A design strategy for Thai village-based manufacturers

Rural villagers in Thailand have unique skills for producing culturally-distinct craft using local materials. These advantages give villagers the potential for economic development and self-reliance. However, obstacles prevent this potential being fulfilled, especially in terms of unexplored opportunities in the global marketplace. Thai Government proposals for local community product development have addressed some barriers, but a significant gap has remained. In particular, design strategy has been underutilised. Incorporation of a design strategy that enhances the unique qualities of Thai products would enable the products to meet standards crucial for global consumer satisfaction. The present research explores and develops a new design strategy that combines principles of product design methodology and strategic management, yielding a customised design strategy for Thai village-based manufacturers. The new proposed design strategy has aimed for compatibility with the concept of Sufficiency Economy philosophy, thus delivered with the Thai Government’s guidelines for National Economic and Social Development. An ethnography approach was developed to explore the critical interrelations between the essential competencies of a Thai village-based manufacture, and opportunities arising from Thai Government proposals. Primary information was analysed to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relevant to practical design strategy for Thai village-based manufacturers. The concepts, and the implications of the proposed design strategy, were simplified to facilitate comprehension by target users in Thai local communities. To achieve this objective, the 'four noble truths,' a step leading to Nirvana of Buddhism, were used as a familiar structure to organise strategic processes and design activities. The proposed design strategy provides a means of increasing product value and marketability, while conserving Thai craft heritage and environmental sustainability. Increasing the value of the villagers’ own products will deliver the extra benefits of increased employment and income, enhanced quality of life, and a more sustainable economy for Thai rural villagers. The study conceptualised contributions in three frameworks categorised by the different levels of user. First, a set of key design concepts and checklist criteria supported the creation and evaluation of a pragmatic design concept. Second, the design strategy was associated with a model of design protocol that helps manufacturers work towards the pragmatic pattern of product development. Finally, the exemplar that was developed through the proposed design protocol provides a prototype and inspiration for other villagebased manufacturers.