How integrating systematic design enabled role clarity and collaboration during the formation of a science-innovation team

The process of taking an idea to commercialisation involves several intermediaries and actors, and research has found that interdisciplinary collaboration among ecosystem actors is much needed. However, interdisciplinary collaboration presents a different set of barriers: it requires time and effort on the part of the individuals involved to navigate their roles and build a willingness to collaborate. Nevertheless, design-informed frameworks have been helpful in stimulating radical innovation among interdisciplinary actors. This research explores how a design-informed framework helped with the development of an interdisciplinary science innovation team that is part of a broader entrepreneurial science innovation ecosystem. The research findings demonstrate that design principles such as knowledge mapping, concept exploration and mindful deviation enabled participants to achieve clarity of their roles within the new team. This was achieved through three phases: ssuming, negotiating and transitioning of roles - all of which influenced how participants collaborated. We conclude this chapter with a recommendation for a design-informed approach for actors to apply this framework as a strategy for collaboration.