rooted in the design professions that emerged to serve a production and consumption economy that emphasized value-in-exchange. The second – visible in emerging practices in design and the car-ecology examples – is shaped by enquiries into value-in-context.
User-centred design asks how can we design a better toaster. Designing for service explores what meaning and what value toast-making has."
Lucy Kimbell 2010
This is an extract of the brilliant paper that Saïd Business School fellow Lucy Kimbell, was to present in the DMI conference Transforming Design in London the past month (before the ashcloud managed to block the skies and it got suspended).
One of the strongest ideas discussed here is the distinction between goods and services in regards of design is outdated. Kimbell argues that in the XXI century the real challenge lies in the designing of the 'service system' or 'ecology', the questions risen by this process and the role of designers and design managers dealing with them.
The conference has been rescheduled for next September 7th in London, more info here.
