We need an approach that values the
collaboration between the perspectives
of academics and practitioners in the

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0 O, sormaton
O O Data

The world in the future The world as it is today

The framework for the analysis of messy data shows that the
path of analysis starts in the lower left with the collection of data
related to the topic or the phenomenon under investigation. The
layers of analysis are based on Ackoff’s DIKw scheme (where the
letters D, 1, K and w stand for Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom), which distinguish different levels of sense making [1]. In
the framework data are documented, organized and reorganized
into information. Information is then transformed into knowledge
as the analysis proceeds. Ideally, knowledge is further trans-
formed into insight or wisdom. Theory is said to set the boundaries
for this investigation and to inform the analysis process. Some-
times new theory is created as a result. Analysis moves upward
and to the right, from the analytical side to the design side of the
framework with crossovers between research and design taking
place at every level of sense making. Bigger ideas emerge at higher
levels of sense making.

Now I’m going to use the framework as a model of design
wisdom and will start by deconstructing the framework into its
core components.

Figure 2 shows the generative/creative side of the front end of
the design space where new ideas and concepts emerge. It is here
that designers explore the future. For years designers worked
primarily in this space ideating, sketching and iterating on ideat-
ing and sketching. The goal of working in this space is to imagine
the world as it could be and to give shape to the future.

creation of wisdom.

Figure 3 shows the analytical side of the front end of design
space where we use methods and tools to understand the world
as itis today. This side of the design space is often referred to as
research. Here is how it works. We usually start with a theory that
informs the research plan. We collect data about the phenomenon
being explored according to the plan. We then organize and make
sense of the data by working our way up the levels until we get to
the level of wisdom whereby we can feed back into the theory with
confirmatory or contradictory evidence. Scientists use this model
of the research process in order to discover and make sense of the
world as it is today.

Use of the scientifically-based research process as a newer
addition to design practice has grown dramatically since the
1960’s. Proponents of the design research process have tended
to come from the social sciences and use research methods and
tools to understand the current context in order to inform the
design process. Designers have had mixed reactions to such design
research since they are often more interested in what could inspire
their creative process than in what could inform their creative
process.

However as the challenges facing humanity have become more
complex and urgent, designers are now finding that they need to be
informed (and perhaps inspired) by the analytical side while they
are generating and exploring ideas in the design space. When we
are working with wicked problems and/or large systems that are
dynamically changing, we need to combine the analytical and the
generative sides of the design space.

USING THE FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGN WISDOM

In the framework for design wisdom that is shown in figure 4 there
is now a large space between the analytical and the generative
sides. Optimists refer to the space as a bridge and pessimists refer
to the space as a gap. But everyone agrees that we need to play on
both sides of the bridge or gap to address the challenges that design
is being asked to consider today.

So how do we play on both sides? Should we start on the analyti-
cal side and use the knowledge and wisdom gained there to inform
the generation of ideas on the creative side? That is the approach
that design research has been using to date. We start with the
research phase and then move on to design. The arrows in figure 1
point this way.

But there are other ways to work the framework. We could, for
example, start with generating ideas on the design side and then
use the ideas as input toward a more analytical exploration. This
is what is happening today in the design-led approaches such as

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