Kees Dorst: Frame Innovation

What can we learn from the practice of design? What might we learn if we had an insight into top designers’ minds? How might we apply the best practices of designers beyond the field of design itself? Most of our listeners are likely familiar with design thinking—what other practices should we learn about and understand?

To answer these questions, we talked with Kees Dorst about his books, Frame Innovation and Notes on Design, to discover his views on the creative processes of top designers and understand his practice of frame innovation. We enjoyed both books and find insights that extend well beyond design into all areas of problem solving. We are particularly interested in applying frame innovation in our complex problem-solving sprints and consulting practice.

Kees Dorst is Professor of Transdisciplinary Innovation at the University of Technology Sydney’s TD School. He is considered one of the lead thinkers developing the field of design, valued for his ability to connect a philosophical understanding of the logic of design with hands-on practice. As a bridge-builder between these two worlds, his writings on design as a way of thinking are read by both practitioners and academics. He has written several bestselling books in the field – ‘Understanding Design’ (2003, 2006), ‘Design Expertise’ (with Bryan Lawson, 2013), 'Frame Innovation' (2015) ‘Designing for the Common Good’ (2016) and ‘Notes on Design – How Creative Practice Works’ (2017).

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Thanks to Jonathan Coulton for our music