(Never) Mind the Gap - Interdisciplinary Collaboration in the Design-Tech Intersection

Abstract

(Never) Mind the Gap! – the title of this thesis implies not only the interdisciplinary gap between the creative industries and the wider industry in practice but also the gap in research which needs to be overcome. More specifically, interdisciplinary collaboration increasingly takes place in environments where creativity is needed every day such as in the high-tech field, and in this regard, design is appreciated for its business values. However, the “distinctly social nature of creative work” has characteristics that are often overlooked and insufficiently researched (Mumford et al., 2009, p. 23). To somewhat fill this gap, this thesis takes on an exploratory approach to present a current overview of the design/creativity mega-trend and the “magic” inside collaborative creative processes in high-tech.