It has now been 8 months since I started working with the accelerators innovation movement at Québec, with the goal of applying design methods and practices to the creation of new projects or the improvement of existing projects or services.
just before joining MAIN, I was finishing my bachelor’s degree in product design at Laval University. That program made me fall in love with design. It completely changed the way I see the world and the way I interact with it.
Well, I should also mention that right after college, I also set out on a long hike lasting several months on theAppalachian Trail. In fact, it was after I returned that my former entrepreneurship instructor, Louis-Félix Binette, contacted me to learn more about what I’d just experienced, having embarked on a similar journey himself in the past. We quickly reconnected, and he eventually explained to me that he wanted to integrate design practices into the organization he leads. That was the beginning of a new adventure.
It's hard enough to explain to my family and friends what design is; I can assure you that explaining what I do at MAIN is a challenge in itself, but a particularly interesting one.
Experience design in everyday life
For me, design is more than just a problem-solving process; it is everywhere and lives in simple objects as well as in complex systems. Design is a powerful force for change and progress.
As a designer, people may expect me to be creative. However, being creative isn’t something I can just do. I firmly believe that creativity lies in making connections. After all, that’s how we innovate—by bringing together things that weren’t connected before. So, with a creative mindset, I allow myself to question, explore, and learn every day at MAIN.
Just recently, I had the opportunity to lead an activity on the design thinking During our team strategy retreat at the Augustinian Monastery in the city of Québec. The purpose of this activity was to present what design is and its specific methodology so that my 16 colleagues could become familiar with my field.
The activity turned out to be very rewarding, but above all, it brought to light a question that has been on my mind ever since I arrived:
What are the ingredients for a rewarding design culture in an environment where design isn't the primary focus?
By “ingredients,” I mean all the activities, initiatives, contexts, attitudes, atmospheres, and tools that can be used to foster this kind of culture. And by “design culture,” I mean everything related to innovation, creativity, and more.
at a nonprofit organization such as MAIN, I have noticed that we are working on a wide variety of projects, each with very specific constraints and criteria set by the various partners and funders. We must therefore be creative in our approach if we are to successfully carry out these projects.
To take this a step further, I realize that a comprehensive design process can sometimes be particularly complex to carry out in this kind of context, where projects are multiplying rapidly.
So I'm wondering: How is it possible to incorporate design when it’s not possible to use a large-scale methodology that includes all the stages of design thinking?
I’m putting these questions out into the world. We all have a role to play in our organizational cultures. So we all have some interesting insights to share. The very purpose of my questions is to include everyone in this discussion. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this topic.
After all, asking myself these kinds of questions is part of my daily routine, both in my work and in my personal life. As a designer, I spend my time asking questions and looking for solutions. And I think I've found in MAIN an environment where I can ask myself these questions—and help us be agents of change.
— Nicolas Delisle-Jubinville, Project Manager – Strategic Design @ MAIN