In 2011 Bruce Nussbaum, a passionate advocate of creativity, design, and innovation in business, moved on from the concept of "design thinking" to a new conceptual framework called "creative intelligence/creative quotient" (CI/CQ), the ability to frame problems in new ways to make original solutions. Design thinking, according to Nussbaum, was limited by being "turned into a linear, gated, by-the-book methodology that delivered, at best, incremental change and innovation" (though he does acknowledge the leaps made by design thinking in relation to design per se, and to systems and society—humanistic design and social innovation, for example). As a "process trick," design thinking may have "under-delivered in efficiency-led business agendas" for innovation and change.
 
A more recent post in Forbes Online by Adam Swan bids us "welcome to the era of design," and invites chief marketing officers to see design not just as a "marketing thing," but as a "genuine source of competitive advantage, customer and employee satisfaction, and a route to higher profits."
 
This poses a question: Are we perhaps leaving the era of design thinking and (re)entering the era of design? Can we (re)assimilate the social and economic power of design—in effect, go back to where it all started—or can we take design in a new direction? Here are some thoughts on the changing world we live in and the opportunities for design therein.

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Design/Management Thinking 24 Conference
BALANCING EXTREMES: The tensions in design
June 19-20, 2012, Portland, Oregon, USA
Gerding Theatre at the Armory
 
Co-chairs:
Casey Lehner, Global Design Operations Director, NIKE
David Thorpe, Creative Director, INDUSTRY
Josh Levine, Director of Strategy, Great Monday
 
The need to remain agile and embrace today's tensions helps design solve for ever-increasing complexity in an ever-accelerating world. Don't miss this chance to help redefine design leadership, thinking, and strategy! Join an inspiring lineup of presenters who will share their experiences, challenges, and solutions in leading people, products and processes at BALANCING EXTREMES.

PRESENTERS:
David Aycan, Design Director & Business Design Discipline Lead, IDEO
Tom Lakovic, Founding Partner, Industry
Robin Lanahan, Sr. Principal Brand Strategist, Startup Business Group, Microsoft
Alice Quan, Sr. Director, Product Development + Merchandise Innovation, walmart.com
Ravi Sawhney, CEO, RKS Design
Dave Gallon, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Toyota
Joseph O'Sullivan, Director of the Design Innovation Group, Intuit
John Hoke, Global VP of Design, NIKE
Angela Snow, Global Director of Creative Operations, NIKE
Erik Kiaer, Associate Partner, Doblin
Wibke Fleisher, Director of Insights & Strategy, Smart Design
Leendert Tange, Partner and Co-founder, Storeage
Karen Hofmann, Chair, Product Design, Art Center College of Design
John Barratt, CEO, Teague
Tad Toulis, Creative Director, Teague
Gary Hirsch, Co-founder, On Your Feet
Lee Green, VP, IBM Brand and Values Experience, IBM
Jeff Rutchik, SVP Client Services Worldwide/GM, George P. Johnson
Kelly Goto, Principal, gotomedia, LLC
Robert Hastings, FAIA, Agency Architect, TriMet
Kevin Spier, VP, Director of Sales, Bunchball
Guthrie Dolin, VP, Director of Strategy, Odopod
Amanda Matusak, Lead Strategist, Deskey
Chris Rowland, Client Ambassador, Deskey
Matthew Baughan, Creative Director, Deskey
Craig Motlong, Lead Copywriter, Deskey
Peter Ruppe, CEO, Winforever
Naomi Pomeroy, Owner & Chef, Beast
Adam Dole, Business Planning Manager, Mayo Clinic
Tim Scanlon, Senior User Experience Design Manager, Autodesk
Claire Gerhardt, Industrial Designer: XBOX360, IEB Design, Microsoft

Don't miss your chance to be part of today's most forward-looking and dynamic design leadership event. Join us in Portland, June 19-20!
 
More information
Register now!
 
 
   

Organized by DMI – The Design Management Institute
Hosted by MassArt – Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

 
The call for papers for DMI's 2012 Research Conference has produced a tremendous response, with more than 180 abstracts received, the most ever for a DMI academic conference. The goal of the conference is to create an inclusive conversation among academics from a variety of disciplines including business and design management to examine the ways in which design thinking can inform innovation currently and in the future. We aim to lay the groundwork to build a scholarly community, advance the state of the art in design management research, theory, and practice, and produce a significant contribution to the field through the paper presentations, conference proceedings, and producing a special issue of the Design Management Journal. Registration is now open for this major international academic event!
 
Co-chairs:
Erik Bohemia, Reader in Three Dimensional Design Studies, School of Design, Northumbria University
Jeanne Liedtka, Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia - Darden Business School
Alison Rieple, Professor of Strategic Management, Westminster Business School
 
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Save the Date:
DMI Design/Management Annual 37
October 24-25, 2012
Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York City

CO-CHAIRS:
Pamela DeCesare, EVP Design Management, Sterling Brands
James DeVries, Creative Director, Harvard Business Review Group
David Kuehler, Portfolio Director, Innovation Capability, Procter & Gamble

 
Last year, DMI's annual fall conference was the most successful in its 36-year history. 210 high level professionals, executives, consultants, and educators immersed themselves in two days of fast-paced learning, interaction, and networking. Evaluations from participants were highly enthusiastic: "Great content!" "A very rich learning experience." "I thought the speakers, topics, train of thoughts, were incredible." Stay tuned to dmi.org for updates on the theme and speaker announcements. Don't miss this year's premier design/management/leadership event!
 
   

DMI Member Discount on Philadelphia University Strategic Design Executive MBA
 
Philadelphia University recently introduced a new Strategic Design Executive MBA which combines the analytical intelligence of business with the creative intelligence of design. DMI is pleased to announce that all DMI members are entitled to a 30% discount on tuition for the program.
 
The program consists of ten classes over 16 months. Each of the ten classes (in a low residency model for extended long weekends four days on, two weeks off, four days on) operates in a studio/lab format. The program is currently enrolling students for the fall of 2012. For more information on obtaining the discount, please contact Natalie W. Nixon, Associate Professor & Director.
 
 

Webinar:
 
Simple is Smart
Alan Siegel, Founder and Chairman, Siegel + Gale
May 16, 1PM ET
 
We have all confronted complexity in our personal and professional lives. Alan Siegel will present a series of groundbreaking projects—many led by designers—where simplicity and clarity have enabled corporations, not-for-profits and governments to distinguish themselves, motivate their employees, and realize their strategic objectives.
 
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Design Process Change Improves Brand Experience?
Mathieu Turpault, Partner and Director of Design, Bresslergroup
Rob Tannen, Director of Interaction Design, Bresslergroup
June 13, 1PM ET
 
From multitouch phones to gestural interface gaming syystems and radio transmitters embedded in everything from passports to pets, the connections between people and technology are becoming stronger. Using case studies and best practices, Mathieu and Rob will share cases for integrated design and its impact on product branding and information on emergent technologies, effective testing of multisensory interaction, and how to modify your NPD processes and phase deliverables to fully integrate digital and physical interface elements. Presentation is geared toward senior product and interaction designers and design directors.
 
More information
 
Interested in presenting a webinar? Contact DMI for info.
 
 

Seminars:
 
Marketing Design Services
Cameron Foote, Founder and Editor, Creative Business
June 8, 2012, Chicago, USA
 
"Great seminar. Cameron’s presentation was worth every penny. Would recommend his class to my colleagues."
—James Best, Principal, Pensa
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Building Great Internal Design Organizations
Thomas Lockwood, PhD, Founding Partner, Lockwood Resource
September 13-14, 2012, USA
 
"Excellent packaging of all the relevant elements of design management that experienced design managers are looking for."
—John L. Guenther, LWS Industrial Design Competency Manager, Hewlett-Packard
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Design Research and the Customer-Driven Strategy
Darrel Rhea, Founder & CEO, Rhea Insight
September 20-21, 2012, Seattle, USA
 
"This is the single most valuable, relevant, timely and enabling seminar that I have ever attended. In just two days, we learned tools and methods that will be immediately usable in my job."
—Jeff Lopes, UX Director, Autodesk, Inc.
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Improving Design Decision Making and Concept Evaluation
Jeremy Alexis, Assistant Dean and Professor, IIT Institute of Design
October 11-12, 2012, Chicago, USA
 
"The emphasis on core principles made this seminar incredibly useful. It fed my understanding and set me up for informed and effective action."
—Philip Hartley, Senior Design Strategist, Smart Design
More information
 
 

Let's Look Where We're Going
Marko Ahtisaari, Executive Vice President, Design, Nokia

Presented at the recent "Collective Design" conference in Helsinki, April 25-26. Additional video from the conference will be posted for DMI member-only access on a rolling basis over the next few weeks.
 

 
In April 2011, Nokia signed a partnership agreement with Microsoft that marked an important milestone for both companies. Two historically tech-led businesses were coming together at a time when both were placing new emphasis on design. The union married Nokia hardware to Microsoft software, the first fruits of that alliance appearing just six months later with the launch of the Nokia Lumia 800. After the first year of working together, the two design studios have learned a lot about each other and continue to search for the sweet spots where physical and digital can combine in a single, seamless experience.
 
View the video
 

High Wire Act: Building Brand Value During an M&A Transition

By Scott Lucas, Dyfed "Fred" Richards, Mike Taylor, Jean Campbell, and Rhonda Hiatt
DMI Review, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2012
 
When brands merge or are acquired, a collaborative approach to rebranding encourages teamwork and leverages knowledge and experience.
 
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