In the article by Alvin Lustig, he indicates that market research does not produce innovation. While this is certainly true in many examples, I would argue that it is due to poor research rather than to research alone. Successful market research delves deeper than discovering what someone wants. People want many things that are superfluous or counterproductive to their ultimate goals. Designing based upon want will produce results that are shallow and short lived. True design must be based upon the needs of the consumer. This can only be achieved either through careful research into the root causes of the problems in people's lives, something achieved by thorough and competent market research, or through the fortune of lucky guesses. It is only by assessing need rather than want that ultimate success can be achieved in design. Innovation occurs when designers can provide new solutions to effectively alleviate the problems of the consumer. This sometimes occurs without the consumer ever realizing the need existed prior. Intuition may point the designer toward a solution, but intuition will not systematically produce successful innovation.
To me, design is the systematic solving of need through careful consideration, research, and reasoning.
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