Open Design and Innovation: Facilitating Creativity in Everyone

This book looks at the fundamental issues and their real world implications of open design and innovation practices. Open Design and Innovation develops the argument for a more nuanced acknowledgement and facilitation of ‘non-professional’ forms of creativity; drawing on lessons from commercial design practice; theoretical analysis and a wider understanding of innovation.

The book offers a critique of the hype surrounding some of the emerging phenomena and a framework to help understand the emerging relationship between citizens and designers.

Specifically it examines: innovation and design, mass creativity reality and myth, the future of design (practice and profession), through a series of case studies of new approaches to open design practices. The text draws on academic research, practical experience of the author in delivering open design projects and first hand interviews with leaders in the fields.

The author challenges the notion of the designer as ‘fountain-head’ of innovation and, equally, the idea of ‘user creativity’ as a replacement for traditional design and innovation. The book offers a critique of the hype surrounding some of the emerging phenomena and a framework to help understand the emerging relationship between citizens and designers. It goes on to propose a roadmap for the development of the design profession, welcoming and facilitating new modes of design activity where designers facilitate creative collaborations.

Chapter One is free to download here 

Buy it at a 30% discount here using code G14iWU35