EXPLORING THE VALUE OF DESIGN MANAGEMENT
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of
Master of Design
Taisia Zatsepin
B.I.T.
School of Architecture and Design
RMIT University
August 2010
Exploring the Value of Design Management Taisia Zatsepin
2
DECLARATION
I certify that, except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the author alone;
the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any other academic
award; the content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the official
commencement date of the approved research program; any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried
out by a third party is acknowledge; and, ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed.
……………………………………
Taisia Zatsepin
18 August 2010
Exploring the Value of Design Management Taisia Zatsepin
3
Exploring the Value of Design Management Taisia Zatsepin
4
After almost five years of excitement, frustration and discovery, I allowed myself to pick up a work
of fiction. Thousands of pages of fantasy offered an escape to a world of imagination, danger and
victory. Quietly in the back of my mind grew the desire to analyse characters‟ creative tendencies. Of
more concern was the link I began to make between the fantasy and my research: the key ingredients
of danger, the need for rescue, and the rescuer were present in both. There were fair maidens – the
„truth‟ I was seeking or allowing to come into fruition (depending on the epistemological stance at the
time), dangerous dragons – missing definitions, lost meanings and confusing concepts, and
courageous knights – the people who helped me discover the truth, and who came to my rescue with
knowledge, support and encouragement. To you all I owe the success of my research, and gratitude
for making this a rewarding and fulfilling experience.
This has been nothing if not an adventure.
Exploring the Value of Design Management Taisia Zatsepin
5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In particular, I am grateful to my senior supervisor Ms Deanne Koelmeyer and second supervisor Mr
Malte Wagonfeld, of RMIT University, for their support and guidance; Marcus Powe for providing
invaluable feedback during the earliest stages, Associate Professor Di Fleming for her friendship and
counsel during my research years, and inspiration during my school years; the researchers and
professionals who shared with me valuable insight into the world of design management: Richard
Henderson (Melbourne), Michael Sparrow (Sydney), Lit Ho and Jeffrey Kiat (Singapore), Brigitte
Borja de Mozota, Pradeep Sharma, Bill Hollins, Alan Topalian, John Bound, Naomi Sadowska, Les
Wynn and Nico Macdonald (London); David Hands, Bob Jerrard, David Heap, David Croston and
Nick Barnes (middle England).
I thank my family and friends, who have supported me with dinners and design discussions: YuXin
Bei, a fashion designer, and Simon Strong, a graphic artist and photographer, for sparking and
sustaining my fascination with design and enlightening me with true designer perspectives; Charles
Ngu for helping shape my initial efforts using management consultant frameworks; Parikshiti
Mhaispurkar for encouraging me to pursue „creativity‟ in any profession; the management and staff of
the firm referenced in Chapter 3 for having been great to work with and open to further explorations
of design management concepts; my parents Svetlana and Alex for teaching me courage and
persistence through example, my grandmother Roza for perfecting the cooking of “blinchiki” lest I go
hungry whilst studying, and my closest friend and younger sister Nadia, herself near completion of a
PhD in physics, for wisdom beyond her years, creative input and research advice; and finally Donald
Permezel, my partner, for challenging my ideas, helping me find the essence in complex concepts,
and most importantly pushing and pulling me to complete the last mile of this marathon when I was
all but ready to give up.
Last but not least, I am deeply indebted to my grandfather, Professor Veniamin Zatsepin, for his
wisdom, courage and help. Dedushka, this work is dedicated to you.
