Design as a Driver of User-centred Innovation
June 16, 2009 | Levent OZLER
The Commission Staff Working Document on "Design as a driver of user-centred innovation" analyses the contribution of design to innovation and competitiveness.
The results are compelling: companies that invest in design tend to be more innovative, more profitable and grow faster than those who do not.
At a macro-economic level, there is a strong positive correlation between the use of design and national competitiveness.
Although often associated with aesthetics and the "looks" of products only, the application of design is in reality much broader.
User needs, aspirations and abilities are the starting point and focus of design activities.
With a potential to integrate for example environmental, safety and accessibility considerations - in addition to economic - into products, services and systems, design is an area which deserves public attention.
Design as a driver and enabler of innovation complements more traditional innovation activities such as research.
In the current economic climate, where resources for innovation are scarce, design and other non-technological innovation drivers, such as organisational development, employee-involvement and branding, become particularly relevant.
They often are less capital intensive and have shorter pay-back periods than for example technological research, but still have the potential to drive competitiveness.
more: ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/files/ (178)
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