This book emphasizes the central role of design, whether a company focuses on physical goods, digital products, services, or a combination of these. However, the perceived business value of design varies between designers and non-designers, often preventing design from reaching its full potential. In her master’s thesis “The Gap In The Perception Of The Business Value Of Design,” written for her MBA studies at the Executive Academy of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Jasmin Roth explores this issue in depth. She examines the complex relationship between designers and managers through extensive research and expert interviews. Roth highlights the discrepancies in perception and communication between these groups. She advocates for redefining the design profession and integrating design-related content into business education, and vice versa. Additionally, she calls for breaking down the silos between design and business to encourage an industry-wide dialogue.
The Gap in the Perception of the Business Value of Design-PDF
The Gap in the Perception of the Business Value of Design-PDF
Author | |
---|---|
ISBN | |
Publication Date | November 20, 2024 |
No. of Pages | 80 |
Size |
€34.99
Author | |
---|---|
ISBN | |
Publication Date | November 20, 2024 |
No. of Pages | 80 |
Size |
About the author
Jasmin Roth is a Creative Director at and co-founder of Cin Cin, Creative Studios. With a strong passion for blending design and business, both in her professional practice and educational background, she focuses on transforming brands and institutions to meet future challenges.
Table of contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
A. Problem formulation …………………………………………………………………………..13
B. Terminology ………………………………………………………………………………………..13
C. Objectives and research questions ……………………………………………………….14
D. Course of investigation ………………………………………………………………………..14
E. Contribution of this research ……………………………………………………………….16
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE PART
A. Design within the design realm ………………………………………………………….. 17
I. The challenge of framing design ………………………………………………………17
II. Non-designers perceive design differently than designers do ………… 18
III. The importance of design is on the rise …………………………………………19
B. Design within the management realm …………………………………………………. 20
I. Strategic relevance of design ……………………………………………………………20
II. Design in established strategy frameworks …………………………………….21
C. The “perception gap” ……………………………………………………………………………24
I. Origins of and reasons for the “perception gap” ……………………………… 24
II. Four stakeholders and their impact on the “perception gap”………….. 29
CHAPTER THREE:
EMPIRICAL PART
A. Methodology ……………………………………………………………………………………….33
B. Research Design …………………………………………………………………………………..33
I. Survey period ………………………………………………………………………………….33
II. Survey approach ……………………………………………………………………………. 35
III. Selection criteria for the interview partners ………………………………….35
IV. Guiding interview questions …………………………………………………………35
CHAPTER FOUR:
RESULTS AS AGGREGATED FEEDBACK
A. Perspectives on the relationship between
designer and manager (non-designer) …………………………………………………37
B. Perspectives on the ability of design to contribute value to a business …. 39
C. Perspectives on the pain points in the cooperation between
designer and manager (non-designer) …………………………………………………41
D. Perspectives on how an ideal designer-manager-relationship
could look like …………………………………………………………………………………….45
E. Perspectives on ways to overcome the “perception gap” ………………………. 45
F. Expectations of designers and managers (non-designer)
towards representatives …………………………………………………………………………48
G. Expectations of representatives towards each other or a third-party ……. 50
CHAPTER FIVE:
DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION
A. The mutual perception of designers and managers (non-designers) ……. 53
I. The designer-manager-relationship ………………………………………………… 53
II. The power of design ……………………………………………………………………….54
B. The key pain points that contribute to the misunderstanding in
communication between designers and managers (non-designers) …….. 56
I. Briefing for and scope of the design process ……………………………………. 57
II. Costs and budgets …………………………………………………………………………. 58
III. Trust and fear in decision-making ………………………………………………..59
C. Overcoming the “perception gap” ………………………………………………………..61
I. Common language and values ………………………………………………………… 61
II. Getting expectations right ……………………………………………………………..62
III. Education on both sides ……………………………………………………………….62
D. The mutual expectations of designers, managers (nondesigners)
and representatives ………………………………………………………………………………63
I. Designers demand true representation and a
re-definition of the design profession ………………………………………………63
II. Managers demand access to design for SMEs and an
integration of design into business education and vice versa ………….64
III. Design representatives demand longer business cycles,
and the support of policymakers to completely rethink
school from the ground up ……………………………………………………………65
IV. Business representatives demand more pressure to
raise design awareness and hold design representatives
accountable for doing the same …………………………………………………….. 66
CHAPTER SIX:
CONCLUSION & FUTURE
MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS
Conclusion & Future Managerial Implications ………………………………………….67
LIMITATIONS …………………………………………………………………………………………71
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………………………………..73
APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………………………………………77
A. Guiding interview questions for designers and
managers (non-designers) …………………………………………………………….. 77
B. Guiding interview questions for design and
business representatives …………………………………………………………………. 79