Big data driven insights: Role and value of design as a facilitator of insights in multiddiciplinary teams.

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School of Arts, Design and Architecture | Master's thesis
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Date

2020

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Mcode

Degree programme

Language

en

Pages

89

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Abstract

Big data has been recognized as a crucial factor that enables businesses and organizations to excel in demanding domains by discovering valuable insights and knowledge that enable strategic differentiation. However, the value of insights has been less sustainable for most businesses and organizations. Consequently, data-driven companies have shown interest in integrating design into big data teams, however, for most, the role of design is still unclear. This thesis focuses on the role and value of design in multidisciplinary teams operating in big data environments. The thesis frames the foreseen challenges that often inhibit design from reaching its full potential within data-driven teams. In this thesis, big data is defined as a framework, in which its ethical implications, possibilities, and challenges are identified and examined. Additionally, the elements needed to successfully extract valuable insights from big data are mapped. The theoretical research focuses on big data as a framework and it examines the foreseen challenges of facilitating insights. The thesis resulted in three major findings: first, big data necessitates technical resources, multidisciplinary teams, and innovation management to fulfill its promised value. Second, even though the most valuable role of design is seen as the facilitator of innovation efforts, it needs to play a more multi-dimensional role within data-driven teams. The value of design is not limited to the expertise in diverse research methods, framing, and human centricity; design can provide tools and means, that enable complex team collaborations and enhance communication efforts. Finally, designers’ ability to collaborate and adapt to other disciplinary norms to gain cross-disciplinary knowledge, is seen as an essential asset. Based on the data available to this thesis, to truly be relevant and influential in complex big data environments, designers need to evolve and gain cross-dimensional knowledge. To verify this, the design research community needs to explore and validate the role of design and its progression in data-driven teams. Moreover, analyze how acquiring crossdisciplinarity knowledge would affect designers, teams, and companies. Design education could play a vital role in shaping the next generation of cross-disciplinary designers by enabling them to be a vital and valuable part of the complex environment of big data.

Description

Supervisor

Uusitalo, Severi

Thesis advisor

McGrory, Peter

Keywords

facilitation of insights, multidisciplinary teams, big data driven insights, collaborative design, design as facilitator, collaborations

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