Innovation by design: a programme to support SMEs.

Small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs)1 are generally clear on the need for innovation; however they are very often less clear on how innovation can be achieved. One possible reason for this may be because of a lack of a culture supportive of innovation within their business. Developing appropriate tools for SMEs to allow them to develop a sustainable innovation culture is a core activity for the Centre for Design & Innovation (http://www.c4di.org.uk). This paper describes how SMEs have been assisted through the application of design thinking to develop their own innovation cultures through a programme of workshops and one-to-one support. This paper strives to look beyond the rhetoric behind design thinking in order to critically evaluate the techniques and approaches that have proved to be of particular value when working with SMEs

Transformative design thinking: a human-centred model for innovation.

In recent years there have been a number of Innovation Centres established in the UK and associated funding calls to support the development of new ones, however there is no common theoretical framework, which underpins the methodology for their operation. Innovation Centres range from Business Parks clustering businesses from similar sectors, through to University Knowledge Exchange projects involving multidisciplinary teams of individuals working with companies from a particular sector or across all sectors, perhaps focused on cultural change. This paper describes a number of models for Innovation Centres some of which are based on principles derived from design thinking (Brown 2009) and others that are more focused on technology push (Martin 1994). Key government policies and subsequent public investment are relying on a number of assumptions that underpin the theoretical frameworks on which these Innovation Centres are based. Developing reliable methods based on a strong theoretical framework that questions existing assumptions has implications for ensuring that these investments are not wasted. This paper examines the use of user-centred design versus the more serendipitous process of invention and concludes that a process based on critical reflective reframing of problems through observational methods involving the identification of key stakeholders, may lead to sustainable transformational innovation. The paper concludes by proposing a theoretical framework and methods for supporting the establishment of a successful Innovation Centre, applying methodology designed to bring about transformational innovation

Innovation by design: using design thinking to support SMEs.

Small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are generally clear on the need for innovation; however they are very often less clear on how innovation can be brought about. One possible reason for this may be because of a lack of an innovation culture within their business. Global giants such as Google and Apple are companies with highly evolved innovation cultures that the average SME may have difficulty in relating to. Developing appropriate tools for SMEs to allow them to develop their own innovation cultures is a core activity for the Centre for Design & Innovation (c4di). This paper describes how SMEs have been assisted through the application of design thinking to develop their own innovation cultures through a programme of workshops and one to one support. This paper strives to look beyond the rhetoric behind design thinking to critically evaluate the techniques and approaches that have proved to be of particular value when working with companies

Designing creativity tools to support business innovation.

There are a wide range of approaches and organizations, which have the common aim of supporting SMEŸs to deliver new products and services. This paper examines the various approaches which have been taken and in particular describes the work of The Centre for Design & Innovation (http://www.c4di.org.uk), Aberdeen, which has been established to provide innovation support for small to medium sized companies in Scotland. The centre has adopted a user-centered approach that encourages companies to consider their core values, identify opportunities based on their customers needs and encourage new thinking based on a re-evaluation of the companyŸs innovation culture. This paper examines the philosophical basis for the development of the new centre and subsequent methodology that has been adopted. It also describes a number of resources that have been developed to help SMEŸs with their innovation processes. This is based on a user-centered, ethnographical strategy. Serious play is used to help companies shift their perspective which in turn leads to new insights. Recognition of the barriers to creative thinking enables companies to develop an innovation culture that promotes continuous innovation and development. Prototyping methods are described that help companies develop and evaluate concepts and encourage co-design and interdisciplinary working

ProjectSpace: linking design education with business.

Design graduates are increasingly called upon to work in cross-disciplinary ways in order to respond to the challenges of designing services and products. Working in multidisciplinary teams on live projects involving external organisations can help prepare students who learn how to work in collaborative teams, address specific needs of clients and assimilate feedback from a wide range of experts. Identifying suitable projects that reconcile with course learning outcomes, supervising student groups, and managing the relationship between all the stakeholders requires a sophisticated infrastructure. The potential benefits however, with regards to keeping courses relevant and maximising the employability of students, are considerable. The Centre for Design & Innovation (http://www.c4di.org.uk) has developed a web portal called ProjectSpace, a project brokering system. This is a unique facility that provides a mechanism for the University to engage with external partners, to manage groups of students and provides a shop window for what the University can offer (http://www. projectspace.org.uk). The system has recently been piloted with design students in Digital Media and Graphic Design from Grays School of Art, undertaking a project with Skills Development Scotland (SDS). ProjectSpace provides a mechanism for displaying project briefs, key deadlines, assigning both academics and students to projects and a confidential content management system allowing selected parties to view ongoing work. A wide range of issues has been highlighted by this project, including contractual arrangements, project supervision, fit with the curriculum and the management of expectations between stakeholders. This paper reports the outcomes of the SDS pilot project

Effective approaches for innovation support for SMEs.

Providing appropriate innovation support to small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) is an on-going challenge. Governments offer a range of initiatives from advice, to research and development grants; however, the underlying methodological frameworks for these interventions are often unclear. Universities have an increasing role to play in providing an understanding of the learning frameworks that surround innovation support and by providing design-led interventions that follow a design thinking approach. This paper considers the ways in which innovation knowledge can be transferred to SMEs based on a constructivist model of knowledge development. The development of Communities of Practice that support innovation making use of IT systems is also explored. Observations are made on the most effective ways of providing support for SMEs applying an experiential learning model, based on the authors experience of directing and working within the Centre for Design & Innovation (c4di) at the Robert Gordon University Aberdeen

c4di Project Evaluation Report.

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the work of the center for Design and Innovation, an ERDF and SEEKIT funded project established by the Robert Gordon University in October 2008. The project aimed to assist SMEs in Scotland to become more competitive, increase profits, and improve efficiency through the application of design thinking. This review sets out the aims and objectives of the original project, describes the methodological approach adopted by the project team and assesses the effectiveness and impact of the project. Key findings are summarised below. The methodological approach adopted by the project was based on design thinking, which was helpful in encouraging companies to adopt a shift in the way in which they perceived their customer’s needs. It was found that establishing a common purpose amongst stakeholders was an essential starting point and that using visual imagery and key words, as part of group activities was a useful method for establishing the core values that represented the company and could be used as criteria for making any subsequent decisions. Workshops using a play/game metaphor helped companies to overcome barriers to creative thinking. Short introductions to DT were found be useful to stimulate new ideas. The ‘Byte Size’ taster workshops were very popular, allowing large number of companies to become familiar with the concept of Service Design Thinking. One to two day workshops with individual companies focused on their own issues produced more significant impacts, the most important of which was in the companies approach to innovative thinking. This cultural shift is difficult to measure other than anecdotally but potentially has the most lasting impact making future innovations more likely. Many SMEs are unwilling to invest in innovation particularly during a recession. Business support agencies have been relatively slow to acknowledge the value of design as a driver of innovation despite the evident success of initiatives like the Design Council’s Designing Demand programme. One reason for this may be the lack of quantitative data to justify an appropriate return on investment and the uncertain time scale for seeing results. It may also be difficult to directly attribute improvements in innovation to a particular design intervention. The argument for the value of design as a driver for innovation has been clearly made and this is now embedded in SE and TSB and recognised as an important way forward. There is a tension between universities supporting this type of work as opposed to private companies undertaking it, or public sector business support organisations delivering this form of innovation support. Universities have a role to support knowledge exchange however they also have a responsibility to not undercut the market and thus prevent private companies delivering a viable and sustainable service. Organisations such as SE are not funded to support universities and therefore this again can make it difficult to fund the type of work undertaken by c4di. It is important that the intervention is well facilitated and the resources are of a high quality. Developing an experiential approach to working with companies is likely to have a lasting impact and is preferable to a one-off PowerPoint presentation no matter how eminent the presenter. The project recommendations are that: 1) Innovation support would be more valuable if extended over a period of time so that the company is revisited periodically; 2) Developing workshop resources that uses a play or game analogy and adopting a lo-fidelity prototyping approach makes it possible for people to engage more readily and innovate earlier; 3) Adopting a co-design approach involving key stakeholders is a very useful way of identifying opportunities for design improvement in both product and service delivery

Craft connexity: developing a sustainable model for future craft education.

Craft is an anachronism “ discuss ¦ Some twenty-five years ago, on applying for a place at a college of art to study ceramics, Julian was asked to write an essay on the above topic. Naturally he was keen to impress so he responded to the question by declaring his enthusiasm for the craft of the potter. As far as he can remember, he expounded on the importance of striving for standards of fitness and beauty derived from tradition, quoting Bernard Leach. All his essay did was confirm his lack of contemporary knowledge and his anachronistic view of what ceramics could be. In the intervening years, critics of the crafts might well have responded to the question in the following terms ¦ Todays craft represents an unsustainable model of practice. Craft workers survive on poverty wages and indulge in unsafe working practices “ often ecologically unsound, using potentially toxic materials and procedures, fundamentally inefficient, relying on extremely limited levels of output, unwilling to adopt new ways of working. Their designs are often lacking, using the excuse of a rustic aesthetic to justify poor levels of functionality. Modern craft workers are predominantly middle class individuals indulging in an expensive pastime producing vast amounts of unwanted objects dart ¦ This paper attempts to address the potentially damning criticism of contemporary craft expressed in the previous paragraph. If this criticism were correct it would be hard to justify continuing to educate new craft makers. The recent decline in single subject specialist craft courses in the UK may be explained if the perception of contemporary craft matches the criticism above. The paper defines craft connexity in terms of a networking of socially engaged contemporary craft practice. The concept of intelligent making is examined. It will propose new models of craft practice, operating through sustainable environmentally sensitive working methods and materials. The model describes craft makers who are aesthetically aware, IT literate, sometimes acting as social critics and capable of developing new design concepts. The paper sets out the essential ingredients for a modern craft curriculum, which includes research skills, sustainable design practice, collaborative design practice, critical awareness, IT skills and business management. The practice of craft has moved on since Julians first attempt to respond to the question of whether or not craft is an anachronism. It is now time to re-examine and challenge the value of craft education. The authors propose a more sustainable model of craft education and practice

Evaluating GraysNet: an online PDP tool for use in an art and design context.

Personal development planning (PDP) is a phrase that encompasses a number of activities including reflecting on learning, recording of achievement and career planning. Embedding these activities is a goal widely shared across HE, but strategies for achieving it vary widely. This paper provides an overview of some of these strategies including online web-based tools developed to facilitate the PDP process. The paper describes an ADC-LTSN funded research project which evaluated a PDP system embedded within a managed learning environment specifically developed to support teaching and learning in an art and design context. The evaluation has resulted in a reappraisal of the way in which PDP can be supported online and makes recommendations for future developments in this rapidly developing field

The post disciplinary digital practitioner.

As new models of digital practice emerge, new pedagogies are being developed which are adopting a transdisciplinary approach to learning. The paper examines the concept of transdisciplinarity drawing on a range of examples from the USA and Europe. There are a number of institutional barriers and constraints that challenge progress towards a new digital Bauhaus. The tension between acquiring haptic and digital skills is also an important consideration. The tension we refer to arises from the need for students to acquire an understanding of elements of form, colour and spatial awareness, skills which are acquired through making, whilst at the same time acquiring digital skills. Examples of digital practitioners who have embraced a transdisciplinary approach are highlighted