The role of design in navigating uncertain environmentswithin organizations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20868/ardin.2026.15.5661Keywords:
Uncertainty, Design management, Strategic decisions, Complex thinkingAbstract
Exploring the value of design in today's context of uncertainty and hypercomplexity, and the need to analyze its impact on decision-making in our organizations, motivated the launch of this study. It is based on the search for patterns of behavior, challenges, and opportunities that we face. Design culture is increasingly present in our organizations, yet difficulties often arise when applying design thinking in practice. The current context of uncertainty undoubtedly presents us with a field of opportunity and experimentation. To identify future lines of action, nine experts in project management and organizations, with varying degrees of involvement in design thinking, were interviewed. The research focused on how they approach uncertainty in their decision-making processes. These interviews were analyzed thematically, comparing them with the main lines of thought found in the literature, presenting descriptions of current practices and their corresponding design challenges. The contribution is twofold: on the one hand, it provides an initial framework for different design perspectives that help navigate uncertain contexts, perspectives that derive from perceived areas of interest and enhance the development of the discipline. On the other hand, it identifies practical opportunities that bring design-based thinking and action closer to organizations, facilitating them to become more competitive and resilient
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