Speculate the future roles of design with the changes in the economy, technology, and user generation

Abstract: The recent advancements in technology have significantly impacted the direction of technological innovation. The present-day international community is witnessing the coexistence of five different generations with varying values, consumption habits, and behaviors, leading to ongoing shifts in market demand. Moreover, the global economy has transformed from a product-oriented approach to a service- and experience-oriented one, signifying the onset of the experience economy and the proliferation of diverse business models. Designers must reassess the future impact of design in the industry. The study aims to examine the future significance of design and its impact on the industry, providing the necessary skills and abilities for design professionals to improve their understanding of future trends and the influence of design in their field. The study used qualitative methods to examine the roles of design, including investigating local service design in Taiwan and international cutting-edge experience design cases, conducting interviews with design experts to gain insights into the present comprehension of design and prospective opportunities among design practitioners, and analyzing trends in social, technology, and economics to determine future roles and capabilities. This comprehensive research incorporates a total of 17 trend data, 18 cases, and insights from 12 industry experts, spanning design, users, technology, and business domains. The study encompasses perspectives from Taiwan, Eastern regions, and Western regions, aiming to thoroughly analyze the impact of design within the industry.This study has three main results after a comprehensive analysis of the above data. Firstly, we designed an analysis framework that takes into account user, business, and technological changes to help us analyze the role of design. Secondly, we sort out 12 future roles of design and describe their related resources and abilities. Thirdly, this study provides a framework for examining the future roles of design, which can further analyze the changes in design capabilities, help designers think about their own combination of capabilities, empower design education and industrial talent cultivation, and establish a more suitable education method for the future. Additionally, companies may utilize the research to inform their talent development strategies, job descriptions, and overall business direction. Government and educational institutions can also benefit from this study by understanding how to allocate resources for design training.

Keywords: future of work, roles of design, design ability, technology trend, experience economy, generation Z

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004265

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