Purpose

This paper aims to strengthen the process of design thinking by aligning it with netnography, specifically auto-netnography, which this paper asserts is particularly suited to the task of studying and enriching the actions of “designerly types” who seek to fashion monetisable businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducts an auto-netnography with a structure divined from established design thinking theory – that of empathising, defining, ideating, prototyping and testing – to afford an understanding of how a popular health food influencer designs a successful vegan restaurant.

Findings

This paper illustrates the empathetic relationship between a long-term audience member and an entrepreneur/designer/marketer. The intimate cultural analysis reveals the nature of their symbiotic entwinement. In a way that few other methods could, the method shows how this sense of reciprocity, deepens over time.

Research limitations/implications

Conducting an auto-netnography is a prolonged and difficult task. Nonetheless, by revealing the rituals, expectations, roles and routines of content creators, designers and followers, this paper illustrates exciting possibilities for the enactment and development of design thinking in the marketing field.

Practical implications

Designerly types such as marketers and content creators should closely study, listen to and interact with consumers by using a similarly staged process that draws equally from design thinking and auto-netnography.

Originality/value

Prior to this study, existing research has not previously linked design thinking with either netnographic or auto-netnographic research.

中文翻译：

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网络志与设计思维：纯素食品行业中的发展与插图

目的

本文旨在通过使设计思想与网络志（尤其是自动网络志）保持一致来加强设计思维的过程，本文认为，该思想特别适合于研究和丰富旨在创造可盈利业务的“设计类型”的行为的任务。

设计/方法/方法

本文进行了一次自传，其结构与既定的设计思想理论（移情，定义，构想，原型设计和测试的思想）分开，以了解受欢迎的保健食品影响者如何设计成功的素食餐厅。

发现

本文说明了长期受众与企业家/设计师/营销人员之间的移情关系。亲密的文化分析揭示了它们共生纠缠的本质。该方法以其他方法所无法企及的方式显示了这种互惠感如何随着时间的流逝而加深。

研究局限/意义

进行自动网络连接是一项长期而艰巨的任务。尽管如此，通过揭示内容创作者，设计师和追随者的仪式，期望，角色和惯例，本文说明了在营销领域中制定和发展设计思维的令人兴奋的可能性。

实际影响

诸如营销人员和内容创建者之类的设计人员应使用类似的分阶段过程仔细研究，聆听并与消费者互动，该过程同样借鉴了设计思想和自动网络技术。

创意/价值

在进行这项研究之前，现有研究以前并未将设计思想与民族志研究或自动民族志研究联系在一起。