Abstract Book of the 4th International Education Conference
Year: 2025
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Design Thinking in Action: the Design Processes of Top Mexican Designers
Abraham Marcelo Rodríguez Briones, Dr. Héctor Alvarado Lumbreras, Dr. Carmen Dinorah Garcia-Retes
ABSTRACT:
Most Mexican graphic designers primarily carry out technical activities and provide visual deliverables to support administrative needs. However, there is a smaller group that stands out for its ability to tackle complex problems in highly specialized contexts. This raises a central question: Can the former develop the competencies demonstrated by the latter? The objective of this research is to understand the types of needs addressed by top designers, how they manage to solve them, and to explore whether such competencies could be developed by other professionals in the field. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted based on semi-structured interviews with graduates of Graphic Design from a private university. The sample consists of professionals who report incomes well above the national average and express a positive perception of their discipline and professional performance. Participants were selected for their diversity in sectors, specialties, and year of graduation, following a maximum variation criterion. The results show that participants play key roles in strategic image, communication, marketing, packaging, and technology projects. Likewise, notable similarities were found between the practices described by participants and the theoretical design models analyzed, even though the Design Thinking approach is not always explicitly mentioned in their discourse. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the systematic incorporation of Design Thinking principles into design education and professional practice in Mexico could enhance the sector’s capacity to address higher-impact challenges.
Keywords: Educational Innovations, Graphic Design, Professional Practice, Skills Development, Theoretical Models