Abstract
In design, designers often act as facilitators, helping cross-functional teams capture, evaluate, and integrate diverse ideas to create improved products. While the broader application of facilitation has been extensively explored, the specific demand for design facilitation in the industry remains understudied. This study bridges the gap by exploring the call for design facilitation in the U.S. job market. Through a content analysis of job postings and a novel approach for tracking skill trends over time, we identify key design facilitation-related skill employers seek, uncovering four patterns. We also discuss implications for design education, proposing curriculum changes to better prepare students for evolving roles. This study provides practical insights for educators and students to align curricula with industry needs and enhance skill development initiatives. This study also provides important insights for relational design, emphasizing effective relationship management in modern design practice.
Keywords
Design facilitation; Facilitation skills; Design facilitation practice
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2025.40
Citation
Zheng, W., Mejia, M.,and Cortes, C.(2025) Design facilitation skills: Discrepancies between research focus and industry needs in US job postings, in Brandt, E., Markussen, T., Berglund, E., Julier, G., Linde, P. (eds.), Nordes 2025: Relational Design, 6-8 August, Oslo, Norway. https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2025.40
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
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Design facilitation skills: Discrepancies between research focus and industry needs in US job postings
In design, designers often act as facilitators, helping cross-functional teams capture, evaluate, and integrate diverse ideas to create improved products. While the broader application of facilitation has been extensively explored, the specific demand for design facilitation in the industry remains understudied. This study bridges the gap by exploring the call for design facilitation in the U.S. job market. Through a content analysis of job postings and a novel approach for tracking skill trends over time, we identify key design facilitation-related skill employers seek, uncovering four patterns. We also discuss implications for design education, proposing curriculum changes to better prepare students for evolving roles. This study provides practical insights for educators and students to align curricula with industry needs and enhance skill development initiatives. This study also provides important insights for relational design, emphasizing effective relationship management in modern design practice.