The importance of de-design thinking in the design industry

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Every industry has its own characteristics and management style, but this doesn’t mean we can’t cross sectors. Coupled with the impact of the Internet and capital today, every industry is undergoing drastic changes, and of course this includes the survey and design industry as well. Certain inherent ideas, ways of thinking, and operational patterns in the industry are changing. Amidst these changes, on one hand we face unprecedented pressure, while on the other hand we still proceed in a routine manner, sticking to old ways in our daily work. I have also been puzzled by this issue over the past few years, struggling to find an accurate word to describe it. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a management consulting project, where I heard a hospital leader use the term “de-designing,” which coincided exactly with my own thoughts over the years. Inspired by this, I wrote this article. Every industry has its own characteristics, and the design industry is one with particularly distinct traits. Terms such as “knowledge-intensive industry,” “success depends on technical expertise,” and “emphasis on technology over management” are common descriptions of this industry – descriptions that are both accurate and somewhat regrettable. On the one hand, they reflect the industry’s characteristic of generating value through technology rather than other factors; on the other hand, these same characteristics lead to various management-related challenges, such as an inability to implement meticulous management practices and a disregard for authority. Whenever these issues are discussed, what is heard most often are the characteristics of the industry. Is there really no good way to solve these problems? Or, how to change one’s inherent way of thinking – design exactly provides us with a good answer for that. — 1 — Manifestations of design-oriented thinking: To truly understand what de-designing means, one must first grasp the specific manifestations of design-oriented thinking in our industry. ▌1. One manifestation of design-oriented thinking: emphasizing technology over management. As the name suggests, it holds that technology is the most important factor, with nothing else being as crucial as it; a concrete example of this is the belief that those with superior technical skills can become leaders ； Underestimate or even despise management, believing that it is useless, and even feel resistance toward managerial actions ； Using technology as an excuse to neglect operations and service, believing that with a high level of technical expertise, there will be no shortage of projects, and being self-centered rather than customer-focused ； Ranking based on seniority, using technology rather than performance as the main criterion for evaluation, and so on ； Management is too lax, with no effective means to oversee employees. ▌2. The second manifestation of design-oriented thinking: managing non-design businesses using the operational model of design work. Design work is the core business of the consulting and design industry, as well as the most familiar aspect of this field. Naturally, when engaging in other types of business, it’s inevitable to use the management methods applicable to design work to manage those other areas. In the case of general contracting for projects, many design firms find that such activities are not profitable or even result in losses. Why? Firstly, they fail to understand how to manage general contracting projects; they think that simply submitting the required deliverables on time is sufficient. In reality, this is only a very minor, indeed the most basic, aspect of project management. Early-stage project planning, budgeting and cost control, management of subcontractors, and procurement management are all aspects that were not given enough attention in traditional design work, yet they are precisely the key factors determining profitability in general contracting. If one relies on the management mindset associated with design work, it’s impossible to succeed in general contracting. ▌3. The third manifestation of design-oriented thinking: emphasizing scale over profits. The survey and design industry originated in the planned economy era, and its historical mission was to provide services and support rather than to focus on making profits. Moreover, many companies in this industry are public institutions or state-owned enterprises; as a result of historical factors, there is an emphasis on scale rather than profits. To this day, many performance evaluation criteria still relate to scale. In some large design firms, despite having an output value of 500 to 600 million, the final profit is only 10 to 20 million. How can such a management approach lead to improved efficiency? — 2 — Reflection of de-design thinking: The golden decade of the survey and design industry is gone forever. In these past two years, the changes within the industry have been even more significant than those in the previous decade. Policies such as breaking down industry barriers, advancing reforms related to qualifications and bidding processes, and allowing foreign investment have pushed this industry into a situation of full competition, akin to removing the roof of a greenhouse. Those who can survive will be those with stronger internal capabilities and who were better prepared in advance. In such a context, it becomes particularly important to carry out various tasks in a more market-oriented manner, using de-design thinking. ▌1. De-designing first requires a shift in the thinking of top management. Factors such as the overall economic downturn, industry competition, and the influx of capital are profoundly transforming this industry. How design firms can survive, how they can better demonstrate their value, and how they can earn greater respect from clients are no longer merely technical issues; being able to provide more comprehensive solutions, as well as management and financial support, are the requirements of customers in the future. The transition from being mere providers of technical solutions to becoming full-service problem solvers is an important manifestation of this de-designing mindset. ▌2. The de-design thinking is also reflected in changes to internal management approaches. In the context of marketization in the design industry, it has become common practice to seek efficiency through management and to win customers through excellent service. In terms of internal management, efficiency has taken precedence over technical quality as the key focus, and the importance of service has never been greater. Internal management processes are now oriented more toward customer needs, with reorganizing internal workflows based on these needs becoming the norm. Approaches such as departmental structures tailored to different industry segments and customer service departments designed to respond quickly to client needs have yielded satisfactory results. In terms of internal management models, control methods, and institutional frameworks, there has been a shift from a self-centered approach to a customer-centered one, with senior management being responsible for achieving efficiency, management departments focusing on serving frontline staff, and business units having interests aligned with those of customers – all of which are important manifestations of de-design thinking. ▌3. De-design thinking is reflected in many aspects of human resource management. The principle that those with superior technical skills will succeed is a common trend in this industry, but a career in technology is not the only path forward. The development of project management professionals and market operation experts is, to some extent, more urgent than that of technical experts; technical experts determine the level of development of an organization, while versatile professionals determine its breadth and depth of development. I was deeply moved by a sentence I read today: the world punishes those who do not read, and it also punishes those who stick to their old ways of thinking without changing. I share this with you all as an encouragement.