Marketplace Research | |||||||||||||
Design: Noun or Verb? Two research projects and a handful of firms point the way to preferred futures |
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by Richard W. Hobbs, FAIA |
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I recently talked with Tom Peters about his upcoming keynote address at the AIA convention. Peters' insight about design is either refreshing or alarming, depending on your point of view. He has said repeatedlyat the convention, in his talks, on his Websitethat "Design Matters," and his commitment to this principle shines forth in all he says. Others in the business world echo this sentiment. Harvard's Robert Hayes states, "Fifteen years ago companies competed on price, now it's quality. Tomorrow it's design." Sony's Norio Ohga says, "We assume that all products of our competitors have basically the same technology, price, performance, and features. Design is the only thing that differentiates one product from another in the marketplace." Is design a noun or a verb to you? Do you think of a design, as in a building or an "it?" Or are you applying "it" to a firm, professional community, or whatever issue on whatever scale you choose? Let's go further: Apple's Steve Jobs says, "Design is the fundamental soul of a manmade creation." Tom Peters says the soul of experience is design mindfulness. We can see that many peoplearchitects and nonarchitects alikeare expanding their definition of design. Clients are stating how they perceive architects and the role of architects, while architects in turn are seeing the potential and taking steps to move into these stated areas of need and demand. Okay, as tempting as pursuit of these lofty definitions and theories of design may be, it's time for a reality check. Following are studies that validate the changes many firms report are occurring, as well as some examples of architects who are expanding and reinventing architecture and even the societal "framework" to architecture to which we contribute. Research under way We thought that the clients of educational environments
would be a likely group to start this study. I facilitated the first of
three "think tanks" on the MIT campus, with five educators and
five architects with firms specializing in education environments. The
studya cooperative effort of the AIA and the National School Boards
Association, in conjunction with the Committee on Architecture for Educationintends
to: The first think tank indicated that these clients
would like the architect to: A second study involves 91 participants within the building industry. Working with AIA Communications Director Chuck Hamlin, the Context-Based Research Group is using an "ethnographic" study approach, in which anthropologists observe and interview participants to determine how they truly think about architects and the built environment processbeyond what they say they think and feel. Click here to read more about the study. (Link) I think you will be amazed to discovereven at this preliminary stagethe links and patterns between the two studies. Start with relationship Collaborate:
Mohanbir Sawhney in the Spring issue of the MIT
Sloan Management Review, writes that while relationship marketing
assumes that firms relate to clients, collaborative marketing requires
that firms work with clients to define, design, and deliver value. So,
he says, don't just relatecollaborate! He stresses that reversing
your vantage point to think "outside-in" instead of "inside-out,"
will cause you to ask critical questions, such as: Sawhney stresses that only when firms collaborate with end users can the quest for the value in the new marketplace reach its full potential. (The Redefinition scenario matrix is shown with the overlay of the SPARKS cultural archetypes and their gravitation along the matrix.) Concept services: Callison Architecture, Seattle, provides branding and concept services to clients. Principal Rick Meyer, FAIA, says that clients select Callison for its ability to create experiences that meet the design and financial strategy of the client. In other words, the "it" that Callison offers is strategy-based design that addresses the emotion and the image the client provides to its own customers. Callison employs an internal management structure that needs to work both ends of the integration and implementation axis and make the critical connection between the two ends of the spectrum. Organization strategy: OP-X, Washington, D.C., offers critical organization strategy for its clients. They know that it is efficient to develop and define strategy prior to design, yet, recognizing the comfort factor of the client, they will wait for the appropriate opportunity to shift "back" to the strategy then come around again with design. Clients have hired OP-X to solve "design problems" that are not building-related because the firm provides an integrated service and value through strategy design. By challenging the client to make decisions, OP-X ends up being hired to do more work as it shifts back into the programming and organization strategy phases to help the client make decisions. Trusted advisor: BC&J, Seattle, excels in creating community, bringing people, values, and design together. Principal Peter Brachvogel, AIA, takes on a "trusted advisor" role with clients by connecting with the spirit and the emotion of the issue. The firm wraps clients up in the process, enabling their desired experience to be implemented. The passion they bring to the client produces a trust to move further into the organization and integrate the design message. Full circle What Do the Clients
Think? A second study currently under way involves 91 participants within the building industry. Working with AIA Communications Director Chuck Hamlin, the Context-Based Research Group is using an "ethnographic" study approach, in which anthropologists observe and interview participants to determine how they truly think about architects and the built environment processbeyond what they say they think and feel. The study will be used to refine the advertising message that the AIA uses in continuation of its successful advertising campaign. The study was designed to: We will tie the results of the study, of course, to our ongoing work in the Marketplace Research arena, taking advantage of "triangulation." The study included 91 participants from three distinct
client mindsets and management levels. Key findings Communication and relationship: Architects have the opportunity to demonstrate their value not just as designers but throughout the process by taking on a role that the client describes as of "master communicator." Who is my architect?: The client's perception of the architect is not always consistent with the reality of what architects can and want to do. Clients say they see design as a noun, a tangible thing that architects create. To the architect, design is a verb. Further, clients see architects as great assets, designers, problem-solvers, and innovators; but also as ego-driven, not team-oriented, and challenged by business and construction skills and understanding. Flexibility: Clients see built environment projects as driven by change. A well functioning team in their mind provides flexibility and creativity, adapts to change, and constantly communicates throughout the process. The client sees change as stress, and seeks simplicity and accountability in a professional. Evaluation: The clients see "end-user" involvement and satisfaction as critical to any successful project, and, currently, the end user and end user liaison is absent from several stages of the process. The clients feel that architects have the capability to step in as user liaison and enhance the value of the architect throughout the process. The research offers detailed picture of the client's
view of a built environment project from start to finish. It includes
the following phases: It is interesting to contrast this definition of
phases to that used by Razorfish
(a dot-com advertising/research/design firm) in its strategic thinking
process and approach to user-centered design: It's interesting to note that the clients' sense of the "big five steps" of the building process differs from that of the AIA Owner/Architect B141 Document definition, and that "design" is the constant of all three lists. Digging deeper Stay tuned. Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved. |
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