Your questions answered

Bettina von Stamm answers some frequently asked questions about design and innovation

Why should I think about design in the context of innovation?

Innovation requires: taking risk, exploration and experimentation, focus on customer needs (latent and explicit). These are all things that designers are trained to be good at; designers can also help communicate novel and complicated concepts to customers in easily accessible ways.

Why would I want to involve designers on innovative projects?

Designers tend to have a questioning mind. In order to innovate, it is necessary to challenge assumptions and not be restricted by the status quo. In addition, good designers have a strong customer focus. However, it is important to make the designer an integral part of the team rather than bringing him or her in towards the end to do some superficial styling.

Is design relevant to my particular industry?

Innovation is the key to success in every industry, and as design is an important instrument in the delivery of innovation, it means that design too is important and relevant to every industry. However, which particular type of design might be most relevant will vary from industry to industry. For example, any tangible product could benefit from involving an industrial designer. For fast-moving consumer goods, graphic design and packaging design might be most relevant. Again, it is important that the designer is involved from the outset, not as a 'stylist' at the end of the project. Interestingly, the fact that companies have started to involve packaging designers early on in the project has led to a new field of structural packaging.

We are a service company, why should I bother with design?

There is great scope for using designers in the service industry. This starts with the design of information, to the design of the environment where the service is offered and sold. Ease of use and accessibility can be key differentiating criteria in a purchasing decision, eg the ease with which a form can be filled in. Again, the question is not whether or not to use design, but what kind of designer to use.

How do I justify the costs associated with involving designers?

Research has shown that companies that use design outperform those that don't, and that projects that have drawn on the expertise of designers show a better and quicker return on investment than those that have not.

Should designers be in-house or brought in from the outside?

Both scenarios have their advantages and disadvantages and it will depend on the company's specific circumstances and requirements. The important thing is to ensure that the designer understands the requirements, the existing capabilities and the ambition of the organisation, and that he or she is an integral part of the team rather than an add-on.