Preparing design students for a new role in the organization

With an increasing awareness of their organizational surroundings, more and more design students want to learn how to bring their skills into the organization, rather than applying them merely to products for sale. The reasons are many fold and range from personal aspirations to working for the common good. At the same time, more and more organizations are exploring design thinking and design methods as alternative paths to continuous change and lasting profit. This puts the idea of organizational change in the focus of design education. Yet, the relationship between design and change remains largely unexamined. I argue that the study of design and change will benefit both designers and organizations, as it clarifies when, where, how and why change can take place. While design education cannot mitigate a general lack in design research, it can contribute to an increasing understanding of the links between design and change. This will prepare future designers for a role in internal organizational change and strengthen the role of product development within the organization. The purpose of this paper is to lay the grounds for research and teaching on this topic from a design perspective.