Transforming non-designers and Procter & Gamble

One of the most fascinating changes today (in my mind) is the growing appreciation of design thinking and design action as a valid and useful practical approach to complex issues in our world. Here is a recent example where Procter & Gamble is pushing design thinking as a major "tool" for action in their company. Of course, the challenge becomes an educational one. How do you transform large numbers of non-designers into design thinkers? In a recent paper, my colleague Marty Siegel and I have explored that issue. The paper is titled "Metamorphosis: Transforming Non-designers into Designers" and it was presented a couple of weeks ago at the Design Research Society conference in England. The paper explores the issues arising when you are trying to transform students with a non-design background into designerly thinkers and doers, and the methods and tools we have developed to support the transformation. It is obvious that Procter & Gamble is struggling with the same problem!