Jeff Swystun presented these insights and observations at the International Design Symposium in China. Now in the form of a white paper from Swystun Communications, find out how you can design so each consumer believes what you produced had them specifically in mind.

1. People-First Design:
Design Thinking and Management
The
most
important
thing
about
a
point
of
view
is
to
have
one.

2. 2
Design
is
Hot
Enlightened
companies
are
talking
about
design
and
its
benefits
like
never
before.
Product,
brand
and
service
design
are
on
the
agenda
because
they
speak
volumes
about
the
company
that
produced
them,
its
values
and
priori@es.
It
is
also
good
business
as
smart
design
makes
money.
Yet
so
few
do
this
or
do
it
remotely
well.
One
cannot
aDend
a
design
or
marke@ng
conference
without
Apple
being
lauded
as
the
pinnacle
of
design
thinking.
In
December,
2013
I
was
a
Keynote
speaker
at
the
Tsinghua
Interna@onal
Design
Management
Symposium
in
Shenzhen,
China
and
joked
with
fellow
presenters
about
who
would
be
first
to
men@on
Apple.
The
joke
is
actually
a
biDer
one
because
there
are
few
other
companies
to
cite.
Shenzhen
There
are
many
reasons
for
this
drought.
Design
and
its
prac@ce
have
been
made
overly
complex.
We
have
assigned
words,
processes
and
tools
to
design
that
confuse
more
than
enlighten.
Now
“design”
is
analogous
to
“strategy”.
It
is
a
word
that
has
come
to
mean
so
much
that
it
means
almost
nothing
when
we
hear
it.
The
second
reason
is
puUng
design
at
the
heart
of
an
organiza@on
is
tough
stuff.
Business
is
complex
with
many
compe@ng
priori@es
and
focuses.
Too
oXen
design
is
viewed
as
a
suppor@ng
player.
Where
design
is
at
in
business
today
holds
eerie
parallels
to
where
branding
was
ten
years
ago.
Design
advocates
are
aDemp@ng
to
convince
the
C-­‐Suite
that
a
Chief
Design
Officer
should
be
at
the
‘big-­‐boys’
table.
I
sat
on
a
panel
in
Shenzhen
and
one
of
my
fellow
panelists
stated,
“Design
should
not
be
a
department
or
func@on
within
a
company.
Design
should
be
everything
the
company
does.”
I
cannot
tell
you
how
many
@mes
I
heard
exactly
the
same
thing
at
branding
and
marke@ng
conferences
in
reference
to
brand
over
the
past
twenty
years.
I
intend
to
circle
back
on
this
observa@on
at
the
close
of
the
paper
but
first
it
is
important
to
set
the
stage.

3. Level
SeUng
The
Design
Management
Ins@tute
has
done
the
industry
a
favor
by
penning
a
smart
defini@on:
3
“Simply
put,
design
management
is
the
business
side
of
design.
Design
management
encompasses
the
ongoing
processes,
business
decisions,
and
strategies
that
enable
innova@on
and
create
effec@vely-­‐designed
products,
services,
communica@ons,
environments,
and
brands
that
enhance
our
quality
of
life
and
provide
organiza@onal
success.”
Design
management
is
about
good
business
because
it
solves
real
problems
by
improving
people’s
lives.
What
this
means
to
me
is,
design
can
do
good
and
make
money.
I
also
believe
it
is
a
noble
pursuit
because
it
is
extremely
difficult.
A
significant
part
of
what
makes
design
so
challenging
is
how
we
all
subjec@vely
judge
it.
Design
is
hugely
personal.
Yet,
in
business
it
can
be
evaluated
based
on
commercial
success.
That
is
because
great
design
must
sa@sfy
a
need
or
a
want
or
ideally
both.
It
must
compel
people
to
engage
with
it.
Even
beDer
is
when
people
share
it
with
others.
Design
management
started
with
product
design.
Businesses
learned
that
they
could
differen@ate
by
using
consistent
and
dis@nc@ve
design.
This
gave
way
to
brand
design
and
now
companies
are
challenged
with
service
design
which
is
incredibly
complex.
Today
we
see
such
elegance
in
the
design
of
every
day
products
and
their
packaging.
needs
&
wants
Through
products
and
packaging,
companies
learned
that
design
could
be
a
strategic
asset
in
brand
equity,
differen@a@on,
and
product
quality.
This
gave
rise
to
brand
design
management.
It
helps
align
products
within
the
product
range
and
establishes
a
clear
design
language.
It
promotes
a
company’s
brand
by
communica@ng
a
clear
set
of
values.
This
is
an
area
I
have
spent
a
great
deal
of
my
career.

4. Each
of
these
brand’s
logos
is
filled
with
meaning
that
the
companies
have
taken
great
pains
to
achieve.
Whether
it
be
value,
quality,
or
exclusivity,
each
of
these
values
are
deliberate
strategic
decisions.
That
brings
us
to
the
challenging
prac@ce
of
service
design.
The
aim
is
to
improve
the
quality
of
the
service,
the
interac@on
between
the
service
provider
and
its
customers
and
the
customer's
experience.
It
is
arguably
the
most
complex
form
of
design
management.
There
are
four
reasons
for
this:
Services
are
intangible.
They
have
no
physical
form
and
they
cannot
be
seen
before
purchase
or
taken
home.
Services
are
unique.
Unlike
tangible
products,
no
two
service
delivery
experiences
are
alike.
Services
are
inseparable.
The
act
of
supplying
a
service
is
inseparable
from
the
customer’s
act
of
consuming
it.
Services
are
perishable.
They
cannot
be
inventoried.
The
good
new
is
there
is
a
shared
process
to
apply
whether
it
be
product,
brand
or
service
design.
For
me
it
all
starts
with
a
very
simple
ques@on.
4
What
Problem
Are
You
Trying
To
Solve?
Design
management
is
the
business
of
design
so
it
must
solve
business
problems.
Its
purpose
is
to
capture
opportunity,
to
innovate
so
we
can
enhance
and
improve
people’s
lives.
This
compels
them
to
buy
what
we
offer.
I
believe
it
is
the
most
beau@ful
form
of
business.
When
Andy
Warhol
said,
“Being
good
in
business
is
the
most
fascina@ng
kind
of
art.”,
I
believe
he
was
referring
to
an
exchange
of
value.
In
its
simplest
form,
a
company
designs
solu@ons
for
its
customers
and
those
customers
compensate
the
company
by
paying,
by
remaining
loyal
and
by
telling
others
about
their
experiences.
Warhol
was
not
referring
to
design
for
design’s
sake.
The
curving
picnic
bench
is
beau@ful
but
it
is
art
because
it
lacks
commercial
sensibility
and
applica@on.
My
colleague,
Simon
Bolton
of
Birmingham
City
University
is
fond
of
saying,
“You
do
not
sell
design,
you
sell
solu@ons.”

5. The
process
requires
asking
the
right
ques@ons.
It
begins
with
the
problem
we
are
trying
to
solve
and
when
I
work
with
clients
that
leads
to
three
fundamental
ques@ons.
What
do
you
have
that
is
unique?
Who
wants
or
needs
it?
How
do
they
like
to
be
engaged?
Let’s
see
how
they
apply
to
a
few
different
cases.
Designers
Mike
&
Maaike
asked
a
very
simple
ques@on…can
wallpaper
serve
a
highly
func@onal
purpose?
I
love
what
they
concluded
through
smart,
simple
design
that
serves
a
business
purpose
and
makes
lives
easier.
They
created
Wayfinder
wallpaper.
It
transcends
language,
employs
color
coding
and
just
makes
sense.
It
helps
direct
people
in
a
visually
pleasing
way
to
exits
and
loca@ons.
It
reminds
me
of
Arthur
Koestler’s
quote,
“The
more
original
a
discovery,
the
more
obvious
it
seems
aXerwards.”
This
seems
very
obvious
aXer
viewing.
Apple
design
chief
Sir
Jonathan
Ive
has
his
own
view
on
this
topic,
"So
much
of
what
we
try
to
do
is
get
to
a
point
where
the
solu@on
seems
inevitable:
you
know,
you
think
"of
course
it's
that
way,
why
would
it
be
any
other
way?"
It
looks
so
obvious,
but
that
sense
of
inevitability
in
the
solu@on
is
really
hard
to
achieve."
5

6. The
next
is
a
great
example
of
aDemp@ng
to
solve
a
problem
is
finding
new
uses
for
old
space.
This
was
the
problem
posed
to
architects
in
The
Netherlands.
Specifically
how
do
you
convert
a
beau@ful
old
church
into
a
bookstore?
How
do
you
retain
its
uniqueness
while
making
it
func@onal
and
relevant
given
its
new
purpose?
6
Pu8ng
People
First
Each
of
these
examples
shares
the
most
cri@cal
considera@on.
Each
solu@on
puts
people
first.
They
solve
real
problems.
Make
people’s
lives
easier
and
more
enjoyable.
More
importantly,
what
I
call
“People-­‐First
Design
Management”
makes
each
person
believe
it
was
designed
solely
for
them.
This
is
incredibly
difficult
to
accomplish.
You
can
be
the
smartest,
most
talented
and
crea@ve
person
but
may
s@ll
not
be
equipped
to
do
this.
It
takes
a
few
special
quali@es.
We
all
know
that
children
are
extremely
inquisi@ve.
They
love
to
experiment
and
inves@gate.
They
are
seeing
everything
for
the
first
@me
and
are
amazed.
This
prompts
them
to
ask
ques@ons.
In
fact,
a
recent
study
shows
that
children
ask
150
probing
ques@ons
a
day.
They
are
trying
to
figure
things
out.
They
ask
why
things
work
they
way
they
do.
They
wonder
if
things
can
change
for
the
beDer.
And
they
are
not
afraid
to
say
that
they
do
not
understand.
Then
something
changes
when
children
grow
up.
The
same
study
found
that
adults
only
ask
6.
Over
@me
we
seem
to
lose
our
interest.
We
assume
that
the
way
things
are
is
the
way
they
must
stay.
We
have
become
less
curious.
We
have
lost
our
childlike
wonder
with
the
world.
This
is
sad.
This
is
not
good
for
our
world.
This
makes
our
world
a
less
interes@ng
place
because
we
are
not
asking
the
right
ques@ons.
To
develop
the
most
crea@ve
solu@ons
we
must
look
at
problems
in
a
unique
and
fresh
way.

7. Curiosity
itself
does
not
guarantee
success
in
business
and
design.
We
must
all
be
objec@ve
and
not
biased
in
our
views,
we
must
possess
an
intui@veness
about
people
and
their
behavior,
we
must
observe
keenly
how
people
interact
with
each
other
and
the
world
around
them,
we
must
be
able
to
discern
what
is
important
and
what
is
not
and
lastly
we
must
be
percep@ve
enough
to
know
that
we
don’t
know
everything.
I
say
that
because
designers
must
be
confident,
yet
humble.
Robert
Weider
said,
“Anyone
can
look
for
fashion
in
a
bou@que
or
history
in
a
museum.
The
crea@ve
person
looks
for
history
in
a
hardware
store
and
fashion
in
an
airport.”
This
means
that
inspira@on
can
come
from
different
places
if
we
are
open
to
being
inspired.
If
we
want
to
make
changes
in
this
world
through
design
than
we
must
be
open
to
change.
Remember
first
that
you
are
all
problem
solvers.
Everything
you
do
begins
with
the
ques@on,
what
problem
are
we
trying
to
solve?
It
is
when
you
are
uncomfortable
that
you
know
you
are
onto
something.
This
means
you
have
pushed
your
own
thinking
and
challenged
conven@on.
Take
this
example
from
M&C
Saatchi
Milano.
Imagine
spoUng
a
submarine
that
had
surfaced
in
the
middle
of
a
city
street.
The
adver@sing
agency
created
this
amazing
installa@on
for
an
insurance
client
to
communicate
that
anything
in
our
world
can
happen.
It
is
best
to
be
prepared.
It
was
an
uncomfortable
campaign
idea
but
executed
so
brilliantly
that
it
brought
about
the
desired
effect
of
people
re-­‐examining
their
insurance
needs.
It
certainly
beat
doing
the
predictable
and
tradi@onal.
Embrace
Complexity
The
world
is
a
complex
place
and
many
companies
and
brands
do
very
complex
things.
So
many
of
my
clients
ask
me
to
simplify
their
stories.
This
I
now
refuse
to
do.
I
tell
them
not
to
be
ashamed
of
their
complexity
but
to
celebrate
it.
This
does
not
mean
they
cannot
cleverly
and
crea@vely
demonstrate
their
complexity.
7
People-­‐First
Design
Management
makes
each
person
believe
whatever
was
designed
was
designed
solely
for
them.
This
is
not
mass
customiza@on,
it
is
mass
appeal.
"I
think
there
is
a
profound
and
enduring
beauty
in
simplicity;
in
clarity,
in
efficiency.
True
simplicity
is
derived
from
so
much
more
than
just
the
absence
of
cluDer
and
ornamenta@on.
It's
about
bringing
order
to
complexity.”
Sir
Jonathan
Ive

8. 8
At
the
Symposium
my
fellow
Keynote
presenter,
Paul
Gardien,
Vice
President,
Head
of
Strategy
&
Design
Innova@on
at
Philips
regaled
the
audience
with
his
company’s
pledge
to
improve
the
lives
of
three
billion
people.
This
number
is
aggressive
and
impressive
but
a
realis@c
figure
that
Philips
has
proved
it
can
reach.
Sobering
was
Paul’s
admission
that
just
4%
of
the
ideas
Philips
explores
ever
makes
it
way
to
market.
Depending
upon
industry
this
is
actually
an
enviable
number.
In
business
ideas
die
quick
or
prolonged
deaths
for
scores
of
reasons.
In
his
presenta@on
Paul
highlighted
the
KiDenScanner.
This
is
an
ini@a@ve
by
Philips
to
remove
the
mystery
and
to
calm
and
empower
kids
undergoing
an
MRI.
Quality
images
are
best
acquired
with
recep@ve,
relaxed
pa@ents.
Yet
a
child’s
fear
of
the
unknown
can
challenge
that
goal.
The
KiDenScanner
reduces
fear
and
playfully
educates
children
about
the
scanning
process.
Philips
examined
both
the
service
and
product
design.
The
insights
were
exceedingly
human.
They
recognized
that
a
hospital
visit
can
be
overwhelming
and
undergoing
an
examina@on
without
Mom
or
Dad
nearby
is
scary.
But
given
an
opportunity
to
understand
what’s
happening,
children
find
the
experience
easier.
Their
naturally
inquisi@ve
minds
are
reassured
when
they
can
“try
it
out”.
Children
are
encouraged
to
explore
the
scanning
concept
by
learning
from
a
small
scale
version
of
a
scanner.
This
generic
looking
model
can
be
used
to
help
describe
both
the
MRI
and
CT
process.
First
the
child
chooses
a
toy
to
scan.
Then
he
or
she
puts
it
on
the
miniature
pa@ent
table
and
pushes
it
through
the
opening.
This
ac@on
triggers
a
flat
panel
display
which
presents
(in
terms
kids
can
understand)
a
short
story
explaining
how
a
scanner
works
and
why
the
exam
is
needed.
The
“insides”
of
the
toy
are
seen
on
the
screen,
clarifying
the
scanner’s
purpose.
As
children
play
with
the
KiDenScanner,
aDen@on
is
focused
on
learning
and
having
fun,
so
they
are
less
likely
to
worry
about
the
upcoming
procedure.
By
reducing
fear,
pediatric
pa@ents
can
more
calmly
undergo
the
exam.
Calmer
pa@ents
tend
to
be
more
compliant,
less
ac@ve.
This
may
translate
into
fewer
retakes
and
improved
throughput.
The
KiDenScanner
makes
a
serious
occasion
less
scary
and
more
effec@ve.
This
ini@a@ve
is
part
of
Philips’
larger
“Ambient
Experience”
offer
which
removes
the
mystery
and
fear
of
a
wide
range
of
healthcare
services.
I
was
pleased
to
learn
they
term
it
“People
Focused
Healthcare”.
It
has
many
of
the
same
tenets
that
appear
in
this
paper
and
that
were
found
in
my
People-­‐First
Design
presenta@on
in
Shenzhen.

9. Create
Wonder
Product,
brand
and
service
design
is
not
art
but
that
does
not
mean
you
cannot
create
wonder
and
draw
people
in.
This
stunning
work
for
the
Berlin
Philharmonic
instantly
intrigues
and
pulls
you
in.
At
first
glance,
it
looks
like
a
room
lit
by
stylish
windows
un@l
we
realize
it
is
the
inside
of
a
violin.
There
is
also
an
organ
that
resembles
a
complex
city.
9
Prac@cing
sound
design
management
does
not
mean
it
cannot
be
beau@ful.
The
Design
House
Stockholm
summed
this
best
by
saying,
“Don't
make
something
unless
is
it
both
necessary
and
useful
but
if
it
is
both
necessary
and
useful
don't
hesitate
to
make
it
beau@ful.”
Summing
Up
Design
and
design
management
is
on
the
agenda
of
more
and
more
companies.
It
is
at
the
place
where
branding
was
ten
to
fiXeen
years
ago.
Branding
almost
became
a
buzzword
rather
than
a
legi@mate
management
prac@ce
and
differen@ator.
It
is
s@ll
figh@ng
for
legi@macy
because
it
has
either
been
over
complicated
or
over
simplified
and
in
many
cases
over
promised
and
under
delivered.
The
same
could
happen
to
design.
For
design
and
design
management
to
be
valued
it
has
to
demonstrate
a
clear
return
on
investment.
It
will
do
so
by
solving
business
problems,
by
puUng
people
first
and
by
making
each
person
believe
that
whatever
was
designed
was
designed
solely
for
them.
Jeff
Swystun
President
and
Chief
Marke@ng
Officer
416.471.4655