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Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation |  | Author: Tim Brown
Publisher: HarperBusiness
List Price: $27.99
Buy New: $14.72
as of 11/21/2009 06:53 CST details
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New (26) Used (5) from $14.72
Seller: BizBooks
Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 781
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 272
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6 x 1.1
ISBN: 0061766089
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.4063
EAN: 9780061766084
ASIN: 0061766089
Publication Date: October 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The myth of innovation is that brilliant ideas leap fully formed from the minds of geniuses. In reality, most innovations are borne from rigor and discipline. Breakthrough ideas—whether for a new bicycle, an advertising campaign, a treatment plan for diabetes, or a program aimed at tackling the national obesity epidemic—emerge not by chance, but by studying and embracing the immediate challenges we encounter every day in our offices and homes, laboratories and hospitals, classrooms and conference rooms, and in all the spaces in between. We don't simply realize solutions; we design them. In this book Tim Brown, CEO of the celebrated innovation and design firm IDEO, introduces us to design thinking. Design is not just about creating elegant objects or beautifying the world around us. The best designers match necessity to utility, constraint to possibility, and need to demand. These design thinkers rely on rigorous observations of how we use spaces and the objects and services that occupy them; they discover patterns where others see complexity and confusion; they synthesize new ideas from seemingly disparate fragments; and they convert problems into opportunities. Design thinking is a method in which genius, in the end, is not required. Design thinking is valuable not just in so-called creative industries or for people tasked with designing products. Rather, it is often most powerful when applied to abstract, multifaceted problems: improving a guest experience at a hotel, encouraging bank customers to save more, or developing a compelling narrative for a public-service campaign. It has been used by organizations such as Nokia to rethink global gaming and by the Department of Energy to encourage conservation. Design thinking is now being applied to address a wide range of issues and concerns, from the delivery of clean drinking water in the developing world to improving the efficacy of airport security and microfinancing. This is not a book by designers for designers; this is a blueprint for creative leaders seeking to infuse design thinking—an approach for creative problem solving—into all facets of their organizations, products, or services to discover new alternatives for business and society as a whole. Written with imagination, humor, and vision, this vital and inspiring guide is essential reading for anyone confronting the challenges of today in order to create the opportunities of tomorrow.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 33
Design First November 19, 2009
E. Byers (San Diego, CA)
So many things are not done design first. In this book Tim Brown takes us into the mindset of a designer.
This book essentially delves into how to make design a part of the entire corporate life, giving companies ways to do things differently, explaining via case studies. He also goes on to explain that design is just not essential for 'creative' companies, but for everyone. It's supposed to make you think differently. Essentially rethink everything from a design perspective.
While the book does give case studies and good overviews, the 'applied' part or rather the 'how to apply' this is somewhat lacking. It does tell you to think differently, but doesn't give good steps how to exact this change throughout your company.
Overall it's a good read that even if it doesn't get you thinking different will give you a new perspective.
 Tremendously insightful; a brilliant read! November 19, 2009
E. Swope (Kaneohe, HI USA)
I'll preface this review by saying that I am not in the business world, or anything related to it. I'm a psychologist, who spent upwards of 20 years studying creativity (from an academic/ cognitive science perspective). I have also belonged to an internet mail list dealing with the subject for upwards of 20 years; a list comprised of people from all different disciplines. I have read a great deal on the subject both as part of my academic research and whatever seemed like it would add to/ enhance my understanding of the area. As a consequence, I have read quite a few books on "applied creativity," many directed at the business world. All that said, I am a pretty critical reader in this subject area, but this book left me floored, literally speechless. I can not remember the last time I have marked so many pages in a book!
I first picked it up a few weeks ago, and had to reread it, get some distance in order to be able to write a coherent review. The book is very well written. It begins by leading the reader through Tim Brown's personal journey with design and innovation, and goes on to explore the differences between design, innovation and design thinking. In the process he provides on of the most insightful descriptions of the creative process which I have encountered yet. In fact, were I to try to recommend another book on the topic (and I have read hundreds of books, journal articles, monographs) I would have to reach back 30+ year to books which are likely no longer in print and which could only be found in a good university library.
When i came here to write a review on this book, I was frankly surprised to see that there were so many others, but that is because I am, as noted earlier, outside this area. He seems to have a substantial following, and deservedly so.
To get to the content of the book; while it is not a step by step "how-to," Tim Brown gives an overview of design thinking and argues effectively for taking a different approach to product design. Because of my background I would use slightly different terms than he does, and say that he is coming in at a different level of the process; what Koestler would refer to as paradigmatic, and what has become commonly known (at the product level) as game-changing. Myself, I do not see this as innovation, but closer to invention (with "innovation" being reserved for tweaks).
He specifically addresses the (overlapping) stages of design thinking, tools which encourage collaboration and the exchange of ideas, setting up the physical space, project scope, and developing a team to maximize original thinking, and, significantly, project completion. He also incorporates human factors and discusses the importance of not just utility but empathy in product design.
I may well come back and tweak this review, as I feel like I have not really done justice to this work. In sum, it is a very well written book by a man who clearly has a very deep and thorough understanding of the subject. He contributes some insights as well as practical advice for creatively approaching and redefinign a problem/ challenge. I have already recommended this book to several people, and will continue to do so.
 Only brain dead comformist business"men" could like this crap November 18, 2009
Richard Greene (Sanda Japan)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I run a design firm that never competes with IDEO.
I am about average in intelligence and about average in business "success".
However, I am completely immune to all the male bombast, struttful pride, and self-centered own-career promotion dynamics that most business"men" mistake for work.
In that context, this book is typical of what New York City publishers mistake for thought and what the average American business"man" mistakes for thought. It should sell well---there are millions, tens of millions of morons out there for whom the silly vague bromides this book is filled with, will come as "insights" to.
If your average roll of toilet papper fills you with thrills of intellectual stimulation, this book is right down your alley.
What is WONDERFUL about this book, its author, the firm he represents, and the millions of moronic readers who mistake this sort of book for thought (after NYCity editors do so) is the conclusion one inevitably draws from this book, that:
a) big famous corporations take this book's type of ideas a "insightful" and "new"
b) therefore, those big famous organizations must be absolutely completely devastatingly brain dead, through and through
c) it is hard to believe there are any ways to assemble tens of thousands of human beings so as to be "impressed" by the ideas in this book---that major corporations do achieve this, amazes!!
Book in perfect conditions! November 9, 2009
Joelars (Barcelona,Spain,Europe)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
The arrival was on time, the condition of the book is perfect (it's a second hand book), I'm happy with the transaction.
Also I love the book, so everything was perfect for me! Thanks to Amazon!
Solid introduction to design thinking October 30, 2009
Dr. Yuval Lirov (New Jersey, USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Design thinking is an innovation methodology, an approach to make innovation effective and efficient.
Nobody is better positioned to write a book about innovation methodology than Tim Brown, the CEO of IDEO, the famous innovation and design consulting firm that contributed to the invention of the first mouse for Apple, the Palm V, Shimano's Coasting bikes, patient-provider service for Mayo Clinic, nurse knowledge exchange for Kaiser Permanente, Oral-B toothbrush, and many other important products and services.
Brown organized Change by Design in 10 chapters, split in 2 parts. The first part, consisting of 6 chapters, introduces in detail the key innovation stages, including user observation, brainstorming, prototyping, story telling, and scenario building. The most enjoyable aspect of the first part is the numerous real-life illustrations included in each chapter.
The second part, consisting of 4 chapters, looks ahead and deals with organizational and social issues that arise whenever the members engage in design and innovation. The most delightful aspect of this part is the Brown's "can do" attitude and his ability to demonstrate a convincing opportunity for improvement in every problem.
Too bad the book only focuses on IDEO experiences, as otherwise it could become a great textbook. It could also benefit from a style revision and more illustrations to make it easier reading. Perhaps the next release of Brown's book will qualify for the full 5 stars.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 33
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