Short answer

When designing new initiatives, especially in complex organizational settings, consider how they will 'fit' into the existing system, 'stick' to become embedded, 'spread' to a wider audience, and 'grow' to adapt and evolve over time.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick) (2015)
Method: Transdisciplinary synthesis and case studies
Evidence: Moderate effect

A transdisciplinary framework can analyze and guide the design and implementation of innovations within complex environments like higher education. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2015 study published in Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick). Using Transdisciplinary synthesis and case studies, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing new initiatives, especially in complex organizational settings, consider how they will 'fit' into the existing system, 'stick' to become embedded, 'spread' to a wider audience, and 'grow' to adapt and evolve over time.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

A 'Fit, Stick, Spread, and Grow' Framework for Designing Educational Innovations

A transdisciplinary framework can analyze and guide the design and implementation of innovations within complex environments like higher education.

Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick) · 2015

Key Findings

01Higher education institutions can be characterized as 'supercomplex organizations'.
02A 'design divide' exists, similar to the digital divide, hindering the spread and growth of innovations.
03A framework is needed to analyze design, designing, designers, designerliness, and design capability.
04Strategies are required to manage design capability and address ad hoc designing.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

Use the 'fit, stick, spread, and grow' model to map out the intended journey of a new design or intervention, identifying potential barriers and facilitators at each stage.

Project actions

01When proposing a new design, think about how it will be adopted and sustained.
02Consider how your design can be shared with others and how it might evolve.

Method & Evidence

AimHow can a transdisciplinary framework be developed and applied to analyze and design innovations within higher education?

MethodTransdisciplinary synthesis and case studies

ProcedureSynthesized insights from design research, architecture, innovation studies, computer science, sociology, pedagogy, business, and psychology to create the 'fit, stick, spread, and grow' framework. Applied this framework through case studies and design studies within a university setting, involving staff, students, and alumni. Conducted interviews with professional designers and industry leaders.

ContextHigher education institutions, specifically a young, fast-growing university.

Variables

IV["The 'fit, stick, spread, and grow' framework","Characteristics of supercomplex organizations"]

DV["Success of innovation adoption","Sustainability of design solutions","Dissemination of innovations","Growth and evolution of designs"]

CV["Organizational culture","Existing infrastructure","Stakeholder buy-in","Resource availability"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Transdisciplinary approach integrating multiple fields.
+Empirical grounding through case studies and participant involvement.

Limitations

It can be challenging to fully predict or control how a design will 'spread' and 'grow' in real-world scenarios.

Reliability & validity

The validity of the framework relies on its comprehensive synthesis of existing research and its application in case studies. Reliability would depend on consistent application and interpretation of the framework's components across different contexts.

Think critically

How might the 'design divide' manifest in different design contexts beyond higher education, and what strategies could be employed to mitigate it?

Design Principles

"Design innovations with a lifecycle perspective, focusing on adoption, sustainability, dissemination, and scalability."

Understanding how designs are adopted, sustained, disseminated, and scaled is crucial for successful innovation. This framework provides a structured approach to evaluate and manage the lifecycle of new initiatives, ensuring they effectively integrate and evolve within an organization.

What This Means for Your Design

This research created a way to think about how new ideas in schools or universities get accepted, stay around, get shared, and get bigger, using a special framework called 'fit, stick, spread, and grow'.

How to use in your project

1.Use the 'fit, stick, spread, and grow' framework to analyze the potential adoption and impact of your design solution.
2.Discuss how your design addresses the 'design divide' by making it accessible and easy to implement.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The 'fit, stick, spread, and grow' framework, developed by O’Toole (2015), offers a valuable lens for analyzing the potential adoption and long-term impact of design solutions within complex environments. This model encourages designers to consider not only the initial implementation ('fit') but also the mechanisms for sustained use ('stick'), wider dissemination ('spread'), and adaptive evolution ('grow'), thereby promoting more robust and impactful design outcomes.

Source

Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick)

Fit, stick, spread and grow : transdisciplinary studies of design thinking for the [re]making of higher education

journal · 2015

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about a 'fit, stick, spread, and grow' framework for designing educational innovations?: When designing new initiatives, especially in complex organizational settings, consider how they will 'fit' into the existing system, 'stick' to become embedded, 'spread' to a wider audience, and 'grow' to adapt and evolve over time. Evidence: Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick) (2015).
Why does "A 'Fit, Stick, Spread, and Grow' Framework for Designing Educational Innovations" matter for design?: Understanding how designs are adopted, sustained, disseminated, and scaled is crucial for successful innovation. This framework provides a structured approach to evaluate and manage the lifecycle of new initiatives, ensuring they effectively integrate and evolve within an organization.
How can designers apply this research?: When designing new initiatives, especially in complex organizational settings, consider how they will 'fit' into the existing system, 'stick' to become embedded, 'spread' to a wider audience, and 'grow' to adapt and evolve over time.
What were the main findings?: Higher education institutions can be characterized as 'supercomplex organizations'.. A 'design divide' exists, similar to the digital divide, hindering the spread and growth of innovations.. A framework is needed to analyze design, designing, designers, designerliness, and design capability.. Strategies are required to manage design capability and address ad hoc designing.
What research method was used?: Transdisciplinary synthesis and case studies.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2015 journal from Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick).
What should I do differently in my next project?: Use the 'fit, stick, spread, and grow' model to map out the intended journey of a new design or intervention, identifying potential barriers and facilitators at each stage.
What are the limitations?: The framework's applicability may vary across different types of organizations and innovation contexts. The 'supercomplexity' of higher education might present unique challenges not fully captured.