Sack the Economists, Hire a Designer

By Beverley Nielsen, edited by Catherine McGrathBirmingham Made Me Expo, 2013

IDEA Birmingham

1. Design and innovation are the key to economic recovery

2. To enable this recovery we must create an innovation eco-system

3. The Midlands is the place to make this happen.

The MidlandsA Creative and Productive Powerhouse

Midlands Design HubDesign driven growth

87% get competitive edge from innovation

71% have found a direct link between

profitability and design

60% have a dedicated design department

82% are increasing their investment in

innovation

73% have worked with higher education

institutions

94% quality of design that

generates demand£3-4bn is being invested in new product design

1,400 new products in 3

years

Maintaining Growth

96% think need to boost reputation for design and

innovation

86% think that design is the region’s unique

identifier

70% did not see themselves as part of a

design led cluster

70% want the Midlands to be part of their marketing

Birmingham needs to establish its design credentials

Recommendations1. Launch a design-led strategic marketing

campaign for Birmingham the gateway to the Midlands. At the heart of this should be the Birmingham Made Me Expo.

2. Create and Innovation and Design Leaders’ Network (IDLN)

3. Support new business formation, drawing on multi-disciplinary, collective learning activity.

Design – the 4 PsP – Paradigms of Value Creation:

Collaboration, Connectivity, Eco-systems/ideas, Cities as Hubs, Specialised and high value added/exclusivity, MSBsP – Place: Reputation, Pride, Identity, Architecture and Planning

Blending Place-based expertise and assets - heritageP – Propensity to Innovate: Curious Cultures, experimentation, CreditP – People or Talent: Passionate, entrepreneurial, R,D,A

The Essential Elements for a Design & Innovation Eco-System 2020 – Will Hutton

Knowledge, learning & skills

Global & local products, servicesand IP exploitation

User experienceDesign – as a ‘coping stone’

Place & infrastructureservices

Universities

BusinessPublic Sector

Users

‘All lock together to be understood’

Innovation Eco-System – Real and VirtualParadigm of Value Creation – ‘Exquisite Collisions in action’

Innovation Eco-System – Role for Universities

Cultural Resonance - Paradigm Shifts

Source: Understanding design driven innovation, Brookes, Little, Cassab, Geiger, 2011

Propensity to Innovate – design-driven innovation

Designers as ‘interpreters’

Propensity to Innovate

Source: Understanding design driven innovation, Brookes, Little, Cassab, Geiger, 2011

‘small-d’ design

‘BIG-D’ Design

Propensity to Innovate

Strategic Design Integration(1) Design ethos through Creative Culture underpins vision and value creation

(2) main objective is to transform user experience

(3) transform market behaviours through new needs, motivations and experiences

(4) resource allocation and knowledge competencies aimed having capacity and capability to deliver vision

(5) importance of working in an integrated team

(6) Management of the intangible

New Management Paradigm?

Radicals

Creatives

Output Proposals/Visions Answers/IdeasProcess Depth research Speed/Brainstorming

Dynamics Convergence DivergenceAssets Knowledge/Scholar Methodology/Neophyte

Quality Relationships ProcessesMetrics Robustness of

VisionNo. and variety of ideas

Vision of Society Strong Culturally neutralAttitude toParadigms

Challenging the dominant

Play with the existing

Source : Verganti 2010

People – ‘Exquisite Generalists’ or T-shaped people – Radicals too!

Next Steps

1) Policy report on Birmingham - The Original Design City for Party Conference Season

2) Pod exhibits for London, Birmingham and other venues internationally

3) Developing collaborative projects and Innovation Design Leaders Network – innovation eco-system