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Home > DMI Publications > DMI News > Past eBulletins > August 2009

August 2009 eBulletin

The Cultures of Design

By Steve Portigal, Founder, Portigal Consulting

In our engagements with different organizations we see a large range of cultures-of-design. I use that term to capture the aspect of an organization’s culture that drives how they determine what to make for their customers. I’ll outline a few prominent archetypes (of course there are more), and while they may teeter dangerously close to caricature, in their extremity they can be illustrative of the complex nature of culture.

1. The Squeaky Wheel – A key individual has a great deal of influence over the both big picture and the details, and ensures—often through force of personality—that their wishes are addressed.

2. The Cult of Personality – A key individual has articulated a vision, and ensures—often through force of personality—that people buy into and execute that vision.

Whether or not The Cult of Personality is the same as the Squeaky Wheel depends on perspective: Does their vision align with yours? Have they been successful? Do you have to work directly with them?

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Design, Complexity, and Change

DMI Design/Management Annual 34 Conference
October 18-20, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Register by August 15 and save!

Today, there are thought leaders and practitioners who are demonstrating the way forward. They’re using design to solve the new challenges of profitability, sustainability and well-being. This conference will highlight their stories, and draw out lessons for how design can help us to reframe, rethink and reinvent our future.

Newly added to Annual 34:

Rules of Thumb
Alan Webber, Author, Rules of Thumb; Founder, Fast Company
Creative Leadership
John Maeda, President, RISD
Renewed Journey for Growth: Innovation in a Reset World
Beth Comstock, Chief Marketing Officer, SVP, GE
Live Futures
Selena Griffith, Lecturer, University of New South Wales (Australia)
Kate Aronowitz, Director of Design, Facebook
Joe Ferry, Head of Design, Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.

Participate in engaging receptions and an interactive breakout series with high-level design leaders. Located at the Marriott Cambridge and MIT campus, with immediate access to downtown Boston, Design, Complexity, and Change is keeping one eye on the big picture, and the other on practical tactics for today’s business challenges.


More information

Paper proposals due by August 31

DESIGN KOREA - International Conference on Best of Class: Balance of Theory and Practice in Design Management
Organized by KIDP and DMI
December 3-4, Incheon, Korea

DESIGN KOREA 2009 International Conference will be an opportunity to encounter a new philosophy of design, to expand networks in the creative industry, and exchange information among colleagues from around the globe. The second day will be co-organized with DMI, with presentations from selected papers. The deadline for abstract submissions is August 31.

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“Get Connected” New Member Networking Night

Thursday, August 27, 5-7 pm
Hosted by Wallace Church, Inc., New York City

In this era of emails and social media, are we losing the true social connections that make working with the design management industry so vital? Make time to connect face-to-face with your peers, industry thinkers and future collaborators in an informal, open discussion.

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Re-Thinking … Design video now available for members

Video from June’s highly rated Re-Thinking … Design conference is now available for all DMI members, as well as conference attendees. DMI members now have access to complete conference video for the last nine conferences, sponsored by Microsoft.

Coming soon, nonmembers will be able to purchase DMI conference video.
 

Member of the month

“DMI provides access to valuable information from leaders in design from diverse fields, backgrounds and geographies. I have benefited from the seminars, and the Annual Conference is always outstanding! If I am facing a challenge or need to learn about best practices, I just look for Review articles, both past and present.”
—Carole Bilson, Vice President, Global Design & Usability, Pitney Bowes Inc.

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Webinar: Design Lessons Learned

John Barrett, President & CEO, Teague
September 2, 1 pm EDT

Learn how to design with the times, how to sell without selling out, how to give without giving up, and how to stay on top once you’ve hit rock bottom.

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New seminar
Service Design: Key Methods and Strategies

September 16-17, London
Oliver King, Founder & Director, Engine (UK)

Gain practical methods and strategies to deliver great service experiences. Learn how to develop customer-facing propositions, and understand how to ensure a great service performance.

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Seminar: Integrating Design, Technology and Business for Rapid, People-driven Innovation

Jonathan Dalton, Director, Philips Design; Trent Kahute, Research Consultant, Philips Design
September 17-18, Atlanta, USA

For product developers, design managers, leaders of innovation initiatives, marketing executives, and people involved with market research who want to expand their methodology and toolkits for understanding the crucial role of design and experience strategy.

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Seminar: Learning to Lead: Nurturing Your Innate Leadership Skills

Maureen Thurston, Design Leverage Consultant, Second Road, Pty. Ltd. (Australia)
September 21-22, 2009, Boston, USA

“This seminar increased my awareness of ‘non-designer’ roles and points of view. Understanding this will enable me to design paths around those barriers.” —Steven Pulskamp, Sr. Project Designer, Crown Equipment Corporation

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Seminar: Design Research for Product and Service Innovation

Darrel Rhea, CEO, Cheskin Added Value
September 29-30, Chicago, USA

Darrel Rhea presents a framework you can apply immediately to add more value to your company and customers. I highly recommend it.” —Jeff Herman, Senior Director, ebay

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Creating Smart Designing Questions

By Richard Kielbon, Envision Design, and Gerald Nadler, Center for Breakthrough Thinking
DMI Review, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2008

What did the authors discover when they studied designers who are truly outstanding? They practice their art of designing differently than the way it is traditionally taught and practiced in their domain.

View complete article

Look forward to the redesigned, re-launched DMI Review this summer!
 

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