Page 193 - Design meets Business:An Ethnographic Study of the Changing Work and Occupations of Creatives

5. Discussion 181 5.1. Summary of Key Findings
5.1.1. Making and using artifacts to cope with increasingly abstract work
Most creatives are craftsmen, as their work is not only to create ‘things’ but also requires the mastery of a craft (Sennett 2008). For example, besides knowing how to use design tools, designers need to learn how to prioritize their work processes, position their body, and what new techno- logies and techniques are available. Mastering a craft is an endless journey demanding continuous improvement and a passion to become a ‘master of the craft’ (Baer & Shaw 2014). As such, craftsmen typically work hard to perfect their own skills, repeating similar movements over and over again. They are so used to performing certain material practices that changing their own approaches to work is difficult. Chapter 2 seeks to answer the question of how craftsmen cope with changes in material practices at work.
To explore this question, I conducted an ethnographic study at design firm Fjord. Especially after the acquisition by Accenture, the designers experienced changes in their work. In particular, a key change was that the outcome of their work shifted from making ‘tangibles’, finished products like screens and web interfaces, to ‘intangibles’, abstract outcomes such as business services and strategies. Instead of letting go of their former habits and adapting their skills to the new context, the designers held onto previous practices. In particular, as they were so used to ‘create’, they could not prevent themselves from visualizing, prototyping and illustrating. The designers sought all sorts of opportunities to make board games, draft pixel-perfect illustrations and overall enhance their craft skills. Interestingly, such activi- ties were neither demands of clients nor mandatory to finish design projects successfully. Instead, they were initiatives of designers and designers made artifacts even though they faced high time pressure in projects.
Why did the designers put so much efforts in making and using arti- facts in their work, which was becoming increasingly oriented at abstract outcomes? In Chapter 2, it is suggested that engaging in such material practiced helps the designers to come to terms with the changing reality of their work. First, it allows them to emotionally connect with their work. It helps them to experience fun and enhance a sense of belonging to the wider community of craft. Further, making and using artifacts helps the designers to establish a sense of control over increasingly ambiguous and collabora- tive design processes. For example, the designers made illustrations around which collaborative design decisions could be made. Finally, making and using artifacts also helps the designers to distinguish themselves from, in