The great design thinker Horst Rittel once wrote that “a design problem keeps changing while it is treated, because the understanding of what ought to be accomplished, and how it might be accomplished is continually shifting. Learning what the problem is IS the problem.”
Peter Hall, "A Good Argument," MetropolisMag.com, 18 Mar 2009, www.metropolismag.com/story/20090318/a-good-argument via Alan Blood.
8. Be an anthropologist, not an archaeologist.
An archaeologist seeks to understand the past by investigating its relics and digging for the truth of what was. An anthropologist studies people to understand their values, needs, and desires. If you want to design new solutions for the future, you have to understand what people care about and design for that. Don’t dig for the answer—connect.
"IDEO’s Ten Tips For Creating a 21st–Century Classroom Experience," MetropolisMag.com, Feb 2009, www.metropolismag.com/story/20090218/ideos-ten-tips-for-creating-a-21st-century-classroom-experience via Alan Blood.