I'm worried about the tendency to letting just "nontechnical" people "define the problem", and the general relegation of "technical" people to only build and execute a vision.
Some people have a background that deals mostly in perception and form, while others deals mostly in structure and function. If both balance strategic trade-offs of the product, both are designers. If they only execute plans, they are craftsmans and technicians.
Which one of them is better for "defining" the problem deppends on the problem. Both can learn to have holistic vision, and how to understand where their expertise and skills end.
There are creative and intuitive technical people. They are out there, as many as "artists" that can truly design products.
Some people have a background that deals mostly in perception and form, while others deals mostly in structure and function. If both balance strategic trade-offs of the product, both are designers. If they only execute plans, they are craftsmans and technicians.
Which one of them is better for "defining" the problem deppends on the problem. Both can learn to have holistic vision, and how to understand where their expertise and skills end.
There are creative and intuitive technical people. They are out there, as many as "artists" that can truly design products.