The Perils of 'Design Thinking'

The Scope and Definition of "Design"

A central point of contention in the discussion is the definition and scope of "design." Some users argue that design, in the context of the article, is distinct from engineering or invention, while others contend that these fields are inherently intertwined.

• "In the context of the article design is separate from engineering and/or invention." - socalgal2
• "But it's not actually separate. A lot of engineering innovation starts by identifying a design problem." - pavlov
• "could you frame innovation problems as 'design' problems? sure. was the cotton gin framed as a 'design' problem in the sense that it had some sort of epistemological lineage to the 'design' discipline when it was invented? I suspect not." - grimpy
• "This is exactly the sort of reductive mode of thought the article is calling out." - 1propionyl
• "This looks to me like a profession which is overstepping its bounds. The trap seems to be in the 'form follows function' motto. It shouldn't mean that designers have a word to say about how things function." - astrobe_
• "That absolutely is not a job for a designer. Anything about how society works is politics. If a a designer suggests things in this area, they are not designers, they are politicians." - TFA
• "I did not really understand why they use the term 'Design Thinking.' The article did not make it clear to me why they use the product development framework for social problem-solving." - exiguus

Design as a Solution to Societal Problems vs. Practical Impact

The discussion frequently contrasts the idea of design as a means to "save the world" or solve societal problems with more tangible forms of impact, such as volunteering or foundational inventions. There's a skepticism towards design's ability to enact significant positive change, with some viewing it as an abstract or even pretentious pursuit.

• "Design won’t save the world. Go volunteer at a soup kitchen, you pretentious fuck" - spit2wind
• "So things like the cotton gin or Ford's use of interchangeable parts don't count as design or somehow didn't change the world?" - spit2wind
• "How is volunteering at soup kitchens more effective at changing the world than interchangeable parts?" - spit2wind
• "It's as if people that wanted to accomplish something called their method design, but the people that came after them wanted the design itself to be the achievement. We see this in the developer world, where the goal is not to have working software, but a work of art of engineering that is to be admired by fellow colleagues." - locallost

The Dangers of Over-Centralized Planning and Idealized Models

Several users express concern about designers or planners advocating for large-scale, centrally controlled solutions, drawing parallels to historical urban planning failures. This is linked to a critique of overly idealistic or reductive models that disregard human complexity and individual experience.

• "If you want to see designers trying to fuck the world go to the Osaka 2025 Expo where designers are each proposing the next Brazilia City. They want total control over everything all centrally planned. no room for anyone’s individualism except the designer’s" - socalgal2
• "Not a new thing, sadly. See Le Corbusier's 'plan for Paris'." - pjc50
• "Central planning is a risky move - you’re essentially putting all your eggs in one basket. When it works well, we all benefit. When it works badly, we all suffer for it." - josephg
• "Even in extremis: A fist-fight is a sequence of biomechanical optimization problems, and there's always a 'perfect move' at any given moment in time.... the worst thing design ever did for itself was frame itself as 'the' human-centered problem solving discpline. everyone is a human-centered problem-solver in the most general sense, in the same way that everything is a 'design' problem in the most general sense." - A_D_E_P_T
• "I'd bet you $20 that none of the people who have ever won a fistfight have done so by modelling it as a biomechanical optimisation problem, at least on the fly while it was happening. The comparison is unintentionally funny because it's the exact same 'I can ignore the experience of the people who my work impacts because my models are perfect' mentality that produces unlivable apartments in dead lifeless streets." - strken

Critiques of "Design Thinking" and the "Design" Profession

A significant portion of the discussion targets "Design Thinking" specifically and the broader design profession, characterizing it as an academic trend, an "ego playground," and a practice prone to buzzwords, self-marketing, and a disconnection from practical impact.

• "There is a general academic rejection of “solutionism” that prefers criticism to design. I find it unnerving, personally." - dr_dshiv
• "This is the truth! Added to the purely mechanical process, is an enormous psychological aspect. But... we can do even better! The above assumes that fist fighting is indeed what we want to do, but perhaps the best (TM) solution is to avoid the fist fight alltogether? Since ultimately, living, and living well, is about values, how do I choose to live, according to which values, science will never be able to capture that dimension. I feel that scientists and technologists, and designers for that matter, should study more philosophy. It will open up their eyes to the fact that not every question is solvable by science." - abc123abc123
• "I’m not sure you understand the purpose of those designs, it’s much like the clothing on a fashion runway. It’s meant to inspire creative thinking, not be a literal plan to follow." - jama211
• "This looks to me like a profession which is overstepping its bounds." - astrobe_
• "From wikipedia. It's like 'Foundation Models', they successfully branded the concept but nobody cites them anymore" - gsf_emergency_2
• "I've spent far too long in the "Design" world (I'm talkikg Design with a capital D). It's largely an ivory tower ego playground for the financially elite, but with a creative side. It's a lot of relentless self-marketing with a generous helping of whatever buzzwords are in at the moment. The designers are easy to spot. They wear boldly coloured look-at-me glasses and clothing. It's like a menagerie of rare birds. Find them at international Expos, Bienalles and design festivals (if in doubt, seek out a pavilion). Their ideas are largely stale and reused. These people are born rich and die rich and affect very little positive change in the time between." - Oarch