Innovation.. creativity... major tn-on!
Hmmm.. nice article i came across :) Author: Mr. S. Ha
Note: Using this article for reference
Design has a growing influence on every part of life. According to a survey conducted by the British Design Association, the share price of design-innovative companies stood at a level similar to those of the FTSE 100 firms in 1994. By 2007, however, share prices for top design oriented firms exceeded share prices for the FTSE by more than two times. Some have noted that the time when consumers looked at price and quality has ended, and that design is now the key to winning market share. Let's take an in-depth look at the seven prerequisites for design innovation.
First, design is work. In other words, manpower matters in design. The best way to improve design competitiveness is to secure the best design talent. Louis Vuitton, a manufacturer and retailer of luxury goods, scouted the globally-renowned designer Marc Jacobs. By doing so, Louis Vuitton succeeded in transforming its image from a somewhat old fashioned supplier of high priced luggage into a young and fashionable brand. One young designer can change the image of a company, and boost its earnings.
Second, you need to give more authority to the Chief Design Officer, or CDO. No matter how many talented designers you have, they will be no more than window dressing if they cannot make themselves heard. Innovative companies consider the CDO a high ranking position, and provide him or her with ample authority. Whirlpool, for example, integrated its designers from different brands and gave full authority for management to CDO Chuck Jones. Apple, the preeminent design oriented company, promised Jonathan Ive full authority on personnel issues involving design teams, clearing the way for him to create smash hits like the iPod and iPhone.
Third, monitoring is needed to check and assess design teams. If designers are too emotionally engaged in design work, they may produce impractical and unrealistic designs. To prevent this, smart designers always incorporate some non-design workers from other departments inside their teams. This ensures that they understand commercial requirements before they complete their work. IDEO, for example, assembles engineers, marketers, anthropologists, and psychologists together with design teams to review productivity, commercial viability and usability from multiple perspectives.
Fourth, successful designers will need the right rewards to motivate them. Since designers tend to think of their design as a work of art that expresses their personality, businesses need to create not only monetary rewards, but non-financial rewards like a designer signature system. The self-confidence of designers can be enhanced by putting their names on products and projects that they have designed.
Fifth, CEOs themselves need to try to cultivate their design sense and insight. To ensure the acquisition of talented designers, CEOs of innovative companies need to have their own design insight. Such CEOs include Ernesto Gismondi at Italian lighting firm Artemide and Alberto Alessi at Alessi. Such CEOs participate not only in the selection of designers, but also oversee the management of large design projects. To enhance businesses’ design capability, CEOs need to have more insight on design by experiencing design in all its variety, from product and service design to fine art.
Sixth, businesses need to establish their own design philosophy. Most of the world's premier product makers have designs that consumers can recognize from a mile away. Consumers can instantly distinguish BMW sedans from other vehicles thanks to BMW's trademark kidney grille design. IKEA consistently applies its corporate philosophy of “Quality and Design” onto its whole range of its products, services and shop interiors, thus giving every store an unmistakable IKEA feel.
Last, businesses must not be afraid of mistakes [VERY right!]. Most product innovation is a result of designers’ spirit of challenge and discovery, as well as the CEOs’ active encouragement and patience. Behind the success of Apple's iPod, one of the most iconic designs, is CEO Steve Jobs who encouraged and trusted the potential of his designers over what was surely a painstaking process of drafts and redesigns.
Thus far, we have examined the seven commandments of design innovation through examples set by design leaders. Good design can change the destiny of businesses. This is something that Korean companies need to realize. They need to think about how design can enhance their own viability.
Hmmm.. nice article i came across :) Author: Mr. S. Ha
Note: Using this article for reference
Design has a growing influence on every part of life. According to a survey conducted by the British Design Association, the share price of design-innovative companies stood at a level similar to those of the FTSE 100 firms in 1994. By 2007, however, share prices for top design oriented firms exceeded share prices for the FTSE by more than two times. Some have noted that the time when consumers looked at price and quality has ended, and that design is now the key to winning market share. Let's take an in-depth look at the seven prerequisites for design innovation.
First, design is work. In other words, manpower matters in design. The best way to improve design competitiveness is to secure the best design talent. Louis Vuitton, a manufacturer and retailer of luxury goods, scouted the globally-renowned designer Marc Jacobs. By doing so, Louis Vuitton succeeded in transforming its image from a somewhat old fashioned supplier of high priced luggage into a young and fashionable brand. One young designer can change the image of a company, and boost its earnings.
Second, you need to give more authority to the Chief Design Officer, or CDO. No matter how many talented designers you have, they will be no more than window dressing if they cannot make themselves heard. Innovative companies consider the CDO a high ranking position, and provide him or her with ample authority. Whirlpool, for example, integrated its designers from different brands and gave full authority for management to CDO Chuck Jones. Apple, the preeminent design oriented company, promised Jonathan Ive full authority on personnel issues involving design teams, clearing the way for him to create smash hits like the iPod and iPhone.
Third, monitoring is needed to check and assess design teams. If designers are too emotionally engaged in design work, they may produce impractical and unrealistic designs. To prevent this, smart designers always incorporate some non-design workers from other departments inside their teams. This ensures that they understand commercial requirements before they complete their work. IDEO, for example, assembles engineers, marketers, anthropologists, and psychologists together with design teams to review productivity, commercial viability and usability from multiple perspectives.
Fourth, successful designers will need the right rewards to motivate them. Since designers tend to think of their design as a work of art that expresses their personality, businesses need to create not only monetary rewards, but non-financial rewards like a designer signature system. The self-confidence of designers can be enhanced by putting their names on products and projects that they have designed.
Fifth, CEOs themselves need to try to cultivate their design sense and insight. To ensure the acquisition of talented designers, CEOs of innovative companies need to have their own design insight. Such CEOs include Ernesto Gismondi at Italian lighting firm Artemide and Alberto Alessi at Alessi. Such CEOs participate not only in the selection of designers, but also oversee the management of large design projects. To enhance businesses’ design capability, CEOs need to have more insight on design by experiencing design in all its variety, from product and service design to fine art.
Sixth, businesses need to establish their own design philosophy. Most of the world's premier product makers have designs that consumers can recognize from a mile away. Consumers can instantly distinguish BMW sedans from other vehicles thanks to BMW's trademark kidney grille design. IKEA consistently applies its corporate philosophy of “Quality and Design” onto its whole range of its products, services and shop interiors, thus giving every store an unmistakable IKEA feel.
Last, businesses must not be afraid of mistakes [VERY right!]. Most product innovation is a result of designers’ spirit of challenge and discovery, as well as the CEOs’ active encouragement and patience. Behind the success of Apple's iPod, one of the most iconic designs, is CEO Steve Jobs who encouraged and trusted the potential of his designers over what was surely a painstaking process of drafts and redesigns.
Thus far, we have examined the seven commandments of design innovation through examples set by design leaders. Good design can change the destiny of businesses. This is something that Korean companies need to realize. They need to think about how design can enhance their own viability.