Design Thinking a Fad or Reality

Identity crisis faced by design as a discipline is not new. Richardson’s essay The death of the designer states that design is in the midst of a crisis of identity, purpose, responsibility and meaning, and ‘The viability of the profession as it is currently practiced needs to be seriously considered, its boundaries examined, and its values reconsidered’. Bremer and Rodgers in their recent article state that design crisis comes from a number of different perspectives, including professional, cultural, technological, and economic forces. The crisis raises several challenges for design education. Empirical evidence is needed to demonstrate design’s contribution to the viability of business and national economic development. In an attempt to resolve the design crisis, and take the discipline seriously, this paper defines the construct of design and design thinking. The paper describes new roles for design in addressing emerging global challenges. The paper discusses the lacunas in existing design education systems and the need for change, especially in relation to the requirements of multidisciplinary education.