Social Science Strategies for User-Focused Innovation and Design Management

Design Management Review, Volume 16, Issue 4, pages 73-79, 2005

16 Pages Posted: 22 Jan 2020

See all articles by Victor P. Seidel

Victor P. Seidel

Babson College; Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; University of Oxford

John Pinto

Pinto Research

Date Written: May 7, 2012

Abstract

Social science research can provide a valuable pathway between consumer insights and design. However, social science methodologies come with six important strategic implications not only for consumer engagement but also for the design process itself: heed perceptual limitations; correct for cognitive biases; consider context as well as objective information; manage the pressure to conform; look for ways to bring in new knowledge; and cast a wide net in gathering ideas. The theoretical basis and practical implication of each strategy is discussed, along with two integrative examples from ongoing work in this area.

Keywords: User innovation, Design management, Social science, Ethnography

JEL Classification: M12, O31

Suggested Citation

Seidel, Victor P. and Pinto, John, Social Science Strategies for User-Focused Innovation and Design Management (May 7, 2012). Design Management Review, Volume 16, Issue 4, pages 73-79, 2005, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2053179

Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences ( email )

Cambridge, MA
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.seas.harvard.edu/directory/vseidel

University of Oxford ( email )

Park End Street
Oxford, OX1 1HP
Great Britain

HOME PAGE: http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/community/people/victor-seidel

John Pinto

Pinto Research ( email )

Palo Alto, CA 94301
United States

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