Why designers must aim to be disruptive

In the world of business and design, the phrase on everyone’s lips at the moment is ‘disruptive innovation’.

Whilst many products and services buy into market and consumer trends (albeit with the desire to improve or refine current offerings), disruptive design aims to displace the ‘norm’ and come up with the next big, unexpected thing in that marketplace.

The smallest of innovations can prove to be the biggest improvements, and whether said innovations take hold over months, years or decades, they are market-changing ideas which alter the habits and values of traditional users in the long-run.

Humans are a resourceful bunch, and whilst every now and then some completely new technology will surface, many of the best innovations have been disruptions of technology or services already in place.

There is so much potential out there to disrupt and enhance products which are currently in use, so entrepreneurial and big-thinking designers must always be thinking about ways to improve the lives of users who - by habit and default - are using products and services which are getting the job done - but not necessarily in the way best suited to 2014.

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