Three Narrative Techniques for Engagement and Action in Design-Led Innovation

Price, R.A.; Matthews, Judy; Wrigley, Cara

doi:10.1016/j.sheji.2018.04.001

Three Narrative Techniques for Engagement and Action in Design-Led Innovation

Title

Three Narrative Techniques for Engagement and Action in Design-Led Innovation

Author

Price, R.A. (TU Delft Responsible Marketing and Consumer Behavior)
Matthews, Judy (Queensland University of Technology)
Wrigley, Cara (University of Sydney)

Date

2018

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.

Subject

Action research
Design innovation catalyst
Design methods
Innovation management
Storytelling

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b5f08297-9eef-410f-9c19-94f940dbb68e

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sheji.2018.04.001

ISSN

2405-8726

Source

She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, 4 (2), 186-201

Part of collection

Institutional Repository