Trust me, I am a designer: why is there a lack of trust in design expertise?

Gulari, Melehat Nil; Fairburn, Susan; Malins, Julian

Abstract

The design field has broadened to include a wide range of design interventions following the promotion of concepts such as design thinking that are based on a generalist mind-set. Yet, some designers as specialist-generalists find it difficult to communicate their expertise. As Kripperndorf's (2009) quotation illustrates, 'designers who know a little bit of everything, none too deeply, are universal charlatans.' This paper focuses on the perceptions held by Small and Medium Enterprises' (SMEs) regarding design expertise. It examines the issue through a series of interviews conducted with individuals representing SMEs and designers. It discusses the nature of design expertise, questions why there may be a lack of trust in design expertise. It investigates the confusion emerging from a generalist-specialist dichotomy and tries to uncover the difficulties in communicating design expertise. This paper aims to contribute to this unresolved dialogue that is taking place between businesses and designers working in partnership.

Citation

GULARI, M.N., FAIRBURN, S. and MALINS, J. 2013. Trust me, I am a designer: why is there a lack of trust in design expertise? Presented at the 10th European Academy of Design conference (EAD 10): crafting the future, 17-19 April 2013, Gothenburg, Sweden.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 10th European Academy of Design conference (EAD 10): crafting the future
• Conference Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
• Start Date: Apr 17, 2013
• End Date: Apr 19, 2013
• Deposit Date: Nov 11, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 11, 2016
• Keywords: Design expertise; SME; Generalist; Specialist; Design consultancy
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/1968