Buckminster Fuller Called for a Design Revolution

Over the last 20+ years InnovationLabs has worked with large groups to accelerate and enhance their ability to learn, collaborate, and produce results. This work increases the productivity of the group - often accomplishing weeks, months, or years worth of work in a matter of days. 

When we do this work we think of ourselves as designers. We often refer to the process we use with groups as a design process. 

Buckminster Fuller realized during the last century that human beings had acquired the necessary knowledge and know-how to raise the standard of living for all the people on the planet. What was simply required, according to Bucky, was a design revolution. He put his mind to thinking about - and re-thinking - many of the things that were common at the time. This short video shows how, in the early 1930's, Bucky re-thought what was then the 'dominant design' for the car. This 'car' (called the dymaxion car) was designed using materials and ideas from what was then a industry - the airline industry. This vehicle could comfortably seat 11 people, turn on a dime, and reach greater speeds then what was currently being made (as evidenced by the speeding ticket shown in the video). 

In Bucky's mind the idea of design revolution went beyond everyday products and services. Bucky suggested we needed to apply design thinking to all of humanities challenges. 

Another example of his way of thinking can be seen in his re-conceiving the map of the world - called the Dymaxion Map. Bucky realized through this re-conceiving that, until that time, there was no map of the world that displayed the continents in their correct proportions (and no other map clearly showed the earth as 'one island in one ocean'). 

In our work we apply design thinking to strategy, innovation, and process design - as well as new product and service development. We think this type of thinking can be applied to just about any type of challenge or issue facing organizations in todays environment. Applying design thinking to the work of any type of organization can enhance the capability for innovation to become 'a way of working' that all partake in. 

Is it time for a design revolution in your company? If it is, where should you start? That depends, of course - but one place you can start is with the things within your control - within your sphere of influence. Then, as others notice the improvements and innovations you create they can be brought in to collaborate on larger projects and initiatives.