Rodgers, Paul A. (2003) The "cultural DNA" of world-renowned designers. In: Proceedings of ICED 03, the 14th International Conference on Engineering Design. Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design, ICED . Design Society, SWE. ISBN 1904670008
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
The paper provides an insight into the minds of eight of the world's most celebrated designers. The eight designers have been drawn from a number of design centres throughout the world and selected on their current contribution to contemporary design practice and thinking. Using traditional semi-structured interview techniques [1], the paper explores what makes the world's top designers critically and commercially successful? The paper also seeks to identify whether these designers adopt a unique approach to their design work? Moreover, the paper questions whether the designers possess a special something in their genetic make up or DNA, which makes them flourish in the contemporary design world? Utilising the Watson-Crick model of living organisms [2] as a speculative model for each designer's "cultural DNA", the paper illustrates the significant design-related cultural influences which the designers possess and draw on in their work.