Jon Campbell left a job as a marketing manager at Harley Davidson to go to design school. It’s not what you think.

In post on his blog, Campbell on Branding and Innovation, he explains his decision and offers up an interesting definition of what he’s studying:

Design is a strategic way of thinking that places the user at the center of all decisions, using an iterative approach to deliver on unmet needs that creates real value for users and thereby for the organization.

It’s not perfect but it does say a lot, and say it quite well.

Sometimes design is just a logo, sometimes marketing is just some ads, and sometimes communication is just an SOQ or a report. More and more, though, there’s a need for fresh, holistic thinking (or, “design thinking”) with regard to the strategy that underpins each individual effort.