Design as a Driver for Multidisciplinary Teams: An Applied Research Case in El Quisco, Chile

Abstract

The evolution of research and industry has increased the indeterminacy of problems and their multidimensionality. Simultaneously, the teams facing these problems are now multidisciplinary, and there has been a rising struggle to identify and establish a route that results in innovation. The role of design in this operation has been shown to be crucial, as it defines methods that enable a common frame for researchers from multiple backgrounds, making the development of the project easier and richer. CAPCA Software allows public workers to access real-time information from their territory, allowing for better and on-time decisions aiming for sustainable resource expenditure. Designers in the team conducted a process that connected the diverse team with users, creating a general formulation of the project and then translating this to an interface, demonstrating the importance of the role of design in the methodological approach to these new dynamic problems and digital innovation.