Design thinking and strategy

Why do designers often work on a C-Suite level?

Why do designers often work on a C-Suite level?

Have you ever managed to insert a flash drive to a USB port on your computer on the first try? I haven’t. Even though USB is an industry standard, and millions of people still use it daily, it is an example of poor product design. People would have opted for another solution if it were not the standard. USB type C, which will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras in Europe from 2024, works much better.

I am often criticized for my consumer-centric approach to business strategy. My opponents affirm that it works only for “small businesses.” I wouldn’t call Apple a small company, but it, like many others, works in the consumer goods market. Does a CEO of a steel manufacturer, a shipping line, a construction company, or a chipmaker need to study design thinking?

In October 2018, McKinsey published a report, “The business value of design”, the result of five-year research in which the company tried to disco…