Short answer
Actively use strategic foresight methods to inform the problem definition and ideation phases of your design projects, ensuring you are solving for future needs, not just current ones.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Technology Innovation Management Review (2019)
- Method
- Literature Review and Conceptual Framework Development
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Integrating strategic foresight into the design process helps teams avoid incremental improvements on existing solutions and instead focus on truly novel innovations that address future needs. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Technology Innovation Management Review. Using Literature review and conceptual framework development, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Actively use strategic foresight methods to inform the problem definition and ideation phases of your design projects, ensuring you are solving for future needs, not just current ones.
Strategic Foresight Prevents Design Projects from Chasing 'Faster Horses'
Integrating strategic foresight into the design process helps teams avoid incremental improvements on existing solutions and instead focus on truly novel innovations that address future needs.
Technology Innovation Management Review · 2019
Key Findings
- 01Design thinking often focuses on current user needs and iterative improvements, which can lead to the 'faster horses' problem.
- 02Strategic foresight provides tools and methodologies to explore future scenarios and identify unmet needs or emerging opportunities.
- 03A combined approach can guide design projects towards radical innovations rather than just evolutionary ones.
Application
Design takeaway
Actively use strategic foresight methods to inform the problem definition and ideation phases of your design projects, ensuring you are solving for future needs, not just current ones.
How to apply
Before starting a new design project, conduct a foresight exercise to identify potential future trends, technologies, and societal shifts relevant to your domain. Use these insights to frame the design challenge and guide ideation.
Project actions
- 01When defining your design problem, consider future scenarios (e.g., 5-10 years from now).
- 02Use foresight tools like trend analysis or scenario planning to inform your user research and ideation.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Highlights a critical limitation of conventional design thinking.
- +Provides a clear direction for more impactful innovation.
Limitations
It can be challenging to accurately predict the future, and foresight exercises may not always lead to the most relevant insights.
Reliability & validity
The conceptual nature of the framework limits direct assessment of reliability and validity. Empirical studies would be needed to establish these.
Think critically
To what extent can we truly predict the future, and how might over-reliance on foresight limit unexpected, serendipitous innovations?
Design Principles
"Integrate future-oriented analysis into the design process to drive transformative innovation."
Many design projects can fall into the 'faster horses' trap, where efforts are focused on making existing products or services slightly better rather than exploring entirely new directions. By systematically considering future trends and potential disruptions through strategic foresight, design teams can identify opportunities for breakthrough innovations that offer greater long-term value and competitive advantage.
What This Means for Your Design
Don't just make things a little bit better; use future thinking to invent completely new things that people will need later.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the concept of the 'faster horses' trap to explain why your design project aims for innovation beyond simple iteration.
- 2.Reference strategic foresight as a method to justify your exploration of novel solutions.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This design project aims to move beyond incremental improvements, often termed the 'faster horses' trap, by integrating strategic foresight. By exploring potential future trends and user needs, the project seeks to develop a truly innovative solution that addresses emerging challenges rather than simply refining existing ones.
Source
Technology Innovation Management Review
Escaping the ‘Faster Horses’ Trap: Bridging Strategic Foresight and Design-Based Innovation
journal · 2019
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about strategic foresight prevents design projects from chasing 'faster horses'?
- Actively use strategic foresight methods to inform the problem definition and ideation phases of your design projects, ensuring you are solving for future needs, not just current ones. Evidence: Technology Innovation Management Review (2019).
- Why does "Strategic Foresight Prevents Design Projects from Chasing 'Faster Horses'" matter for design?
- Many design projects can fall into the 'faster horses' trap, where efforts are focused on making existing products or services slightly better rather than exploring entirely new directions. By systematically considering future trends and potential disruptions through strategic foresight, design teams can identify opportunities for breakthrough innovations that offer greater long-term value and competitive advantage.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Actively use strategic foresight methods to inform the problem definition and ideation phases of your design projects, ensuring you are solving for future needs, not just current ones.
- What were the main findings?
- Design thinking often focuses on current user needs and iterative improvements, which can lead to the 'faster horses' problem.. Strategic foresight provides tools and methodologies to explore future scenarios and identify unmet needs or emerging opportunities.. A combined approach can guide design projects towards radical innovations rather than just evolutionary ones.
- What research method was used?
- Literature Review and Conceptual Framework Development.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2019 journal from Technology Innovation Management Review.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Before starting a new design project, conduct a foresight exercise to identify potential future trends, technologies, and societal shifts relevant to your domain. Use these insights to frame the design challenge and guide ideation.
- What are the limitations?
- The proposed framework is conceptual and requires empirical validation through real-world design projects.