Lesson1

WhyDesign?
DrKelvinLee

WhyDesign?

Globally,itis recognisedthat creativity,innovation, risk,knowledge transferand technologytransfer arekeyto competitiveness.

UniversityofNottinghammissionstatement

Standingstillisnolongeranoption. Successfulcompaniesbuilddesign andinnovationintotheirculture, particularlyduringthedevelopment ofaproductorservice,andhookthis totheircompetitivedrive.Theywill betheonestoprosperanddevelopin thenextmillennium.

JohnBattle,UKIndustryMinister

Designisessentiallytheapplicationof humancreativitytoapurpose tocreate products,services,buildings, organisations andenvironmentswhich meetpeople'sneeds.

Innovation,designandtechnology areallflowingintooneanotherto formasingleriverofroaringchange radicallyalteringourculture,and especiallyourbusinessculture.

Designasamanagedprocess
Designisrightatthecoreofeverynew product.Manufacturersusedto differentiatetheircarsbypushingsafetyor reliability,buteverybody'sdoingthat. Designwillbethedifferentiatorofthe future.

 Inevitablytheprocessofmovingfromahalf formedidea,howevercreative,toonewhich issuccessfullyimplementedisonefullofrisks andfailures. Manyfalsestarts,orrecursionsbacktothe drawingboard,andtheremaybedifficult technicalproblemstosolve,whichcanslow downtheprojectorputthecostsup.

The interaction between development activities and design environment

Designisnotaneasyjourney
Shockstriggerinnovations changehappenswhen peopleororganisations reachathresholdof opportunityordissatisfaction. Ideasproliferate afterstartingoutinasingle direction,theprocessproliferatesintomultiple, divergentprogressions. Setbacksfrequentlyarise,plansareoveroptimistic, commitmentsescalate,mistakesaccumulateand viciouscyclescandevelop. Restructuringoftheinnovatingunitoftenoccurs throughexternalintervention,personnelchangesor otherunexpectedevents.

 Topmanagementplaysakeyroleinsponsoring, butalsoincriticising andshaping,theprocessand itsoutcome. Successcriteriashiftovertime,differbetween groupsandmakedesignandinnovationapolitical process. Theprocessinvolveslearning,butmanyofits outcomesareduetoothereventswhichoccuras thenewideadevelops,thusmakinglearningoften 'superstitious'innature.

Designasakeystrategicresource
Doesdesignreallymakeadifference?
Theevidencefromavarietyofresearchstudies andfromtheexperiencesofcountlessfirms suggeststhatitdoes. Attentiontodesigncanleadtosuperiorproducts, injectlifeintomaturemarketsorintroducenew oradaptedproductstoallowthecompanyto diversifyintomoreprofitablemarkets.

Keybenefitsfromdesigninvestmentare summarised below: Increaseprofitbyincreasingsalesorby decreasingmanufacturingcosts. Increasemarketshare. Gainacompetitiveadvantage. Revampmatureandfailingproducts. Provideastrategyforgrowth. Designisawayoflaunchinganewproductor service.

KeyCompetitiveResource
Qualityisnownolongerseenassomething whichyoupayextraforbutratherassomething whichisexpected. Intermsoforderwinningfactors,peoplelookfor reliability,fornewandexoticfeatures,andfor durability. Inaworldwithincreasingemphasisonfashion anddifferentiationpeoplearelookingfor customisation,productstailoredtosuittheir particularneeds. Concernabouttheenvironmentleadstoa growingdemandfor'green'products

Designisawordoftenusedratherlooselyto encompassbothradicalbreakthroughkindsof innovationwhereacompletelynewproduct typeemergesandalsoincrementalmodification andimprovement.

Agreatdealofnewproductdevelopmentis actuallynotabout'newtotheworld'products andweshouldnotunderestimatethe importanceofincrementalimprovementsand adjustmentsintermsoftheirimpactonthe economicsofthefirmorofthesector.

Designcanappealtoaglobalmarket
TheAppleiMaccomputerhasbeenlinkedtothe turnaroundinthefortunesofAppleComputers andmuchofthissuccessisduetoitsinnovative design.Thebriefwassimple todesignanew computerfortheconsumermarketthatwas simple,approachableandaffordable. Itbecamethefastestsellingproductinthe company'shistory duringthefirst139dayson sale800,000weresoldequivalenttooneevery 15seconds.

Designcanappealtoaglobalmarket
Denmark aconsistentlymanagedtofeaturein thetopfiveperformersintermsofglobal competitiveness.Itsabilitytodothisderivesfrom carefulattentiontodesignandafocusonniche productsandmarketswheredesigncontributes theabilitytoofferhighaddedvalueproducts. Italy successrestsnotonsellinghighvolumes offurniturebutonproducinghighvalueitems, whicharecharacterised bystrongdesigninput.

BritishPavilionatShanghaiExpo,2010
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/8492/thomasheatherwickbritish pavilionatshanghaiexpo2010.html