My colleague Ryan Jacoby writes about it a lot – http://www.ryanjacoby.com/

Definitely check out Eric Ries’ blog, this is his chief topic (though he doesn’t refer to deign thinking that much, the theory is definitely in the mix) – http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/

You might also check out Roger Martin’s two latest books, they go into a lot of theory and examples that live in this area.

enjoy.

I like your metaphor of a film director. That personality hold many tensions and directions in their head as they create a movie, and they have a point of view about where things should go. Unfortunately though, I think the idea of a ‘final shot’ when releasing a product can only increase the anxiety, and it’s sort of a false choice. (Things can always evolve.)

I think this is when the customer can be a crucial guide (and traditional business maxims can be your friend). When you can’t decide if you’re looking at the final iteration, take it to the people. See if what you have is compelling, exciting, and different enough to matter. You’ll have to temper what you hear with your point of view, but your customer will always be your strongest indication of success.

thanks.

I would submit that there is a great deal of anxiety around knowing how to identify when you’re done prototyping/designing, and thus having the confidence to know when you’re staring at the final solution. It’s that same confidence that lets a talented film director know that they got *it*, and they can move on to the next shot. And perhaps that’s also why there are so few talented directors.

Deciding among predefined options has a perhaps unfair advantage in explicitly also providing a specific, measurable goal that someone can achieve. A design-based approach requires leadership, regardless of the hierarchy, and that fact can easily push people back towards deciding over designing. So how can this best be overcome inside an established hierarchy?