RSA Journal - Better by Design

John Zapolski, a San Francisco-based principal of the Management Innovation Group, believes there is 'increasing importance in using design as a framework for organising decisions that people make", citing, alongside the work of his own company, that of innovation consulting group IDEO. He is keen to differentiate designers from design, implying that the people who use these methods may not be called designers.

Last night I got a call from a woman offering me something... I couldn't understand her and said so, and was quickly handed over to her manager, John. John had the sweet soft voice of a thai waitress, and explained to me I had won a trip to one of three fabulous destinations, airfare and hotel included, and I just had to choose between Las Vegas, Cancun Mexico and New Orleans

Me: "New Orleans!"
John; "yes, and..."
Me: "you do realize it isn't exactly a fabulous destination right now"
John: "Well, I've heard there has been some flooding"
Me: "There are dead bodies in the streets." (I had been just reading the Times and was excitable)
John: "um, well, (returning to spiel) you can take this vacation up to a year from when you accept."

I passed on the chance to be sold a time share, although part of me wonders what would have happened if I had accepted New Orleans and asked to go next week. Would the salesmen have braved the National Guard to show me a sodden house with a "river view"?