Keywords – Conditions for Impact, Design in Public and Third Sector Organizations, Value of Design, Service Design, Transformation, Innovation.
Relevance to Design Practice – As the role of design expands from its traditional role of idea generation, visualization and prototyping to becoming a catalyst for change, we need to understand the conditions required for a design-led approach to innovation and organizational change. Without the ‘just right’ conditions, this design-led approach will fail to achieve its intended impact.
Citation: Yee, J., & White, H. (2015). The Goldilocks Conundrum: The ‘just right’ conditions for design to achieve impact in public and third sector projects. International Journal of Design, 10(1), 7-19.
Received Sept. 4, 2015; Accepted Feb. 5, 2016; Published April 30, 2016.
Copyright: © 2016 Yee & White. Copyright for this article is retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the International Journal of Design. All journal content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. By virtue of their appearance in this open-access journal, articles are free to use, with proper attribution, in educational and other non-commercial settings.
Joyce S. R. Yee is a Reader at Northumbria University Design School, UK. Her research is divided into two main strands: one focusing on the impact and value of design in social spaces and the other on the epistemological and methodological implications of research through design. She is the co-founder of the Design for Social Innovation in Asia-Pacific network (DESIAP) with Yoko Akama. She was also instrumental in setting up the biennial conference series Research Through Design (RTD) with Jayne Wallace as an experimental platform for disseminating practice-based design research. She co-authored a book titled Design Transitions looking at how design practices are changing. She was also involved in co-editing The Routledge Companion to Design Research, featuring 39 original and high quality design research chapters from contributors around the world. Her next book is focused on understanding how organizations are innovating through design.
Hazel White is a researcher and educator in Design for Services. She has experience in enabling knowledge exchange between communities of interest, brought together through networks which include interdisciplinary experts from business and academia, to use their insights and creativity to improve services. She has worked with a number of public and third sector organizations in Scotland through her role as Program Director of the Masters of Design for Services program at the University of Dundee and as Director of Open Change, a partnership that promotes and enables transformation through design: working with government, public and not for profit sectors to enable creativity and design methods to be used to facilitate strategic change.
‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ is a fairy tale about a girl who breaks into the house of a family of bears. She proceeds to try out the bears’ bowls of porridge, chairs and beds. In each instance she find each item either too hot or too cold (the porridge), too big or too small (the chairs) or too soft or too hard (the beds). Goldilocks was only satisfied when she found the right balance between two extremes for each of the items. Anyone involved in using design-led approaches with organizations either to help them innovate their service, redesign their business strategy or change practices will recognize how hard it is to ensure the right conditions for design to have a sustained impact.
Burns, Cottam, Vanstone, and Winhall (2006) define transformation design as a practice that uses design to facilitate change by building capacity for radical change within both organizations and communities. As the use of design as a transformative agent in organization grows (Kimbell, 2014), it is all the more important to identify the conditions required for design to flourish and to turn those conditions into actionable strategies to ensure the reach and impact of design. Despite strong arguments and drivers in favor of innovation in public services (Mulgan & Albury, 2003; Albury, 2005; Design Commission, 2013) there remains a knowledge gap as to how this can be achieved effectively. Tidd, Bessant, and Pavitt (2011) and Hartley (2005) and Lekhi (2007) suggest that innovation in the public sector generally remains a ‘fragile and unpredictable process, with a high rate of failure’ due to a lack of agreement in defining what innovation means in public services (Greenhalgh, Robert, Bate, Kyriakidou, Macfarlane, & Peacock, 2004). And while there are a significant number of books and research papers that can help us understand the practices and challenges of using design in the public sector (for example Burns et al, 2006; Sangiorgi, 2009, 2011; Kimbell, 2014) there is still limited research looking specifically at identifying conditions required for design to achieve the desired impact, especially within the public and third sector arena.
The research presented in this paper has emerged from a study aimed at identifying the value, impact and conditions for impact of a design-led approach on the organizations. The six case studies are located within public and third sector contexts and range from three short, hour-long workshop interventions to an ongoing six year project. Design has been used for various purposes: as a facilitation tool, as a product and service innovation tool, and a change management tool. This paper presents and discusses the three overarching conditions identified by the research participants and further reflections on which conditions were key to project success.
Innovation can be viewed as a purposeful and focused effort to achieve change in (an organization’s) economic or social potential (Drucker, 1985,). However, the majority of innovation literature is dominated by and focused on achieving economic rather than social potential. For this reason, innovation models are often biased towards the needs and makeup of commercial organizations rather than public ones. It also quite common for studies to draw from the private sector to inform innovations in the public sector (see Ling, 2002 for example). Compared to businesses, public services usually exist within a more complex social system, with goals and values that are more ambiguous and difficult to quantify (Denis, Hebert, Langley, Lozeau, & Trottier, 2002; Lewis & Hartley, 2001; Marsh & Olsen, 1989). Additional barriers such as a risk averse culture, ad-hocism, short-term thinking, performance driven culture and lack of incentives make innovation in public services (Mulgan & Albury, 2003) more difficult to achieve.
Helping organizations to transform has been studied in a number of disciplines such as change management, human resource management and organizational studies. There are also a number of models of organizational change that are widely used, for example Kotter’s (1996) eight-stage process and Lewin’s (1947) three-step change model of ‘unfreezing, moving and refreezing’ (p.34). While popular and widely used in commercial organizations, these models have been less useful for non-commercial organizations. Verganti (2009) argues that for successful companies in the private sector—such as Apple—leadership often focuses on a shared vision which creates meaning and purpose for both employees and customers. In contrast, public sector organizations are often led by the need to ensure good governance and accountability. Kotter’s eight-stage process stresses the importance of leadership in the change process but this can be challenging for public and voluntary organizations as it is often unclear who has the ultimate responsibility for change (Butler & Wilson, 1990). Lewin’s model has been criticized as being too linear, requiring too much control by management and underestimating the impact of changing contexts currently experienced by the public and third sector organizations, especially in the UK (Kellock, Beattie, Livingstone, & Munro, 2001). Additionally, replicating change initiatives across different organizations is difficult and does not transfer easily across organizations due to the diverse circumstances and contexts involved (Buchanan, Claydon, & Doyle, 1999; Martin, Beaumont, & Staines, 1998). Similarly, while a co-production approach—where the services themselves are in part created by the actions of the service users (for example The Citizens Advice Bureau’s ROTA project trains prisoners to support other prisoners) may be more suited for the transformation of public and third sector services (Brandsen & Pestoff, 2006), there are doubts as to how effective it can be. While there is a general agreement that the co-production of services is beneficial to the organizations and their users (Boyle & Harris, 2009; Needham & Carr, 2009), there are challenges in trying to effectively deploy co-production processes (Boyle & Harris, 2009) due to tokenistic participation of people and limited opportunity to truly ‘co-create’ services1.
Applying design in a new context, and specifically in transformation projects, has gained traction and support in the last ten years. A design-led approach (mindset, process and tools) is increasingly seen as a viable approach to bridge the shortcomings of other change models that may be too prescriptive, linear, abstract or non-participative. Design helps ‘deliver solutions that are practical and desirable and places the individual at the heart of new solutions, and builds the capacity to innovate into organizations and institutions’ (Burns et al., 2006, p.6). The role of design in organizational change has been discussed by Junginger (2006), Burns et al. (2006), Bate and Robert (2008) and Junginger and Sangiorgi (2009). Junginger (2006) suggested a link between human-centered design and organizational learning. Burns et al.’s paper (2006) introduces the term ‘Transformation Design’ and proceeds to explain through four project examples how user-centered design principles can be used to address complex problems in large-scale systems and services. Bate and Robert’s paper (2008) discusses how co-designed user experiences can be used to help improve healthcare through Experience-Based Design (EBD), where it refers to how well the experience is understood by the user, how users feel about it and how it fits their needs when using the service. In EBD, the ‘co’ in co-design suggests that patients play a more active and significant role as designers of their own services alongside service providers.
There is a wealth of literature from the field of Change Management and Management (for example Armenakis, Harris, & Mossholder, 1993; Weiner, 2009) that discusses organizational readiness for change. Within the design field, research has mainly focused on the characteristics of transformation projects involving design (Burns et al., 2006; Sangiorgi, 2011) and inhibiting factors of design (Bailey, 2012; Warwick, 2015).
Burns et al. (2006, pp. 20-23) listed six characteristics of transformation projects which were: 1) Defining and redesigning the brief; 2) Collaborating between disciplines; 3) Employing participatory design techniques; 4) Building capacity, not dependency; 5) Designing beyond traditional solutions and 6) Creating fundamental change. Bailey’s (2012) research looked at the factors affecting how service design methods and practices are embedded within an organization. He found that the conditions necessary to allow innovation to take place within an organization are closely related to conditions for enabling design to be used effectively in the development and delivery of services. He coined the term ‘design readiness’ to describe an organization’s capacity to absorb design thinking and methods. Halvorsen, Hauknes, Miles, and Rannveig’s (2005) concept of ‘absorptive capability’ (p.3) was used by Bailey to evaluate the ability of an organization to assimilate and make use of design approaches. Halvorsen et al’s concept was originally related to the transference of technology but was appropriated in Bailey’s research to describe how design thinking can be effectively disseminated. Bailey recognizes that while design readiness can be used as an initial measure of awareness and potential to embed design at the start of a project, it has limited value in ensuring that it happens in practice.
In a similar vein, Warwick (2015) identified five inhibitors to the use of Service Design in a Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) context. They are: Capacity to change; Permission to change; Resources available to support change; Type of change, and; Understanding what design can offer. She used these inhibitors to guide the creation of a Service Design Readiness tool used to help VCS organizations assess whether they have the optimum conditions that can maximize Service Design’s impact. While Warwick highlights the inhibitors to impact, Sangiorgi (2011) calls for the adoption of practices and principles from organizational development and community action research when aiming to create transformative services. She identifies seven key principles that are common across transformative practices in design, organizational development and community action research with a particular focus on issues of public service reform and wellbeing. These principles are: 1) Active citizens; 2) Intervention at community scale; 3) Building capacities and project partnerships; 4) Redistributing power; 5) Designing infrastructures and enabling platforms; 6) Enhancing imagination and hope; 7) Evaluating success and impact.
Early research has so far aimed at defining the role of design and at ‘proving’ the value of a design approach for transformative purposes rather than looking at ways to maximize its impact. The next evolutionary step is to look at ways to ensure conditions are ‘just right’ for design, which we will now focus on in this paper.
What aspects of a design-led approach are valued?
What is the impact of a design-led approach?
What are the conditions for impact?
The outcomes from the first two questions were reported in an earlier paper (Yee, White, & Lennon, 2015) and will not be touched on in this paper. Instead, this paper will specifically focus on the third question: describing the conditions for impact identified in the research.
The research insights have been derived from six co-created (Sanders & Stappers, 2008) case studies of service innovation conducted in UK-based public and third sector organizations. The term ‘co-created’ used in this context refers to how we collectively (researchers and stakeholders) generated ideas and themes from the case studies. The criteria for selecting projects to study were based on the use of design-led approaches in the projects; access to a triangulated base of stakeholders—service users, service commissioners and funders and service designers; and projects that covered a range of sectors including healthcare, mental health promotion, youth services and social care. The projects ranged from three short, hour-long workshop interventions to an ongoing six-year project. A summary of each of the case study is located in Table 1.
Table 1. Summary of the case studies.
The case studies, and the interviews on which they were based, were further analyzed, discussed and extended in a participant workshop. In total, the project team conducted semi-structured interviews with twenty-six participants, including eight designers, six commissioners/funders, ten internal service users and three external service users in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Newcastle, London and Victoria (Australia). The three Australian based internal service users were interviewed remotely via Skype. We made a distinction between internal service users and external service users because, in many instances, service innovations were more focused on enacting changes for internal staff who were involved in delivering services rather than external service users. In the interviews participants were asked to describe and comment on their experiences using a guided interview tool that asked them to note down how design was used, how it was valued, and the impact it had across a time frame of ‘before, during and after’ the project officially ended (see Figures 1 and 2). Interview transcripts were then used to create multidimensional case studies that identified the impact and value of design as understood from three complementary perspectives: the design team, the project team and the service users. Participants were asked to identify the key conditions present in their project that enabled them to successfully achieve their intended outcomes. The interview data from the transcripts were also affinity mapped into themes based on the three research questions.
Figure 1. Example of a blank project timeline sheet used in the interview with participants.
(specific data has been blanked out to ensure project is not identifiable).
In the second phase of the research we conducted a workshop at Northumbria University in Newcastle with a selection of the participating commissioners/funders, designers and service users where we presented the insights gathered from the interviews for discussion, correction and extension. There were eleven participants: four commissioners/funders, six designers and one external service user. Although the workshop included only one external service user, we were able to ask some of the participants in the workshop to evaluate the research insights from a service user point of view. This was possible due to the fact that many participants had dual roles in the project, for example in the Better for Design example (case study 4), the CEO of Scarf (a social enterprise based in Aberdeen) was both the commissioner but also considered himself as an internal service user. We used the data from the workshops to triangulate insights back to the earlier interviews in order test our initial assumptions. The workshop validated and built upon the findings and extended both the understanding of the research team, and enabled the participants to share additional insights. Participants were presented with a list of conditions for impact and asked to rank the top five conditions that they feel are most important and relevant for their context. They were also asked to annotate the conditions to qualify their choice and to add further comments to the conditions. An initial eleven conditions were selected from the original list of eighteen, and then finalized to ten, with the merging of two conditions into one based on feedback from the participants. We initially placed the ten conditions on a framework that differentiated between values, actions and outcomes (see Figure 3). Further reflections based on two previous projects derived from our own practices working with public sector organizations have led us to identify affinity and commonality between the initial ten conditions. To conceptualize this further, we have clustered these into three overarching themes: community building, capacity and leadership to help discuss the conditions in a more coherent manner (see Figure 4).
Figure 3. Initial mapping conditions for impact against categories of values, actions and outcomes. Although some conditions can be placed in all three categories, we have mapped each condition based on the context described by the participants.
Figure 4. Grouping the ten conditions into three overarching themes.
This section will present and discuss in detail the three conditions for impact, which are co-dependant.
Building strong and successful relationships based on trust was by far the most important condition for impact. All stakeholders—commissioners, designers and users—were equally convinced of its importance. The importance of building trust has been highlighted by Warwick in her study of using service design with the voluntary community sector (2015). The term ‘critical friend’ borrowed from educational literature (Costa & Kallick, 1993, p.50) is used by Warwick to describe the type of relationship required to challenge established perspectives and support the first stage of organizational transformation. It builds on the ‘provocateur’ role identified by Tan (2012) in her doctoral study on the roles of designers in social design projects. The provocateur role can only be successful if trust is present in the first place. Warwick extend Tan’s research by suggesting in her critical friend model (2015) that building trust will give permission to the designer to act as a ‘provocateur’ by challenging existing assumptions and offering alternative visions (Baskerville & Goldblatt, 2009). Warwick argues that if a designer can establish trust and an embedded position in the organization, they are able to increase the reach and impact of their work. The relationships between the project teams that closely reflected this high level of trust were evident in longer-term cases studies used for this research such as the Better By Design and the Wheel of Well-Being projects. For example the term ‘critical friend’ was coincidently used by Scarf’s CEO (Billy Sloan) to describe the role of the Better by Design2 program.
Trust enabled the team members to recognize each other’s areas of expertise, within a multidisciplinary team. While a design-led approach was the dominant approach used in all the projects, other expertise and tools were brought in when needed. This condition was evident in the Wheel of Well-Being project (case study 2) where the specific expertise within the design team and the mental health experts was explicitly valued by each of the team members.
An important condition for transformative practices is treating citizens as ‘agents’ and acknowledging that they play an active role in the creation of well-being (Sangiorgi, 2011). The concept of project champions extends this idea of an active citizen and suggests that for projects to have an impact, champions are needed to push for and advocate the adoption of new practices, tools and approaches. While having support from the top is important (discussed in Condition 2) it is vital to have champions at all levels of the organization. Change is difficult and it is critical that organizational leaders participate in the process—a design-led process is a participatory process, not something that is ‘done-to’ an organization. It requires that the commissioner engage with new ways of thinking and doing to build skills and capacity in their organizations, including ensuring that there is time, space and resources to support projects.
The importance of engaging and building a community through participation and knowledge transfer in order to generate lasting legacy in transformative practices through design has been discussed by a number of researchers (Sangiorgi, 2011; Bailey, 2012). Although being able to demonstrate value is important (Yee, Jefferies, & Tan, 2014), one-off interventions will not generate significant results in terms of service improvements (Bauld, Judge, Barnes, Benzeval, & Sullivan, 2005), especially in changing political and socio-economical environments. We are also observing recent initiatives in the change and transformation space, for example the establishment of NHS England Quality Improvement’s School for Healthcare Radicals and MIT’s online course U.Lab, that suggest building and nurturing a community is the way to effect positive change. Therefore it is important to find ways to engage stakeholders through other means to help create a culture of participation and involvement that can survive through changing contexts. There have been a number of strategies the project teams from the six case studies have used to create engagement and participation in their projects.
In almost all of the case studies, the designers had to create pilot projects to prove the value of using a design-led approach. The Matter project (case study 1) was created for that specific reason and used to prototype a new service. Subsequent other ‘Matters’ have now been run with different councils in Scotland using the same process. Similarly, the Patchwork project had been developed and tested a number of times before it was implemented at the two sites in Australia. The commissioners specifically highlighted the importance of having evidence of previous implementation and demonstration of effectiveness, especially when making a case for funding.
Language is crucial—the design team must ‘speak the language’ of the client community. Dominic Campbell of FutureGov talks about using the ‘right’ language for different audiences, for example positioning a project through the lens of ‘policy’ when speaking to a transformation team and pragmatically focusing on immediate benefits when speaking with a front-line practitioner. Dominic’s previous work in local government gave him credibility through his understanding of the issues and challenges of the sector.
Finally, one of the most effective ways to engage a community is to get them to experience the work by doing. All the projects had elements of knowledge transfer and training in their activity. This may involve formal training sessions or workshop sessions where the stakeholders are taken through the design process and asked to prototype services themselves. This strategy is linked with Condition 2: Capacity.
The term ‘design’ has always been a contested area (Nussbaum, 2011), and a number of perspectives, methods, tools and techniques used in the six projects we looked at were not exclusive to design but cross-disciplinary: from management, sociology, ethnography, marketing and human-computer interaction. This mixed methods approach comes from a very pragmatic and open approach to adapting and using what is useful in that particular context. It is clear from participant interviews that bringing conventional design and multi-disciplinary methods together under the banner of a ‘design-led approach’ fostered a spirit of creativity and enabled people to work in new ways. We asked in a follow-up workshop what other approaches participants had previously used: these ranged from a ‘portfolio approach’ to LEAN3 and AGILE4 methodologies (in software development processes), The Pacific Institute®5, PRINCE26, and NLP7 methodologies. Others described their previous approaches as ‘reactive’ and ‘not user-centred’.
In a number of cases, participants adapted tools and methods for their own purposes, rather than following a prescribed process—giving them confidence that they could continue using a design-led approach after the projects finished. This ability to adapt to local needs (Heapy & McManus, 2011) helps tailor the approach to specific requirements, skills and team dynamics. It is also important that the project team be comfortable enough to adapt tools to their requirements. A clear evidence of this happening is when the approaches are used beyond the project period. For example, Tim Packer from the City of Edinburgh Council (one of the Matter project partners) has changed his communication approach (in reports or presentations) and is being much more visual through the use of infographics after experiencing the value of visualization through the project. Kathleen McGuire from NHS Ayrshire and Arran Health Board has used the techniques learned in the Visioning Future Care Plans workshop (case study 6) with her own team. She is also considering adopting a design-led approach for the integration of health and social care models in her health board.
Changes in practices do not occur without building the capability to change across the organization. Some authors have noted the importance of having certain capabilities in leaders to lead the change (Antonacopoulou & Fitzgerald, 1996), while others have drawn attention to the importance of change agents and the role of Human Resources to build the competencies of change in staff (Ulrich, Brockbank, Yeung, Lake, & Dale, 1995). Hence it is important to ensure that learning opportunities are built into projects aimed at enacting long-term change in an organization. It is as important to build in ‘learning capability’ to develop a mindset receptive to change, as it is to build practical skills in being able to deploy tools. Halvorsen et al. (2005, p.1) advocates the importance of creating teaching and learning opportunities in parallel with business practices to ensure that design thinking and methods are more effectively disseminated throughout the organization.
The good thing about Better by Design is that it is aimed at getting the organizations to explore different ways of doing things for themselves. It might not mean that they will never need a service designer again, but it does ensure there is some longevity in the process.
This capacity building occurred in a more organic manner in the Wheel of Well-Being project. Throughout their six-year relationship, the project team from South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) built a strong and enduring relationship with design agency Uscreates. Collaboratively, they have developed new products and services, and also developed flexible business models to ensure the sustainability of the Wheel of Well-Being brand and framework. SLaM created new funding streams to enable them to work with Uscreates on a number of different levels: as project partners, on a ‘pay as you go’ model and on an ‘advice only’ level. This has been made possible by building a relationship of trust through proven effective delivery on projects, and by SLaM raising revenue through delivering WoW training and activities to other organisations.
This condition is linked to Condition 1: Community Building. By building a good working relationship with the clients, designers were able to create an atmosphere of openness to encourage a culture of ideas rather than a culture of risk management. Warwick, Young, and Lievesley (2014) talk about this condition as an organization’s receptivity and capacity to change. In their study of three voluntary sector organizations, they found different attitudes to change. One organization had recently gone through a round of restructuring, meaning there was less appetite for change, while the other two organizations were more receptive to change due to a culture and leadership open to new approaches.
This culture of openness and being comfortable with transformation was not always present at the start of our six case studies. Stakeholders in all cases recognized the importance of creating a culture of openness to achieve their project aim but they realistically acknowledged that fostering this condition requires time. For the Wheel of Well-Being project the culture of openness and willingness to experiment was built up over a number of projects over time. This was achieved by demonstrating the value of a design-led approach and building trust in both people and the process. In the case of Scarf (the Aberdeen-based social enterprise in case study 4), they already had an appetite for change, with the arrival of the new CEO. Organizations entered a competitive process to join the Better by Design program, indicating that that they were receptive to change.
I’m more open to trying out different ways of looking at things. I think it is based on my personality type; I love to try something new and to see how it works. (K. McGuire, Long Term Conditions and Community Ward Manager, NHS Ayrshire and Arran Health Board, interview, July 17, 2014).
A project team involved in service and organizational innovation tends to be made up of individuals from different disciplinary backgrounds with different expertise. Being able to form successful collaborations through building trust (Condition 1) and the ability to acknowledge expertise in the team is vital. Yee et al. (2014) discuss how important it is for designers to learn how to work with and leverage the expertise of other professionals. More often than not a project team consists of multi-disciplinary experts–learning when to listen and accept advice and when to offer expertise is crucial to the project’s success. Equally, commissioners and service users in the project team have to be brought on board to understand and recognize the value of design. This is evident in a number of projects in our research. For example, the Wheel of Well-Being project team was able to clearly articulate each other’s strengths and areas of knowledge, reflecting a working relationship that acknowledges and recognises diversity of input. Both quotes below illustrate how each team member acknowledges and values expertise.
UScreates brought design knowledge and expertise that we did not have. We quickly learned from them the importance of being very visual. (T. Coggins, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, interview, June 5, 2014).
We learnt that you must stay very true to your values; you mustn’t bend those just so that you can get a fast buck. We must go out there and promote what you’re really very good at, what you do best of all. (H. Turner, interview, May 15, 2014).
Understanding who their users are and what their needs are helped Tyneside and Northumberland Mind align their organizational aims with current social and economic drivers in the voluntary sector. It resulted in a successful targeted large funding bid. Similarly, a lot of the early work done with Scarf was to help them clarify their thinking around their customers’ journey and realign their strategy to focus on designing with the customer. This clear vision has since been used to help them review their current offering and to redesign the way they currently deliver services.
Research has shown that the leadership structure and style can help produce results that can encourage creativity and innovation. A management style that is collaborative, rather than heroic and authoritarian, will often encourage more innovative responses (Askenas, Ulrich, Jick, & Kerr, 2002). It is not surprising that if the leadership structure and mindset are not receptive to change then this would be a major barrier to innovation. Hence a lack of support from the leadership team is often cited as one of the key barriers affecting innovations in public services (Halvorsen et al, 2005; Mulgan & Albury, 2003). Although having project champions is an important condition for success (discussed earlier in Condition 2), it is equally important to have strong leadership in change-management projects where commitment to the original aim and outcomes will require a significant resource (human, finance and cultural) investment. This insight is supported by Heapy and McManus’s practice experience (2011) and one of the key lessons learnt was the importance of buy-in from the executive team in advocating and supporting change. They argue that if leaders are able to articulate the need for change and enact it in their practice, others will follow suit. Furthermore if leaders themselves are able to value creativity and are enthusiastic about change, then it becomes easier for others to adapt to changes ahead (Agbor, 2008). For example, Richard Hewitt from Taylor Haig talks about the importance of having a leader who understands and trusts the design process to enable it to be cascaded to other levels. Kirsty Elderton, who oversaw the implementation of the Patchwork system in Australia noted how instrumental the local leadership (within the larger municipal council) was in bringing together different agencies involved in safeguarding vulnerable children and adults.
Leadership support also gives access to resources. The initial investment of time and money has to be established from the start, but equally important is the commitment of resources during and after the project is completed is crucial to ensure project legacy (Warwick, 2015). For example, the ability to mobilize people and resources was important in helping Helene Turner, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind’s Funding and Contracts Manager bring together a team for the Empower Your Mind project.
Research has shown that organizations that had members who held values congruent with the prescribed changes were able to successfully engage in the transition process (Amis, Slack, & Hinnings, 2002). Put simply, people will support what they help to create. For this reason it is important to highlight and discuss the values that are conducive to enabling community building, capacity and leadership to help achieve the intended impact.
Having a culture of openness is an important indicator of an organization’s receptivity to change. That’s not to say that the culture cannot be nurtured, but if the key team involved are not receptive to change, new practices are unlikely to gain traction in the longer term. Having an open culture is a crucial component in building and maintaining a trusting relationship, initially. This relationship has to be built up between the initial project team members (sometimes called the change team), but it then becomes important to build an open and trusting relationship with other teams in the organization. In so doing, this new community will support and engage with the changes. There are many ways of doing this. Often it is the personal relationships that keep a community together and the shared experiences that help the community create a strong identity. Compelling stories of users and stakeholders are often used as focal point to rally a team behind a specific challenge. By turning these stories into business assets, it not only helps the organization address specific user needs but also provides a sense of agency and accountability to the individuals in the team.
A learning organization is one that is constantly reflecting and sharing to help it learn from its actions; this is fundamental to maintaining business relevance and making progress. Learning happens in a number of ways. One way is to continuously build capacity and skills in different areas—for organizations looking to innovate through design, it is important to build design capability internally. Common across our case studies was the practice of bringing in external trainers and facilitators, then gradually developing an ‘in-house’ training program.
As beautifully illustrated by the NASA janitor’s reply to President Kennedy’s query as to what he was doing —‘I’m helping put a man on the moon’—ownership and commitment need to be in place throughout the organization. A stable leadership which embodies the organization’s values and project champions at all levels demonstrates support for the process and advocates the outcomes, increasing both reach and impact.
How much is ‘just right’?
Goldilocks was looking for the right balance between extremes. The ‘just-right’ conditions for a design-led approach to innovation in the public and third sector are a little more complex. Leadership (Agbor, 2008; Gill, 2003; Kotter, 1996; Tichy 1997; Verganti, 2009) and capacity building for change (Conner, 1999; Ulrich, Losey, & Lake, 1997) are equally valued and rated highly in other disciplines and approaches to innovation and transformation. However what this research suggests is that above leadership and capacity, ‘community building’ is valued as the most important condition for innovation and change projects in the public and third sectors. Putting people, the commissioners, service providers, and users at the heart of the process has led to the greatest impact. In contrast to design-led approaches in business, where strong leadership can propel a design-led vision forward, in the public and third sector, a bottom up approach, through the creation of communities, is what enables a design-led approach to have the greatest impact.
1. Here we take co-production and co-creation in relation to public services to refer to a similar concept—a review done on 122 academic records by Voorberg, Bekkers and Tummers (2013) found that both co-creation and co-production in social innovation are to a large extent similarly defined. Both definitions involve the active involvement of citizens in public service delivery by creating sustainable partnerships with citizens. Their review reveals three types of involvement: 1) citizens as co-implementer of public policy, 2) citizens as co-designer and 3) citizens as co-initiator. The first level is represented the most frequently.
2. Better By Design is a two-year program aimed at supporting 15 voluntary sector organizations across Scotland by using a design-led approach. One of the case study used for this research (involving the Aberdeen based fuel charity Scarf and Taylor Haig) has been funded through this program.
3. LEAN (short for Lean manufacturing or lean production) is a systematic method derived originally from the Toyota Production System to eliminate waste within a manufacturing system.
4. Agile methodology is normally used in software development as an alternative to traditional sequential product development. It enables teams to respond quickly to unpredictable factors through incremental, iterative work cycles, known as sprints.
5. The Pacific Institute® uses cognitive psychology principles to help individuals and organizations unlock their potential, and enabling organizations to transform their culture and improve business results.
6. PRINCE2 (an acronym for PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a commonly used project management methodology based on seven principles, themes and processes. It is extensively used by the UK Government as well as being popular in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally.
7. NLP (an acronym for Neuro-linguistic programming) is an approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the United States in the 1970s.
We would like to thank all the participants for their contributions to the research. Their contributions have helped shaped our insights and conclusions. The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) supported by Northumbria University and Dundee University.
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Sheffield One Hand Opening Knife, Lockback, 2-3/4 in Blade, Stainless Steel Blade, Partially Serrated Blade, 4 in Handle Length, ABS Handle, Lightweight Handle, 6.4 in Overall Length, 5-1/2 in Overall Width, 0.8 in Overall Depth, For Carpenters, Electricians, Hunters and Fisherman, Outdoor Sports, Factory Workers, Classroom or Office Sharpener contains 2 stationary ceramic rods molded into the base; brown ceramic for coarse and white for fine. 2 stages allow for proper angle. Over molded grips for a comfortable and secure grip while sharpening. These blades fit all AccuSharp products except ShearSharp? Sharp N Easy. These blades are reversible to double the life of AccuSharp Sharpeners and are made of the highest quality American made Diamond-honed tungsten carbide.
Brown celluloid handle with stainless steel blades. Sheffield Pocket Knife, Folding, Series: Professional, 2-3/4 in Blade, Stainless Steel Blade, Partially Serrated Tanto Blade, 4 in Handle Length, Aluminum Handle, Lightweight Handle, 7 in Overall Length, 4.6 in Overall Width, 0.8 in Overall Depth, 2.5 oz Weight, For Carpenters, Electricians, Hunters and Fisherman, Outdoor Sports, Factory Workers Specially formulated for oilstone lubrication, with the correct viscosity for smooth sharpening without loading or clogging stones; it flushes away dislodged abrasive and metal chips to prevent metal from bonding with the surface of an oilstone. Makes your sharpening job easier. Safe for kitchen use.
Stainless steel blade. Light weight, durable nylon belt pouch. Liner lock system. Rust proof and has a tungsten carbide sharpener that is reversible. Sharpens scissors, pruning shears, tin snips, hedge clippers and similar tools. Liner-lock folding knife features a stainless steel 3.35" blade. Liner also doubles as a lock, providing a very easy to use safe locking mechanism. Can be opened and closed with one hand. Ambidextrous thumb stud.
This airport friendly multi tool wallet is crafted from durable stainless steel, holds cash securely and features a variety of tools, including a bottle opener, a scraper, wrenches, flathead screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver/tape cutter and metric/standard rulers. Its slim and minimalist design makes this the ideal low profile wallet. Secure cash wrap strap doesn't lose its stretch, won't weather or wear. Secure and comfortable, lightweight, low profile design. Travel and airport friendly. Dimensions: 3.6" x 2.3" x 0.14". Weight: 1.16 oz. Lightweight and strong. Spring lock for easy press and release blade replacement. Replaceable utility blade (contractor or standard grade). Anodized aluminum handle. Pocket clip for easy carry. Blue rubber handle. Provides the proper sharpening angle every time. For kitchen knives, garden tools and shears.
Sheffield Multi Tool, Mini, 12 Tools, Includes: Bonus Leather Pouch, Stainless Steel, Hardwood Handle Rust proof and has tungsten carbide sharpeners, one of the hardest materials known. Sharpeners are reversible, replaceable and recessed for safety. Easily stored in kitchen drawer, pocket, tackle/tool boxes. Reversible diamond-honed tungsten carbide blade sharpens single-edged, hard-to-sharpen tools, to a razor edge quickly and easily. Full-length finger guard. Will not rust, clean with soap and water or wash in dishwater. Applications: Flowers, landscaping, garden shears, limb loppers, hoes, shovels, and scythes.
Mounts easily to cutting boards, kitchen counters, filet boards, work benches and butcher blocks. No more messy oils or stones. Diamond honed tungsten carbide sharpening blades are reversible. Durable ABS plastic body and stainless steel screws. Sharpener can be used indoors and out. AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel locking drop point blade. Rust resistant and polished honed blade holds a keen edge. Back spring lock release. Lanyard hole. Lightweight Zytel handle material, exceptionally tough. Made in the USA. Natural soft (Washita) oilstone. Storage/carrying case included. Size 5-3/8" x 1-5/8" x 1/4". Made in the USA.
Sheffield Multi Tool, Durable, 15 Tools, Includes: Plier With Cutter, Small, Medium and Large Slotted Screwdriver, Phillips Screwdriver, 4 in Closed Length, Stainless Steel, For Carpenters, Electricians, Hunters and Fisherman, Outdoor Sports, Factory Workers, Homeowners DIY`s and Classroom or Office This Cross-Cut multi-tool is equipped for cutting, gripping, personal care and the unexpected. Lightweight and compact for easy carrying. 420 stainless steel multi-tool with a satin finish. Packed with 10 essential tools and comes with a leather sheath for added portability. Compound Leverage doubles cutting power. Tools include: spring-loaded scissors, a knife blade, small and medium flat screwdrivers, a set of tweezers, a nail/cleaner, bottle opener, pick, ruler and a lanyard loop. This triple duty Financial tool is a wallet, multi-tool and RFID-blocking wallet all in one. It secures cash and cards between two stainless steel plates designed to prevent their data from being accessed. 10 different tools are integrated into this compact wallet: A Cash Wrap strap, bottle opener, 5 standard size wrenches, 6 metric size wrenches, nail removing notch, Phillips screwdriver, flathead screwdriver, scraper, metric and standard rulers and protractor. With your cash and cards securely inside, you can pop a top, open a box, tighten a screw and much more. Durable multi-tool constructed of 420 heat treated stainless steel. High tensile Cash Wrap strap will expand to hold cash and cards securely inside and it won't stretch, weather or wear. Travel and airport friendly. Dimensions: 2.3" x 3.6" x .2". Weight: 1.7 oz.
Lightweight, versatile and convenient. Combines the strength and control of a fixed blade with the portability of a folding knife. Durable and easy to handle. Drop point blade. Black zytel handle. Lanyard hole. In Clam Pack. Made in the USA. Trustworthy and durable. Easy to handle, compact size. Small Camo Lockback Stainless steel spear blade. Made in the USA. Lightweight Zytel handle. Polished-honed blade edges. AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel drop point blade. Back-spring lock release. Lanyard hole. Made in the USA.
Frame lock design. Fine edge that is lightweight with a simple open frame that allows blade to open effortlessly. Built with a smooth stainless steel handle and a clip for secure travel. Sturdy pocket clip. The clip point blade is high carbon stainless. Staglon handle with stainless steel blade. Rose wood handle with stainless steel lock back blade.
Small lockback. Easy to handle, compact size, lightweight, versatile and convenient. Combines the strength and control of a fixed blade with the portability of a folding knife. Stainless steel locking clip blade. Black Zytel handle. Made in the USA. Delrin handle with stainless steel lock back blade. Stainless steel drop point 3.35" blade. Cut-out handle design with steel handle liners. Thumb stud for one handed opening and liner lock. Convenient belt clip to keep knife handy.
The multi function comes from locking implements including screw drivers, a blade and file. Can open beers and be clipped to just about anything with the built in carabineer clip. Keychain compatible, stylish, lightweight and strong. Blue stainless steel. With highly visual orange handles and a design aimed for comfort, these efficient serrated shears are built to break down small game. Release the pivot pin, separate the two blades and cleanup is a breeze. For the hunt, for the kitchen, keep 'em on hand. Weighs 4.6 oz. This handy pocket tool is small in size, not in function. With a convenient butterfly open design and 8 useful components, this keychain ready mini tool is never too far out of reach. It's a bottle opener with about 9 other tools like the new splice scissors which gives you more than cutting capabilities thanks to a variety of handy tools. Stainless steel black.
It's a bottle opener with about nine other tools. The pocket-sized pliers pack multiple functions into a tiny package that fits on a keychain. The vise gives you more than plier capabilities thanks to a variety of handy tools. Stainless steel black. Weighs 2 oz. Delrin handle with stainless steel blades. Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and stripper, toothpick, tweezers and key ring.
Delrin handle with stainless steel blade. In about 10 seconds, sharpen knives (even serrated knives), cleavers, axes, machetes and many other cutting tools. Easily stored in drawers, pocket and tackle/tool boxes. Combines every sharpening necessity into one pocket-sized unit. Features coarse tungsten carbide sharpening blades and fine ceramic rods. The unit also comes with a retractable diamond-tapered rod used for deep serrations. The rod also has a groove for all of your hooks and darts. Plus, the unit comes with a retractable flat diamond file for users who prefer a continuous surface for their sharpening needs. The model is finished off with molded rubber feet to keep the unit steady while in use.
Built-in LED light, click for constant on. 400 series stainless steel. Sure grip handle. Spring loaded pliers head. Includes LED light in handle, pliers, knife blade, saw blade, wire cutter, Phillips screwdriver, bottle opener, wire stripper, awl, file with nail pick, can opener with small flathead screwdriver tip and key ring. Includes 2 CR927 batteries. Ready at a moment's notice, the highly visual orange case is easy to locate and operate on the fly. There are 12 replacement blades in the cavity, safely extracted without worry of reaching into a bag for a loose blade. The waste compartment keeps used blades in one place. Blades fit the Vital Folding Pocket Knife (9368705). Delrin handle with stainless steel blades.
Coarse and Fine Diamond stones in one compact unit. Includes 4" x 1" coarse stone (yellow), 4" x 1" fine diamond stone (orange), soft grip rubber handle (stones store in handle), thumb guard, hook and tool sharpening groove, and micro-tool sharpening pad. Coarse and fine grit sharpening stones feature multiple layers of micron-sized monocrystalline diamonds and a unique sharpening surface with an overlapping hole design. This design speeds sharpening by collecting and holding the metal filings which ordinarily build up during the sharpening process. Each stone has a "Micro Tool Sharpening Pad" and a sharpening groove for fishhooks or tools. Soft grip rubber handle is designed to make sharpening safe and easy. Stones can be stored in the handle for safe keeping. Delrin handle with stainless steel liner lock blade. Delrin handle with stainless steel blades.
Constructed of anodized aluminum and stainless steel. Rust free. Wheel lock gives you the ability to open and close knife with only one hand. Belt clip for convenient attachment to pants. Rose wood handle with stainless steel lock back blade. Dual thumb stud for easy one hand opening. Sturdy pocket clip. Super lightweight, streamlined design.
Ideal for sharpening and maintaining your blades. Heavy duty, ergonomically designed handle with rubber over-molded grip provides a stable and comfortable platform for sharpening all your knives. Commercial grade knife sharpener. Contains diamond-honed tungsten carbide sharpening blades for coarse sharpening and ceramic rods for fine honing and polishing. Stanley Multi Tool, 12 Tools, Includes: Long Nose Pliers, Wire Cutter, Saw, Standard Screwdriver (1/4 in), Small Knife, . Bottle Opener, Curve Jaw Pliers, Standard Screwdriver (5/16 in), File, Large Knife, Phillips Screwdriver and Standard Screwdriver (1/8 in), 4-1/4 in Closed Length, Stainless Steel A highly visible orange handle featuring intuitive finger grooves, this unique blade with adjoining gut hook affords the user unparalled ease in dressing big game, saving body strain and time. The handle is glass-filled polymer with rubber over-mold. The Vital Skin & Gut Knife possesses ideal edge retention and is easy to hold in navigating the awkward contours of large game thanks to its unique round expansion along the belly of the blade. Then knife is equipped with a gut hook tip to maximize its competence in capping when the user's arm reaches an exhaustion point. Its grippy rubber handle provides a brawny push and pull strength to maximize time and energy employed in skinning and field dressing.
Sure grip textured nylon handle sides. Locking liner. Ambidextrous thumb stud. Spring assisted blade opening. Pocket clip on back helps knife fit snug in your pocket. 3" blade. Delrin handle with stainless steel blade. Delrin handle with stainless steel fixed blade. Includes leather sheath.
Manufactured Aluminum oxide oilstone packaged in storage box. 5-3/8" x 1-3/8" x 3/8". Made in the USA. Multi-tool includes Pliers, wire cutter, fine edge blade, scissors, medium flathead driver, crosshead driver, bottle opener, tweezers, file and a retail package opener. Dime includes a unique blade designed to safely cut and score plastic packaging and a bottle opener that is exposed even the tool is closed. Compact and lightweight. This unique tool saws easily through the bones of big game animals in comfort. The highly visual orange handle is rubberized and designed to fit in your hand securely while sawing. Serrations are set to optimize efficiency and body strain.
The Dime is a mini multi-tool with 12 useful tools and suspends neatly from a keychain. Smooth butterfly opening and comfortable ergonomic handles to manage obstacles. Store it in a pocket, a backpack or keep it on a key ring. Tools include: Spring loaded needle nose pliers, standard pliers, tweezers, wire cutter, bottle opener, fine edge blade, retail package opener, scissors, medium flat head driver, coarse and fine file, cross driver and Lanyard ring. Delrin handle with stainless steel blades. Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, reamer with sewing eye , phillips screwdriver, toothpick, tweezers and key ring.
Desert ironwood handle with stainless steel blades. Delrin handle. Stainless steel blade. Elegant steel composes the ultra-lightweight handle of this little knife. Weighs only 1.5 oz. Stainless steel fine edge blade (2.6") within a small, yet solid frame lock construction. The half-arc grooves stamped into the lower edges on each side of the handle with thumb and index finger while deploying the knife one-handed using the thumb hole in the blade. Frame locking prevents the blade from closure during use for safety. Fine edge blade allows for rapid and easy sharpening, regardless of location. A small lanyard hole provides optional tie-down and additional security for this reliable knife.
Combination bench stone designed for fast sharpening of high quality steel tools and knives. The US1 is an American made folding knife. The 420HC steel fine edge blade is deployed with a simple nail nick and held in check by an easy to operate back design. The handle is 30 percent glass filled nylon with rubber over-mold. The slim profile fits perfectly in your pocket. The lock-back structure keeps the knife safely open while in use. Proudly made in Portland, Oregon. High quality stainless steel knife. Tools include: pliers and needle nose, vise, wire cutter/stripper, cap lifter, can opener, Phillips and flat screwdriver, scribe, awl, leather bore, knife blade, metal/wood file, ruler, saw, scraper, hook remover and lanyard and nylon sheath.
Built as tough as the Gator machete, the Junior is shorter and more packable. The two-sided 10.75" blade has both a fine edge for hacking brush and vines and a rough cut saw edge for cutting branches, limbs and small trees. It's a high-carbon steel shaft with a tactile rubber grip gator handle. High carbon steel head. Delrin handle with stainless steel fixed blade. Includes leather sheath. Overall length with handle: 7-1/4''. Delrin handle with stainless steel blades.
Staglon handle with stainless steel blades.
Staglon handle with stainless steel blades. The Gator machete has a 15" fine edge blade on one side and an 18" high performance saw blade on the other. It's forged of high carbon stainless steel. The handle is covered with a gator grip rubberized handle for comfort and control. Riveted, nylon sheath included for secure carry. Made for use in the wilderness, as well as the backyard. It's a dual purpose, lightweight machete for beating back the underbrush and trailblazing. 3.9" stainless steel blade. Sturdy construction with spring assist. Pocket clip on back helps knife fit snug in your pocket. Handle material: Fiberglass-filled textured nylon.
Drop point lock blade with brushed stainless steel handle. Made in the USA. Rose wood handle with stainless steel lock back blade. Includes leather sheath. Desert ironwood handle with stainless steel blade.
AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel skinner blade with etching. Smooth jet-black synthetic handles. Made in the USA. Smooth, yellow synthetic handle. Skinner blade stamped from chrome vanadium steel, a special formula of carbon steel, easy to resharpen. Made in the USA. An extremely capable knife, the mini F.A.S.T. draw blends the excitement of our original design in to a compact package that fits ideally in any pocket. It has a textured handle with integrated safety and lock release, along with a strong high carbon stainless steel blade. A reversed pocket clip makes it easy to carry and ready to spring into action. One handed opening. Blade is released by a strategically placed side button.
A double-sided sharpener featuring a coarse diamond grit surface for more aggressive sharpening and a fine diamond surface for honing and finishing. Also includes a sharpening groove for use with all kinds of hooks, darts and pointed objects. Features a wide, over-molded grip for comfortable and secure sharpening. The folding handle allows you to fold and store your sharpener with ease. Flexible, AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel blade. Genuine leather sheath with tough plastic liner. Lightweight, rugged synthetic handle, ergonomically designed for comfortable use in either direction. Made in the USA. Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, wood saw, reamer with sewing eye, corkscrew, toothpick, tweezers and key ring.
The versatility and ease of carrying a full size knife. Fully capable of undertaking field dressing and the diverse needs of a hunting trip. The Moment large sheath folding knife is suitable for all tasks big and small. Nylon sheath with metal snaps keeps your knife within easy reach and securely stowed. From skinning to quartering, the 3.5" fine edge blade is designed for smooth engagement and firm cutting, while the molded rubber handle is designed for maximum comfort and a confident grip. Secure liner lock for in-pack or on-belt carry. Pommel with lanyard hole adds utility. Glass bead blade finish for low reflectivity and fewer fingerprints. Textured rubber handle feels great and delivers secure all-conditions confidence in your grip. Staglon handle with stainless steel blades. Rose wood handle with stainless steel lock back blade. Includes leather sheath.
Brushed stainless steel handle. Locking drop point blade. Made in the USA. Delrin handle with liner lock stainless steel blades. Includes leather sheath. Includes fixed pick and tweezers. Staglon handle with stainless steel fixed blade. Includes leather sheath.
3.9" stainless steel blade. Sturdy construction with spring assist. Pocket clip on back helps knife fit snug in your pocket. Handle material: Fiberglass-filled textured nylon. AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel skinner blade with etching. Smooth jet-black synthetic handles. Made in the USA. 3 sharpening stones in one. Features a coarse synthetic stone, medium synthetic stone and a natural Arkansas stone. All 3 stones are mounted on a plastic, triangle base with a handle on each end for easy stone rotation and stone labels for easy recognition. The sturdy base holder has non-skid feet and a trough to catch excess oil drippings. Base will not get oil soaked and is easy to clean. Includes 1oz. bottle of honing solution and a angle guide.
Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, scissors, reamer with sewing eye, corkscrew, hook, toothpick, tweezers and key ring. This crafting tool provides functionality of a field-proven, full tang fixed blade knife, plus the added versatility of nearly 4' of paracord. Weighs under 6 oz. The minimalist, balanced feel of the fixed blade is well suited to extended back country travel where every ounce counts. Performs equally well with or without the paracord and offers a full grip for all hand sizes. Has plenty of power for driving the blade to shape wood or work on small game. A deep coil that sits between your hand and the blade allows you to safely apply added pressure when driving the blade and a textured thumb rest on the spine adds control.
AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel clip and pen blades that hold an edge and resist rust. Jigged brown high-impact synthetic handle. Polished-honed edges for superior sharpness. Made in the USA. AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel clip blade. Slim and sturdy, jigged brown synthetic handle. Made in the USA. AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel clip and pen blades resist rust and hold an edge. Jigged brown synthetic handle. Made in the USA.
Smooth, yellow synthetic handle clip blade. Blade stamped from chrome vanadium steel, a special formula of carbon steel, easy to resharpen. Made in the USA. Versatile and easy to use. Stainless serrated blade. With a rugged polycarbonate handle that also has SoftGrip inserts, this handle offers superior grip. One hand opening quickly and easily deploys the blade with a well placed cut-out, as the name suggests. Lock back mechanism provides structural integrity for heavy-duty work. The Precision Sharpening Kit allows you to manually sharpen your knives at a consistent, exact, fixed angle. Provides precision sharpening designed to maintain accurate results for your knife's specific edge. Knife clamp has settings for 11, 15, 19, 21, 25 and 30? angles.
Yellow synthetic handle, clip and pen Chrome Vandium blades. Made in the USA. For people who want a serious blade, yet compact, foldable and able to fit neatly into a sheath, on a belt and out of the way. 1/2 serrated high carbon stainless steel drop point blade. Ideal for edge retention and cutting rope. Lock back locks blade securely in place and maximizes safety during closing. Dual-sided thumb stud for easy single-hand opening. Ergonomic textured rubber grip maximizes comfort and reduces slippage. The nylon sheath is lightweight, military grade, mildew resistant sheath allows for horizontal or vertical carry. Includes a Priorities of Survival pocket guide containing Bear's survival essentials. With 2 built-in LED lights to illuminate work surfaces, the multi-tool is ideal for working on the car, under the sink or other tight spaces where light is needed. Sure grip rubber handle inlays provide a firm and comfortable grip. Stainless steel construction ensures that this tool will provide years of worry free use. Spring loaded pliers head for easy one handed operation. Includes scissors, bottle cap lifter, small and medium slotted screwdriver tips and Phillips screwdriver tip. LEDs take two CR1616 batteries (included).
AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel clip, sheepfoot and pen blades. Brown synthetic handle. Made in the USA. The Suspension is an open frame multi-tool. Saf.T.Plus locking system. Components include spring loaded needle nose pliers, wire cutter, fine edge knife, serrated edge knife, saw, scissors, cross point screwdriver, small and medium flat blade screwdrivers, can opener, bottle opener and lanyard hole. All housed in a ballistic nylon sheath and it's lightweight. Titanium gray stainless steel handle.
Chrome Vanadium steel, special formula of carbon steel clip and spey blades. Smooth, yellow synthetic handle. Made in the USA AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel clip and pen blades that hold an edge and resist rust. Polished honed edges for superior sharpness. Smooth jet-black high impact synthetic handle. Made in the USA. Smooth yellow synthetic handle. Mirror polished chrome vanadium clip and pen blades; easy to resharpen. Made in the USA.
The F.A.S.T. Draw relies on a proprietary new blade opening concept; forward action spring technology that's so lightning-quick and so pleasingly easy to open with just one hand. Drop point blade with 2.0 assisted opening. High Carbon stainless blade material. Glass filled nylon handle. It's a knife first, with multi-functional implements second. The Obsidian clip knife features a high grade blade with dual thumb studs for one handed opening and a safety style lock that ensures the blade stays open or closed when you need it to. Lanyard hole. Includes Cross head and flat head drivers, file and bottle opener. The EVO is a lightweight, straight-spined clip folder. Designed with a series of seven slanting oval openings in the anodized aluminum handle. Finger flip opening. Titanium nitrade-coated 3.43" blade. Liner lock.
Rubber textured gator grip handle for ideal comfort and control. Beneath that tactile rubber surface is a virtually indestructible glass-filled nylon handle. Inside that handle is a hollow area containing a magnet that can hold a knife. The axe head is engineered from forged steel. 7.01" overall length of knife with 2.88" blade. Featuring a safe Exchange-A-Blade option, a surgically sharp blade cuts through game easily, requiring no extra tool if you need to replace the blade on the fly. The orange handle is easily spotted of you should drop it while out in the field. Large finger choil and larger width gives it a solid, comfortable grip. A smart mash-up a replaceable utility blade with the high visual orange rubber handle that won't quit, this knife travels to the field and on the hunt with ease. To order the Replacement Blade (9368721). The AccuSharp 3-Stone knife sharpening system allows you to easily sharpen and hone any straight-edge blade with ease. The three stone surfaces include coares diamond, medium alumina-oxide and fine ceramic. Provides extra durability and safety on any surface with a rubber grip base which prevents sliding while sharpening and honing your knives. The base can be mounted to most countertops for extra stability. Also included is an angle guide to assist in maintaining a consistent angle while sharpening.
Stainless steel 3.5" blade. Matte finish stainless standard edge drop point blade with dual thumb studs. Checkered black G-10 handles. Reversible black finish stainless pocket clip. Lanyard hole. Features double lock blade locking system for added safety. Ergonomically designed. Comfortable hand position and sure cutting grip. One-piece molded black Zytel handle, AsGround Tru-Sharp stainless steel 4-1/8" swept skinner blade. Black Balistic Nylon sheath, will not hold odors; the same material specified by the U. S. Government for pistol holders. Made in the USA.
Mirror polished Chrome Vanadium clip and spey blades. Smooth yellow synthetic handle. Easy to sharpen. Ideal for any task. Made in the USA. Smooth yellow synthetic handle. Mirror polished, chrome Vanadium sheepfoot, spey and clip blades; easy to sharpen. Polished-honed edges for a keen edge. Made in the USA. Tiny in stature, but big on ability. Suited to smaller hands or for those who like a tool that's virtually weightless (1.3 oz). A reliable daily carry knife opens fast and easily and sits comfortably in your hand. For added safety, the thumb Plunge Lock on the handle means easy closing, without putting your fingers in the blade's path. Open frame design strips weight out, while adding texture to the body for increased hold. Grippy without feeling stick, the Outrigger is finished with a molded rubberized handle to better keep the knife in your hand. Fine edge drop point blade for smooth, accurate cutting. Dual thumb studs for quick, secure opening.
Swagger offers the ease of use, stout construction and comfortable carry with a 3.25" blade and assisted opening convenience. Reliable plunge lock secures blade when in use. Black titanium nitride-coated blade reduces unwanted reflection and defends against corrosion. G-10 composite handle with textured scales provide secure grip and slim profile. Thumb studs facilitate one-handed operation. Utilitarian pocket clip keeps the Swagger secure and handy on your belt or in your pocket. Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, scissors, wood saw, reamer with sewing eye, corkscrew, hook, toothpick, tweezers and key ring. AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel sheepfoot, clip and pen blades. Brown synthetic handle. Made in the USA.
Clip and pen stainless steel blades. Genuine blue bone handle. Made in the USA Two-knife for dedicated cleaning and dressing of game; one large gut hook fixed blade and one small fixed blade designed for small game, detail work and scraping. Gut hook on the blade tip makes processing game quick and efficient. Fine edge blades are the hunter's friend; easy to use and utilitarian in nature. Pommels with lanyard holes add utility. Textured rubber handles feel great and deliver secure, all-conditions confidence in your grip. Full tang, fixed blade construction means these knives can rise to the challenge of long-term and nontraditional use. Glass bead blade finish for low reflectivity and fewer fingerprints. Nylon scabbard with metal snaps keeps both knives within easy reach and securely stowed. Balanced feel and comfortable grip. Large blade 3.63"; Small blade size 3.25". Gator grip handle texture for maximum grip. Lock back design with a fine edge and forged form stainless steel. 3.76" blade. Ballistic nylon sheath.
Mirror polished Tru-Sharp surgical steel clip and spey blade will resist rust and hold an edge. Polished-honed edges for razor sharpness. Jigged amber bone handle. Made in the USA. Features a one-handed serrated locking blade, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, can opener with small screwdriver, phillips screwdriver, key ring, toothpick, tweezers, reamer and wood saw. This American made tactical folder is thoughtfully designed and lightweight for use over the long haul. A 420HC black ceramic coated blade, rubberized diamond texture handle, sturdy pocket clip and partially serrated blade ensure preparedness. Ceramic coating protects against corrosion and minimizes reflective surfaces. Handle material is rubber over-molded glass filled nylon providing a secure grip in all weather conditions. Use its pocket clip to attach it to a belt or a pocket for daily access. Tie the knife down using its lanyard hole for additional security. The thumb hole in the Order's blade allows for easy one handed opening and the lock back mechanism provides structural integrity for heavy-duty work. The Order is proudly made in Portland, Oregon.
Ideal for the outdoor adventurer, this compact all-conditions axe. With a longer handle than the original and a forged steel head, the Gator axe has ideal striking force. The grippy handle also houses a coarse blade handsaw. The handle is made of glass-filled nylon and covered in Gerber's Gator texture. It offers a better and more comfortable grip in wet and muddy conditions. The blade handsaw is held in place magnetically, for sawing branches and brush. It's a rugged and lightweight camping essential. The Axe: Forged steel head and Gator-grip handle with an overall length of 15.80", blade length of 2.70" and weighs 28 oz. The Saw: Overall length of 10.24", blade length 8.10" and weighs 2.4 oz. Long stainless steel clip blade. Old red pocket worn bone handle. Made in the USA. Mirror polished chrome Vanadium clip and pen blades. Jigged amber bone handle. Made in the USA.
Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, scissors, magnifying glass, reamer with sewing eye, phillips screwdriver, corkscrew, hook, toothpick, tweezers and key ring. Fine edge drop point blade for smooth, accurate cutting allows you to cut, pry, strip or slice whatever you need. Plunge lock for solid, positive release and blade closure. Pocket clip for carrying. Dual thumb studs for quick, secure opening. Assisted opening 2.0 mechanism opens fast and easy with one hand or two thanks to dual thumb studs atop blade. Molded rubberized handle coating. The Crucial offers an entire toolbox of full-sized components in one rugged stainless steel package. The handles are ergonomically curved for a better grip and more torque. The liner-locking knife blade is half fine edge and half serrated. Also contains a Phillips screwdriver, V-cut wire cutters, strap cutter and a flat head screwdriver. Built with a clip and weighing just 5 ounces, the Crucial can also be carried as an everyday pocket tool. Made of stainless steel.
Full tang construction with Gator grip handle to offer comfort and ease of use. The inner core of the handle is glass filled nylon which is chemically bonded to the outer surface, which is molded Santoprene rubber, creating a soft tactile grip over a very strong structure. The included sheath is made of ballistic nylon with molded plastic insert. The steel blade is made of 420HC stainless steel with a fine edge and a gut hook. Compound leverage geared pliers, straight edged and fully serrated blades. Blades are accessible without opening the tool. Tools include: 1/4" Hex bit driver, 3 sided file, AWL, bolt grip channel, bottle opener, can opener, full serrated blade, Hex bit kit, jewelry driver, Large flat screwdriver, medium flat screwdriver, needle nose pliers, Phillips screwdriver, ruler, small flat screwdriver, straight edge blade, wire crimper, wire cutter and wood saw. Built to handle almost anything. Like a switchblade, the SwitchPlier 2.0 is ready to go with a simple push of a button. Silver, black finish. The SwitchPlier 2.0 provides instant one-handed access to the spring-loaded pliers making it quick and easy to use for a host of jobs, especially when your other hand is occupied. Tools include: 1/2 serrated blade, 3 sided file, bolt grip channel, bottle opener, can opener, hard wire cutter, needle nose pliers, medium flat screwdriver, small screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver and ruler.
Clip and spey blades. True-Sharp surgical steel blades. Genuine blue bone handle. Made in the USA. Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, scissors, pliers with wire cutter, reamer with sewing eye, phillips screwdriver, hook, toothpick, tweezers and key ring. Clip and spey blades. Jigged amber bone handles. No.00163: Mirror polished Chrome Vanadium blades. No.00164: Tru-Sharp stainless blades. Made in the USA.
Clip, sheepfoot and pen blades. Mirror Polished Tru-Sharp surgical steel blades. Genuine blue bone handle. Made in the USA. Features a large blade, small blade, scissors, nail file with screwdriver tip, orange peeler with screwdriver tip, toothpick, tweezers and key ring. Clip and spey blades. Jigged amber bone handles. No.00163: Mirror polished Chrome Vanadium blades. No.00164: Tru-Sharp stainless blades. Made in the USA.
No. 00039: Medium Stockman with mirror polished Chrome Vanadium blades. No. 00042: Medium Stockman with rust resistant, mirror polished Tru-Sharp surgical steel blades. Genuine jigged amber bone handles. Clip, sheepfoot and spey blades. Made in the USA Classic Amber bone handle. Mirror polished Chrome Vanadium clip, sheepfoot and pen blades; easy to resharpen. Made in the USA. Mirror polished Tru-Sharp surgical steel blades. Clip, spey and sheepfoot blades. Genuine blue bone handle. Made in the USA.
Mirror-polished concave ground, clip blade, polished leather handle, genuine leather sheath. Made in the USA. Multi-tool features Saf.T.Plus locking system, one handed opening pliers, partially serrated blade, small, medium and large flat drivers, Fiskars scissors, black ballistic nylon sheath, needle nose pliers, Phillips driver, bottle and can opener, wire cutters and wire stripper. Stainless steel handle. This ultra-light self-defense knife has a customizable sheath system that offers low profile or open carry. The fine edge blade is made of durable 420HC steel, a compact skeletal frame keeps it light in hand and a rubber over-mold gives optimal grip. Lightweight, easy to access and the slim profiles allow for discreet transport in a pocket or boot, on a belt or around the neck.
Long clip and scaler blades, hook disgorger and fishhook, sharpening stone. Stainless steel blades. Made in the USA. Mirror polished Tru-Sharp surgical steel clip, sheepfoot and spey blades. Genuine Amber jigged bone handle. Made in the USA. Rich Amber bone, locking clip blade, unique handle style. Mirror PolishedTru-Sharp stainless steel blade. Made in the USA.
Case 786 Peanut Stockman Folding Pocket Knife, 3-1/2 in Closed L, Worn Old Red?
Locking clip blade. Mirror Polished Tru-Sharp surgical steel blade. Genuine blue bone handle. Made in the USA. Pocket worn finish. Classic old red genuine jigged bone handle. Clip and spey stainless steel blades. Made in the USA. Pocket worn finish. Classic old red genuine jigged bone handle. Clip, sheepfoot and spey blades. Made in the USA.
Easy to sharpen Chrome Vanadium spear and pen blades. Jigged amber bone handle. Made in the USA. Knife features 1/2 serrated high carbon stainless steel drop point blade. Ideal for edge retention and cutting rope. Ergonomic textured rubber grip maximizes comfort and reduces slippage. Stainless steel Pommel at the base of handle for hammering. Emergency whistle integrated into lanyard cord. Fire Starter ferrocerium rod locks into sheath and striker notch incorporated into back of knife blade. Nylon sheath is lightweight, military grade with mildew resistance. Land to air rescue instructions. Diamond sharpener integrated into the sheath for on the go sharpening. Includes Priorities of Survival pocket guide containing Bear's survival essentials. Mirror polished Chrome Vanadium clip, sheepfoot and spey blades. Genuine jigged Amber bone handle. Easy to sharpen. Made in the USA.
Blunt nose stainless Multi-Pliers with one-hand opening features replaceable tungsten carbide wire cutters. When the cutters become dull or misshapen simply rotate the tungsten carbide cutters 120 degrees and you've got yourself a good as new wire cuter. After three rotations, the entire cutter can be replaced. Tools include: blunt nose pliers, regular pliers, Tungsten carbide insert cutters, one-handed opening, Saf.T.Plus locking knife and tools, Lanyard ring, file, fine edge knife, cross point screwdriver, wire crimper, bottle opener, ruler, can opener, serrated knife and small, medium and large flat blade screwdriver. Weighs 9 oz. One-hand open design and durable stainless body. Tools include: needlenose pliers, regular pliers, pinch cut wire cutters, one-hand opening, Lanyard ring, Serrated knife, Saf.T.Plus locking knife and tools, can opener, cross point screwdriver, ruler, wire crimper, file, small, medium and large flat blade screwdriver, bottle opener and fine edge knife. Weighs 9 oz. Mirror-polished concave ground, clip blade, polished leather handle, genuine leather sheath. Made in the USA.
Made of quality stainless steel. One handed opening pliers. Multi-pliers tool can be used for hunting, fishing, camping, mountain biking, work and other tasks. Weighs only 9 ounces. Designed for soldiers and first responders. This tough knife has a full size, fine edge tanto-blade for maximum piercing and slicing capabilities. The 154CM steel blade is anchored with a lock back design providing structural integrity in heavy-duty applications. The Edict folding clip knife is made for hard labor over the long haul. Slips easily into a pocket for daily access to your knife or tie down the knife using its lanyard hole for additional security. AsGround Tru-Sharp surgical steel blades with jigged brown handle. Clip and skinner blade. Includes genuine leather sheath. Made in the USA.
Satin finish Multi-tool with gear driven Compound Leverage mechanisms. Just flip out tool with one hand for quick access. Versatility in the field is a necessity and heavy duty construction provides access. Proprietary Compound Leverage technology works by employing multiple pivot points that generate greater handle travel in relation to plier movement. The result is a leverage advantage of twice the power of a conventional multi-tool, which makes every cut smoother and easier. Sheath made of ballistic nylon material with secure clip attachment. Tools include: 1/2 serrated blade, 1/4" drive, 3 sided file, AWL, blasting cap crimper, bolt grip channel, bottle opener, can opener, hard wire cutter, large flat screwdriver, medium flat screwdriver, needle nose pliers, Phillips screwdriver, ruler, scissors, small flat screwdriver, wire crimper and wood saw. The handle is made of 420 Stainless steel. Satin PowerLock with v-cutter. Gear driven Compound Leverage mechanisms. Proprietary Compound Leverage technology works by employing multiple pivot points that generate greater handle travel in relation to plier movement. Just flip out tool with one hand for quick access. Versatility in the field is a necessity and heavy duty construction provides access. Just flip out tool with one hand for quick access. Versatility in the field is a necessity and heavy duty construction provides access. Sheath made of ballistic nylon material with secure clip attachment. Tools include: 1/2 serrated blade, 1/4" drive AWL, 3-sided file, blasting cap crimper, bolt grip channel, bottle opener, can opener, hard wire cutter, large flat screwdriver, medium screwdriver, needle nose pliers, Phillips screwdriver, ruler, small flat screwdriver, v-cutter, wire crimper and wood saw. Compact, comfortable and feature rich, the PowerPlay brings often used tool components into a small, pocketable multi-tool. Built with pliers powered by Compound Leverage where it doubles your gripping power. The tool also features a straight edge and a fully serrated blade among other components that can be accessed single-handedly without opening the tool. Tools include: 1/4" Hex bit driver, 3-sided file, AWL, bolt grip channel, bottle opener, can opener, full serrated blade, Hex bit kit, jewelry driver, large flat screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, small flat screwdriver, needle nose pliers, ruler, straight edge blade, wire crimper, wire cutter and wood saw. Also comes with a nylon Sheath.
One hand opening multi-tool. Durable stainless body. Tools include: needlenose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, serrated knife, wire crimper, file, bottle opener, can opener, Cross point screwdriver, Saf.T.Plus locking knife and tools, small flat blade screwdriver, medium flat blade screwdriver, RemGrit saw with universal saw coupler and Fiskars scissors. Big, tough, capable and versatile; the Diesel is all of these things and more. With one-handed deployment, this tool is the ultimate in efficiency. Industrial strength components are larger and stronger for the toughest jobs. The stainless steel tools are bigger than average and more rugged than normal and each one locks into place for maximum safety and security. Tools include: Needle nose pliers, standard pliers, wire cutter, jaw release button, tool lock, saw, cross driver, partially serrated blade, large flathead driver, small flathead driver, coarse and fine file, scissors, can opener, medium flathead driver and bottle opener. Mirror Polished Tru-Sharp surgical steel etched clip blade. Back spring lock release. Polished honed edges for the finest cutting edge. Smooth jet-black high-impact synthetic handle. Genuine leather sheath included. Made in the USA.
Yellow synthetic handle, traditional case pocket knife chrome Vanadium steel blade. Made in the USA. Handsome, traditional. The Timeless appeal of genuine stag antler, features the case emblem and stag handle, clip, sheepfoot and pen blades. Made in the USA. Satin PowerAssist with sheath houses not just one, but two Assisted Technology blades. Start to open the main blades, which are available when the main tool is closed, and S.A.T. takes over the complete opening. The sheath is made of ballistic nylon (material). Tools include: 3-sided file, blasting cap crimper, bolt grip channel, bottle opener, can opener, full serrated blade, hard wire cutter, large flat screwdriver, medium flat screwdriver, needle nose pliers, Phillips screwdriver, ruler, small flat screwdriver, straight edge blade, v-cutter and wire crimper.
Features a large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, scissors, pliers with wire cutter, wood saw, fish scaler with hook disgorger and ruler, metal saw with metal file and nail file, magnifying glass, reamer with sewing eye, phillips screwdriver and corkscrew. A case original,stainless steel one-hand opening clip blade with thumb stud liner lock. Made in the USA. The S30V modified tanto-blade provides ideal piercing ability, easily accessed by the thumb studs or finger flipper. Black ceramic protects the blade against corrosion. Glass filled nylon, rubberized diamond texture handle is tough and easy to grip. Built for hard labor over the long haul. Slip it into a pocket for daily access to your knife or tie the knife down using its lanyard hole for additional security.
This compact, lightweight multi-tool is easy to use and makes quick work of light and heavy-duty tasks. Professional grade components, a butterfly open design, high quality carbon steel and spring loaded pliers. To help avoid accidental closure, all components feature an integrated wedge lock. The fully serrated, multi-purpose blades are made from 420 HC stainless steel. The tool's molded composite G-10 grip eliminates sharp edges, while its textured surface adds security in cold or wet job sites. Comes with a sturdy polyester sheath to keep your multi-tool within easy reach. Tools include: Spring loaded needle nose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutter, wire stripper, tool lock, fine edge blade, large flathead driver, medium flathead driver, small flathead driver, bit driver, utility/scraper blade, bottle opener and serrated blade. Plastic tube counter display with 12 Jiff V-Sharp Knife & Scissors Sharpeners. Promotes impulse buying. Individually bar coded. Includes 24 pack of knife sharpeners (factory No. CCKS), counter display container, and sharpening instructions with key chain. The CCKS knife sharpener is a 2-step knife sharpener that features two tungsten carbide cutting heads with pre-set angles that ensure a perfect edge every time. Three or four strokes through the carbide cutting heads will restore the edge on a very dull knife. The two fine ceramic rods also have pre-set angles and provide a smooth finished edge to already sharp knives. Sharpener is lightweight, portable, comes with a lanyard hole, and has specially designed non-slip rubber feet for added safety. Excellent for use on all types of knives, especially filet knives.
Candy jar full of army knives. For pocket or purse. Features a blade, nail file, screwdriver, scissors, key ring, tweezers and toothpick. Classic SD knife. Colors: (10) red), (8) black, (4) blue, (4) Yellow and (4) green.