Leveraging uncertainty: a practical approach to the integration of responsible innovation through design thinking

This paper presents the results of a study conducted with several major actors from the French financial industry, which aimed at developing a process for developing responsible innovations by deploying a design thinking method. We begin by presenting the context for the study which includes a brief description of our approach for understanding and exploring the issues raised by responsible innovation in a practical context. Secondly, the design thinking method is introduced as a potentially suitable approach for addressing wicked problems and thus, the integration of responsible innovation. The paper will conclude with a presentation of the process for developing responsible products and services which was developed throughout the study. The main purpose of the paper is thus to demonstrate that integrating responsibility in innovation does not have to become a constraint if it is incorporated as a tool for stimulating the creative capacity of innovation teams. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.