Abstract
The design-led innovation framework enables organizations to systematically develop the design capabilities they need to pursue their innovation objectives. When a design researcher works in tandem with organizational stakeholders to implement the framework, the dynamic they create is complex. This article relates our efforts to apply narratives as a tool to effectively drive this process forward, given their demonstrated ability to sustain organizational innovation and frame new possibilities. During an eighteen-month action research project, we implemented the design-led innovation framework inside an Australian Airport Corporation. Our research revealed that three narrative techniques—low-fidelity narratives, realistic narratives, and strategy narratives—particularly supported several key stages of this creative innovation process. Narratives enabled us to surface internally-held assumptions and beliefs and test their validity with external customers and stakeholders; they established common ground among various stakeholders during the innovation process; they served to convince managers to pursue design-led innovation outputs; and they facilitated the co-creation and implementation of a company-wide strategy. This article contributes new knowledge and practical guidance for developing and applying narrative techniques during design-led innovation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 186-201 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Keywords
- Action research
- Design innovation catalyst
- Design methods
- Innovation management
- Storytelling