Designing for Big Transformations and Collaborating for a Sustainable Future in Ocean Industries

Designing for significant transformations in complex industries such as the maritime and ocean industries is challenging but essential for achieving ecological and sustainability goals. A shift towards creative and innovative thinking is required, where new technologies and business opportunities are considered, and completely different ways of solving challenges are experimented with. 

The design process for significant transformations involves collaboration, stakeholder involvement, comprehensive task flow analysis, emotional aspects, and prototyping. Co-creation processes are critical, where considerable expertise comes together to achieve a shared mental model of what needs to be achieved. Introducing design processes to an engineering and industrial mindset requires education, exposure, and alignment with the vision. 

Collaboration is crucial for achieving a sustainable and inclusive future in ocean industries. Many stakeholders are involved, and systemic challenges require systemic solutions. Incentives can come from different places, such as changing regulations, reward-based incentives, or governmental initiatives. Companies must be ecosystem-centric to create meaningful impacts. 

Companies should work together to solve challenges in ocean industries, such as agriculture, energy, coastal ports, and ships, that significantly impact the world. Regulations must be carefully created to avoid unintended consequences, and strategic partnerships and understanding the ecosystem of companies they need to work with are becoming increasingly important. 

Projects that involve collaboration, prototyping experimentation, and aligning the goals of everyone that contributes are dream projects for designing a sustainable and inclusive future in ocean industries. By adopting a human-centric approach, working together, and creating real commercial enterprises, we can design for a better future.

Reflections:

It was interesting talking with Paal Holter about how the industry can shift from an engineering mindset to an exploratory one. To face the challenges of industry transformation required for all to have a healthy and safe future, we cannot just optimize our practices today - we must experiment and invent the future methods of ocean industry business models. It was also interesting that developmental clusters were pointed out as one way to demo those new business models and test innovation in ecosystem development among the many interdependent companies and sectors in the ocean space today.

Resources discussed:

https://eggsdesign.com/

Design Thinking: Unlocking the Power of Innovation

Design is often misconstrued as making things look pretty, but it's about making things fundamentally useful. Design is thinking made tangible into rich and cohesive experiences, products, and even industries. At its core, design is about making things real for the benefit of humanity, and the end-user is always at the forefront of the design process.

The Power of Design Thinking 

Design thinking is a powerful tool for solving problems, and it can be broken down into three questions: what if, what wows, and what works. Prof Jeanne Liedtka from Darden Business School 

These questions ask who the design is for, what challenges they are facing, and how the design will affect them. The ultimate goal is to create an ideal result that benefits everyone involved.

The Design Thinking Process 

The design thinking process involves three phases: inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Inspiration is followed by creating a prototype, which is then implemented and learned from before returning to the inspiration phase. The process cycles back and forth, with many stages inside each other.

Design Evolves to Meet Changing Needs 

Design has evolved from simply designing objects to designing experiences, business models, and even entire industries. The key is to focus on the end user and create a product or experience that wows them. Designing an industry with stakeholders can create something remarkable that benefits everyone involved.

Design Beyond Aesthetics 

The International Council of Design defines design as "a discipline of study and practice focused on the interaction between a person—a 'user'—and the man-made environment, taking into account aesthetic, functional, contextual, cultural and societal considerations." In other words, design is about more than just aesthetics - it's about creating something that works well for the user and considers their needs and wants.

Different Approaches to Design Thinking 

Many different processes and phases can be used to explain the design thinking process. One famous example is the IDEO model, which involves hearing, creating, and delivering. Another is the Interaction Design Foundation model, which requires inspiration, understanding, ideation, and implementation.

Design Thinking as a Mindset But design thinking is more than just following a process - it's a mindset. It's about engaging with others, sharing knowledge, and working collaboratively to create something that benefits everyone involved. By embracing design thinking, we can unlock the power of innovation and create a better world for all.

Interaction design foundation:

• Inspiration 

• Understand, and observe points of view 

• Ideation

• Ideate -Storm, rate, prototype, test

• Implementation 

• Storytelling, pilot, business model

Ideo Model:

• Hear

• Observations, stories,

• Create: 

• opportunities, solutions

• deliver  

• prototypes, implementation plan

The Future of Design 

As design evolves, there's no limit to what can be achieved. By engaging with others and sharing knowledge, we can learn from each other and create a better world. Design is not just about making things look pretty; it's about making things fundamentally useful, safe, and beneficial to humanity.

Conclusion 

So let's continue to explore the power of design thinking together. By embracing a human-centered approach and working collaboratively, we can create a brighter, more inclusive future for all. And remember to tune in tomorrow to hear from our guest about his journey with design and how he's using it to solve big problems. Together, let's make a positive impact on humanity through design.

Resources discussed:

• https://www.ideou.com/pages/design-thinking

• https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/book/the-encyclopedia-of-human-computer-interaction-2nd-ed/user-experience-and-experience-design

The Human-Centered Ocean Industry: Designing a Transformation, A 100-Day Project

The ocean industry has been vital to human civilization for thousands of years, providing transportation, food, and other resources. However, the industry has evolved differently than other sectors, leading to outdated practices and equipment. To address this issue, I have embarked on a 100-day project to explore how we might create a human-centered ocean industry.

Planning the Project

I have tried to plan the project meticulously, with nine parts covering various aspects of the design process on the industry. The project's first part will focus on design as a problem-solving tool, from exploring how products and equipment are made, constructed, and designed to suit their purpose to the stakeholders involved in using, repairing, and creating them. I will also highlight the importance of considering the end-users when designing these products and equipment. 

Part two will look at the shapes and segments of the ocean industry. We will examine the industry's current state and how it might evolve in the future. Part three will explore how the shape and segments of the ocean industry affect the world. Part four will focus on the stakeholders and humans involved in the ocean industry.

Part five will be dedicated to the constraint events that the industry must comply with, including regulatory and physical material constraints. Part six will involve imagining and making hypotheses about what the future of the ocean industry might look like. Part seven will explore how to test these hypotheses and determine the best way forward.

The project's eighth part will highlight the best practices identified throughout the project, and the final part, part nine, will be a retrospective look at the project, what has been learned, and what the next steps might be.

The Importance of a Human-Centered Approach

The project explores how we can make the ocean industry safe, sustainable, and inclusive. The human-centered approach is at the project's core, which aims to identify end-users needs and design the industry to support them better. The project will look at how the industry can create good jobs and positions and embrace automation without leaving human workers behind.

The ocean industry must support sustainable development goals to address future challenges. The industry must support more people and do so sustainably, making it essential to examine the current practices and equipment and identify areas for improvement.

Collaboration is Key

The project is collaborative, with input and involvement from members and leaders in the industry. This collaborative approach is critical to identifying and agreeing on new business models and a new human-centered approach to the industry. The project's success will rely on the involvement and engagement of all those who have a stake in the industry's future.

Conclusion

The 100-day project exploring the human-centered ocean industry is an exciting and much-needed initiative. By examining the current practices and equipment, identifying areas for improvement, and designing for end-users needs, the industry can be made safe, sustainable, and inclusive. The collaborative approach will ensure that its members and leaders determine the industry's future, focusing on creating good jobs and a sustainable future.