Alex Ryan and I presented a novel theory of disruption at the RSD3 conference in Oslo on 17 October 2012

1. Disruptive Innovation Reframed:
Insurgent Design for Systemic Transformation
Alex Ryan
Senior Systems Designer
Government of Alberta
alex.ryan@gmail.com
Michael Dila
Design Insurgent & Chief
Unhappiness Officer
michaeldila@gmail.com

2. Christensen’s Theory of
Disruptive Innovation
Now, here, you see, it takes all the running
you can do, to keep in the same place.
Measure'of'Performance'
Time'
Sustaining)Innova-ons)

3. Christensen’s Theory of
Disruptive Innovation
Measure'of'Performance'
Time'
Disrup've*Innova'on*

4. Disruption of the Music Industry
IXI#prototype,#1979#
3.5$minutes$of$digital$music$storage$
$
Compared$with$the$Sony$Discman:$
< Lower$quality$
< Smaller$capacity$
< Less$convenient$
$

5. Impact of the Digital Music Revolution

7. How Design Thinking is Different
Tradi&onal*Management* Design*Thinking*
Underlying*
Assump&ons*
Ra#onality,+objec#vity+
Reality+as+fixed+and+quan#fiable+
Subjec#ve+experience+
Reality+as+socially+constructed+
Method* Analysis+aimed+at+proving+one+“best”+
answer+
Experimenta#on+aimed+at+itera#ng+
toward+a+“beAer”+answer+
Process* Planning+ Doing+
Decision*Drivers* Logic+
Numerical+models+
Emo#onal+insight+
Experien#al+models+
Values* Pursuit+of+control+and+stability+
Discomfort+with+uncertainty+
Pursuit+of+novelty+
Dislike+of+status+quo+
Level*of*focus* Abstract+or+par#cular+ Itera#ve+movement+between+abstract+
and+par#cular+

8. HOLD UP!

11. UPSIGHT 1

14. UPSIGHT 2

15. SACRED

18. 5 IS THE
LONELIEST #

19. THIS IS NOT
DISRUPTION

22. =

24. =

26. =

28. =

33. SYSTEMIC
IMPLICATIONS

34. DISRUPTION IS
IRREVERSIBLE

35. KILLER BUSINESS
MODELS

36. DISRUPTING
HEGEMONY

37. DISRUPTION AS
EMERGENCE

38. DESIGNING FOR
ECOSYSTEMS

39. INSURGENT
DESIGNERS