Evolving Design/Reframing Perspectives: The role of COINs in the evolution of a discipline

Christine Miller, Savannah College of Art and Design, cmiller@scad.edu Verena Paepcke-Hjeltness, Savannah College of Art and Design, vpaepcke@scad.edu

The evolution of a discipline requires the successful diffusion of new ideas and the reframing of existing perspectives. Design is being redefined as the discipline evolves to adapt to changing contexts and new technologies. The diffusion of an evolving concept of design requires an emergent network that actively seeks to reframe the discourse by redefining, co-creating meaning, and articulating a new approach and role for designers. While the concept of design thinking is rapidly diffusing through business and organizational circles, relatively little is known outside the field of design about the intricacies of the design process and how it can be applied to facilitate creativity in problem finding, problem definition, and in implementing problem solutions, particularly in multi-disciplinary team. The purpose of this paper is to describe the evolution of the field of design through the lens of diffusion theory and collaborative innovation. Using several case studies as examples, we will document the potential of the evolved discipline to contribute significantly when designers engage in multi-disciplinary collaborative networks.