This document discusses how to design for "what doesn't exist yet" through human-centered design and seeking future needs. It proposes focusing on "tribes" of extreme or non-normal users who may indicate future changes. A process called "Future SEEking Program" is presented to help companies explore new opportunities from viewpoints outside their normal frames of reference in order to identify "signs" of emerging issues. The goal is to foster a more innovation-friendly culture within companies.

1. How to design ”What Doesn’t Exist Yet”
through Human Centered Design and seeking future needs.
Yuichi Inobori
INFOBAHN Inc.
Kazaru Yaegashi
Design Management,
Ritsumeikan University
How to design ”What Doesn’t Exist Yet”
through Human Centered Design and seeking future needs.
Yuichi Inobori
INFOBAHN Inc.
Kazaru Yaegashi
Design Management,
Ritsumeikan University

2. Emerging change of expectation for design professional
-What companies expect to think about new product and service has changed.
-From searching solution for "problem solving" ,to seeking creative ideas for thinking and
making new products and services has not yet been emerging.
Solving
users’
problems
Seeking
new issues

3. Hurdles for mode change
Changing mode of thinking is not so easy for some Japanese big company.
WHY？
Until now, their most important value was improvements existing product, service and
industries. (So, the problems for them have always been presupposed.)
They had matured experiences for finding current problems,
but don’t have the point of view for seeing problems in the future.

4. Purpose of this research
How might we provide the viewpoints and abilities that well-trained design practitioners
have (Ando & Yaegashi, 2016,2017,2018; Cross, 1982) for business persons who do not
have experience to design?
Important points for challenge above research question are,
1. Perception to identify current issues critically for finding emerging new issues
2. Meta perspective for considering new issues from the point of view not only focusing
on central issues and phenomenon but also seeing peripheral area
3. Ability of visualizing the contextual meaning for sharing with other people.

5. Background of this movement
1. For Japanese domestic company,expectation is increasing to emerge “intreprenuer”
inside company and organization from the background that digital transformation and
deadlock to improving current products,services and industries
2.For the reason, a lot of Japanese big companies（in particular domestic manufacturing
enterprises) are trying to prepare ecosystems for creating new businesses, such as the
Corporate Acceleration Program.

6. Necessity for change of thinking mode
From the thinking mode for improvement of existing product and service,
To the thinking mode for for creating “What doesn’t exist yet” and reframing current
problems.
Improving
existing
product
/service
Making
What
Doesn’t Exist
Yet

7. Why don’t rely on Design Professionals more positive?
Design 3.0
participatory
Design 4.0
Inclusive
Designer Non Designer Designer
Designer
Non Designer

8. How to seek “New Issues”?
Key approach;
- Seeking emerging and “Extreme Attitude” (not normal)
- Finding out the “SIGN” about change in mid-long term future

9. Focusing crusters who can see “FUTURE CHANGE”
Core User
(normal, average)
Extreme User
(NOT normal, average)
Extreme User
(NOT normal, average)

10. Criticism for Lead User Method
Both Lead User Method and Extreme User Research have critical insufficient.
User
Lead User
Extreme
User

11. What is TRIBE
-SEEDATA
e.g, about “Beauty and Health”
consumer
consumer
consumer
consumer
consumer
consumer
TRIBE
group of people who
run a little ahead of
the times

12. Focusing on TRIBEs
Focus on TRIBEs have pure ”Value in Meaning” without specified context.
TRIBE A
TRIBE B

13. Examples of TRIBE research®
-already published by SEEDATA
Online Streamer
consumer who subscribe multiple on
demand video service, and watch all
episodes at once or watch while doing
other activity in weekends.
Summarer
consumer who would like to consume huge
and high density content, for example
watching content by 1.5x speeds.
Charisma Reviewer
consumers are extreme enthusiasts who
write a lot of reviews or endorse
comments for advocating producer and
connecting others.
Work Life Brended Women
consumers who would like to balance
building their career for hard working and
enjoy their daily life without overdoing.
Craft Drinker
consumers who love craft beer and other
CRAFTED something, and are willing to
support their favorite micro brewers.

14. Exploring from the point of view “Out of Frame”
Seeking “New SIGN” through multiplied point of view from “Out of frame”.
TRIBE
research®
STEEP
researcn
as internal change as external change
Needs of
current users
TRIBE
FORESIGHT
(New SIGN)
industry area related area
“O
utoffram
e”field
-SEEDATA

15. What is “SIGN”?
New SIGN will become
New Meaning

16. How to do it quickly and inclusively?
How might we make easy the way to starting project for thinking
new business
with strong intentional hypothesis, and realizing
“What Doesn’t Exist Yet”
as quick as possible by collaboration of designers and non-
designers?

17. The process of Future SEEking Program®(FSP)

18. Next step
1.Study and analyze about what is the difference in impact on creating innovation in
companies with and without the Future SEEking Program.
2. Analyze this approach will not only bring about the results of individual innovation
projects in the company, but also foster the “innovation-friendly” culture in which
employee creativity increases and the organization itself energizes creativity.

19. Thank you for listening.
おおきに
-References
Brown, T. (2008) Design thinking, Harvard Business Review, 86(6), pp.84-92.
Von Hippel, E. (1986) Lead Users: A Source of Novel Product Concepts, Management Science, 32 (7), pp.791–806.
Cross, N. (1982) Designerly ways of knowing, Design Studies, Volume 3, Issue 4, pp.221-227.
Ando,T., Yaegashi, K. (2018). International Comparative Research Study on Design Attitudes A Comparative Analysis of Cases in Japan and Italy. R&D
Management Conference 2018
Ando,T., Yaegashi, K. (2017). Dual Nature of Designer’s Attitudes Toward Two Types of Design led Innovation. Design Management Academy
Conference 2017
Ando,T., Yaegashi, K. (2016). Designer’s Attitudes toward Problem Solving and Exploratory Enquiry for Service Innovation. The 17th International
CINet Conference.