Analysis of Design by Customers: Customers Expectation as a Substitute for Design Knowledge

Abstract

In both, service and manufacturing industries, customer participation in design and formulation is promoted as a way to add value. Experts, providing services and products, construct the relationship between customer requirements and the function of services and products. Subsequently, they design their offerings based on this relationship. In case customers participate in the design process, they have to design products and services like experts though they have lesser knowledge. This study defines customer expectation as a substitute for the lack of design knowledge among customers and aims to encourage participatory design. For instance, this study examines customer expectation of the tourism service in Tokyo. Tourists were surveyed to gauge what they considered important when planning their travel. The difference between the results of analysis of Japanese and foreign tourists suggests that the relationship between the domains depends on customers’ knowledge and experiences.