Designing is always about ..
making choices about function, form, structure with some form of intended effect
The intended effect can be:
(1) dersired /unwanted, known/unknown,
(2) in terms of values (technical or fundamental – the quality of care for example, customer needs)
5 Core aspects of designing: (Boland & Collopy)
- MULTIPLE MODELS of possible futures with continuous refinement
- THROWNNES – not a blank slate, designer is dropped into conditions and has to work his way out it
- COLLABORATION – no one can know everything
- LIQUID CRYSTAL – iterations between leaving open and fixing
- LEGACY – being conscious of the effects of one’s actions
Desing thinking (Tim Brown)
- Empathy: what’s the human need behind the business need
- Ideation: using creative tools to generate many possible ideas, push past obvious solutions
- Experimentation: testing ideas with prototyping, making ideas tangible
- Iterative approach: learning from mistakes,
4 approaches
- “Fit” approach (Book)
- Sociotechnical Systems Design
- Lean Management
- Human centred job design
Fit approach
According to Burton et al., organisation design involves 5 interrelated aspects: (the diamond model)
- Goals and scope
- Strategy
- Structure
- Coordination and control
- Processes and people
These should “fit” together and they should fit the environmental demands
• Stable environments demand a different structure than turbulent environments
Burton et al. critique
often aspects of organizational design are implemented / changed independent of each other
Such as: strategy, division of labour and people
STS
aka the Dutch approach
Design influences:
• Quality of organisation - ability of org to effectively & efficiently realize and adapt its goals
• Quality of work - meaningfulness of work and possibility to deal with stress
• Quality of work relations - effectiveness of communication in org
Lean management
originates from Toyota car factories and US research; very “hip” nowadays.
negative effects of batches and queues in line organization:
1) delays cost time & money;
2) overproduction
organizations can limit these negatives by different approaches on Lean:
1) Oriented on removing waste 2) Aimed at facilitating ‘flow’ – e.g. grouping lines
Human centered job design
• Quality of work as a goal in itself:
- Humans have a need to fulfil a meaningful part within a community
- A paid job is one form of income but also fulfils other functions
- They need clarity, variety, personal control, social contact
• Ethical/ normative approach that proposes:
- Human well-being, mental & physical health
- Potential for growth and development
concerned with the content and condition of the job
