Abstract
This study examines the three-year outcomes of Taiwan’s Industrial Design-Driven Innovation (IDDI) program, a government initiative aimed at elevating enterprise design maturity and fostering cross- sectoral innovation. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes quantitative data from over 88 subsidized enterprises and qualitative insights from in-depth interviews. Results indicate significant improvements in design investment, output growth, brand establishment, international awards, and patent applications, particularly among SMEs and startups. The program’s strategy— integrating research, talent, policy, and funding with multilevel cross-disciplinary collaboration—has accelerated industrial transformation and enhanced innovation capacity. The findings highlight the effectiveness of design-driven policy in advancing sustainable, globally competitive industrial ecosystems.
Keywords
Industrial design-driven innovation; Industrial policy; Cross-disciplinary collaboration
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.634
Citation
Chu, P., Lin, S., Li, C., Hsiao, Y.C., Lai, Y.T.,and Wu, Y.H.(2025) Design as a Strategic Catalyst: The Role and Outcomes of the IDDI Initiative in Advancing Innovation within Taiwan's Industrial Sector, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.634
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 6 - Co-creation
Design as a Strategic Catalyst: The Role and Outcomes of the IDDI Initiative in Advancing Innovation within Taiwan's Industrial Sector
This study examines the three-year outcomes of Taiwan’s Industrial Design-Driven Innovation (IDDI) program, a government initiative aimed at elevating enterprise design maturity and fostering cross- sectoral innovation. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes quantitative data from over 88 subsidized enterprises and qualitative insights from in-depth interviews. Results indicate significant improvements in design investment, output growth, brand establishment, international awards, and patent applications, particularly among SMEs and startups. The program’s strategy— integrating research, talent, policy, and funding with multilevel cross-disciplinary collaboration—has accelerated industrial transformation and enhanced innovation capacity. The findings highlight the effectiveness of design-driven policy in advancing sustainable, globally competitive industrial ecosystems.