Abstract
Manzini pointed out that “traditionally, ideas follow organizations; in the future, organizations follow ideas.” In a highly competing business environment, a company’s innovation capability defines its sustainability and good new product ideas are a key ingredient to company success. Industrial design deals mainly with new product development, in which innovation ideas are central. Designers view themselves as idea creators. But, why should future organizations follow the ideas proposed by designers? If designers’ ideas are to be followed by organizations, then a different design process thinking that can redefine company goals or suggest different business strategies is necessary. As a response, a business centered design process model is proposed, which consists of five steps: (1) Identifying new product ideas with attractive design potential from a user’s viewpoint, (2) Selecting appropriate company goals as design goals from a business perspective, (3) Defining new product concepts to reach the desired goals from a customer’s standpoint, (4) Specifying key design elements for less development efforts from a producer’s prospect, and (5) Translating design elements into physical entities or products. For verification, a product design workshop class taught by the author was employed. From students’ works, it can be asserted that the new procedure can be feasible and effective in developing new products that can meet market satisfaction and redefine business approaches. For illustration, a redesign work done by a student is demonstrated as an example. For further verification, theoretical analyses are conducted, resulting in supportive conclusions.
Citation
Luh, D. (2002) A product design process model that can redefine business strategies, in Durling, D. and Shackleton, J. (eds.), Common Ground - DRS International Conference 2002, 5-7 September, London, United Kingdom. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2002/researchpapers/53
A product design process model that can redefine business strategies
Manzini pointed out that “traditionally, ideas follow organizations; in the future, organizations follow ideas.” In a highly competing business environment, a company’s innovation capability defines its sustainability and good new product ideas are a key ingredient to company success. Industrial design deals mainly with new product development, in which innovation ideas are central. Designers view themselves as idea creators. But, why should future organizations follow the ideas proposed by designers? If designers’ ideas are to be followed by organizations, then a different design process thinking that can redefine company goals or suggest different business strategies is necessary. As a response, a business centered design process model is proposed, which consists of five steps: (1) Identifying new product ideas with attractive design potential from a user’s viewpoint, (2) Selecting appropriate company goals as design goals from a business perspective, (3) Defining new product concepts to reach the desired goals from a customer’s standpoint, (4) Specifying key design elements for less development efforts from a producer’s prospect, and (5) Translating design elements into physical entities or products. For verification, a product design workshop class taught by the author was employed. From students’ works, it can be asserted that the new procedure can be feasible and effective in developing new products that can meet market satisfaction and redefine business approaches. For illustration, a redesign work done by a student is demonstrated as an example. For further verification, theoretical analyses are conducted, resulting in supportive conclusions.