How do you make the activity of banking a more personal, service-oriented experience? According to Frank Stipes, Chairman and CEO of Westernbank of Puerto Rico, “Banking encompasses three basic elements: product, people, and place. Products tend to be the same wherever you bank. What sets a bank apart from its competition is the quality of its people and the branch environment.”

With this in mind, Westernbank hired Bachman Design of Dublin, Ohio to create a high profile, state-of-the-art banking facility in historic Old San Juan. The goal was to bring the teller “out from behind the counter” to interact with customers in a more retail-like setting. Mr. Stipes wished to create a customer experience that is up close and personal.

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Article submissions are welcome; please contact jtobin@dmi.org.

INNOVATION/05
The 9th European International Design Management Conference
March 9-11, 2005
London, UK

What will be the role of design in the Innovation Economy? Does design have an opportunity to transform its role in our economic future? What role will design play in fostering responsible innovation? How will the infusion of design thinking into the innovation process facilitate bringing new technologies to market effectively, bringing significant improvements to the quality of our lives? Are design professionals prepared to meet these coming challenges? Are design educators building programs to provide leadership for these imperatives? Understanding and answering these questions is a formidable challenge. They will be addressed through extended, in-depth keynote sessions, lectures, and case studies.

Braun Futures Forum
A forum on design innovation introduced by Sir Christopher Frayling, Rector of the Royal College of Art, and chaired by Jeremy Myerson, Director, Innovation RCA. Forum members include:

Sir Terence Conran, Chairman, Conran Holdings
Dieter Rams, Emeritus Director of Braun AG
Earl Powell, President, Design Management Institute
Peter Schneider, Director of Braun Design

Conference Associates

Participation in INNOVATION/05 will be limited to one hundred and fifteen. Registering as soon as possible is strongly recommended as this conference is expected to sell out. Please visit the DMI Web site for the latest information about this important international event.

The Innovation Imperative in Consumer Goods
The 17th International Brand/Design Conference
June 5-7, 2005
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Today, shoppers not only have greater choices in the consumer goods marketplace, they have the tools and the means to reward or discredit new product introductions and innovation. Furthermore, one department or discipline can no longer create and maintain complete control of consumer goods brands. There is a paradigm shift underway demanding a move from the dictation of brand attributes from one source to a much broader and deeper collaboration in their creation. A new dialogue is emerging to meet the current innovation imperative in the space of consumer needs, purchases, retail strategies, and experiences. Design, Product Development, and Marketing are the primary parties in this new dialogue, and new approaches to research and strategy are revealing paths to innovation and success. This conference, in the city where brand management was created, will bring together thought leaders and leading practitioners to explore and discuss these issues.

Registration is now open for this popular conference. Please visit the DMI Web site in the coming weeks for more information about the program.

A New DMI Seminar

DMI continues to significantly expand the seminar program in 2005 with the introduction of another new seminar, Integrating Design into Strategic Management Processes. Three other new seminars have already been announced, Managing Creative Staff, Design Research Fundamentals, and Building Innovation Scenarios and Simulations.

A number of leading design firms and corporate design departments today are taking more active roles as partners and key resources in the strategic management processes of important organizations. Increasingly, organizations are looking to design professionals for help in integrating design into their strategic management processes. This is leading to an expanding role for design professionals, and to new business development and growth opportunities. To take advantage of the opportunities this creates, design professionals—both consultants and in-house—must deepen their understanding of contemporary strategic management's concerns, objectives, decision criteria, and processes. This seminar is designed to introduce design professionals to strategic management processes and to explain how to integrate design thinking, processes, and strategies into the formulation and implementation of business strategies.

What you will learn:

• The fundamental concerns and objectives of strategic managers at the business unit, corporate, and global strategy levels
• The essential elements of a business strategy, and how design can contribute to the definition and realization of this strategy
• How to help firms improve market positioning, segmentation, and selection of new market opportunities
• How to define, develop, and communicate all eight dimensions of a product offer
• Understanding which market-facing activities can maximize perceived customer value
• How to implement business strategies more effectively through resource identification and organization design
• The key role that design coordination can play can play in the “search for synergy” that is the essence of corporate strategic management, including improving economies of scope and learning, leveraging brands and market positions more effectively, and evaluating opportunities for value-adding vertical and horizontal integration
• The inputs that designers can provide in the localization versus globalization decisions that are the essence of global strategy

Who should attend:

This two-day seminar is intended for design professionals who want to become more active partners in helping firms develop and grow through their expanded participation in strategic management processes. This seminar does not presume prior strategic management experience or involvement, but rather covers concisely the essential aspects of strategic management today and the specific ways in which design professionals can expand their involvement into firms’ strategic management processes. More information.

Upcoming Seminars:

The New Marketing: Understanding It, Working with It
Taught by Bruce Clark, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, Northeastern University
March 3-4, 2005, Boston, USA

“This seminar provided a clear understanding of the partnership that must exist between the marketing discipline and the design discipline. A must seminar for all organizations who truly believe that design impacts their bottom line.”
—Dan Dittmar, Global Brand Design Manager, BIC Corporation

Marketing Graphic Design Services
Taught by Cameron Foote, Principal, Creative Business
March 4-5, 2005, Los Angeles, USA

“What a great session. Cameron’s years of experience and perspective combined with the give and take of all the attendees made this one the most worthwhile seminars I’ve ever attended.”
—Andy Cleff, Founder and Principal, Ampersand Design

Managing Design for Strategic Advantage
Taught by Peter L. Phillips, Design Strategy Consultant
March 17-18, 2005, New York, USA
June 16-17, 2005, Chicago, USA

“For the first time, a design seminar has given me tangible tools that make sense for me to go back to my job and start implementing immediately.”
—Jill Hunt, Sr. Industrial Designer, Medela Inc.

Design Research for Product and Brand Innovation
Taught by Darrel Rhea, CEO, Cheskin
March 17-18, 2005, San Francisco, USA
May 19-20, 2005, New York, USA

“The seminar is great for anyone who wants to become a better designer, design manager, or design researcher. Good information expertly presented.”
—Roz Pierson, Ph.D., Consultant, Pierson Freelance Research Consulting

Creating the Perfect Design Brief
Taught by Peter L. Phillips, Design Strategy Consultant
April 14-15, 2005, Chicago, USA
May 12-13, 2005, Montréal, Canada

“Such a well thought-through formula. This seminar has provided a valuable tool for clear, trackable communication between designers and stakeholders.”
—Polly Greathouse, Sr. Creative Designer, Rand McNally

Design Research Fundamentals (New for 2005)
Taught by Darrel Rhea, CEO, Cheskin
April 14-15, 2005, San Francisco, USA

Building Innovation Scenarios and Simulations (New for 2005)
Taught by Michael Eckersley, Ph.D., Managing Principal, HumanCentered
April 28-29, 2005, Cincinnati, USA

Managing Creative Staff (New for 2005)
Taught by Leonard Glick, Ph.D., Executive Professor, College of Business Administration, Northeastern University
May 5-6, 2005, Boston, USA

Strategies for Designing Meaningful Brand Experiences
Taught by Dave Norton, Ph.D., Vice President, Experience Strategy and Research, Yamamoto Moss
May 5-6, 2005, Chicago, USA

“Dave is great, he knows what he is taking about. Great content and tools that I hope to apply in my future projects.”
—Laura Baez, Brand Manager, Ernst & Young

Managing Strategic Creativity and Innovation
Taught by Alison Rieple, Professor of Strategic Management, University of Westminster—Harrow Business School
July 11-12, 2005, London, UK

“This seminar offered excellent value to my career, and should help improve my role within the organization.”
—Nicholas Tatt, Design Manager, Durlacher Ltd.

For complete information and the latest schedule, visit www.dmi.org/seminars.

Free Download of the Month
Proving the Practical Power of Design
By Harry Rich, Deputy Chief Executive, Design Council
Design Management Review, Fall 2004, Vol. 15, No. 4

Using anecdotal evidence, designers have long believed their expertise makes a positive contribution to corporate performance. Now research commissioned by the London-based Design Council provides more compelling proof of the link between design and shareholder return. Harry Rich summarizes how, over the past 10 years, share prices of UK companies that use design effectively have dramatically outperformed the rest of the market.

This free download has expired. Click here to read the executive summary for this article and the opportunity to purchase the article for direct download.

DMI members can download all DMI Review articles for free on the DMI Web site. Visit www.dmi.org/membership for more information.

 

Calendar of Events

IDEA 2005
Deadline: February 11, 2005
Info: www.idsa.org.

(Im)permanence: Cultures In/Out of Time
Call for Papers Deadline: February 16, 2005, Pittsburgh, USA
The conference will be held in October 2005.
Info: cgillott@andrew.cmu.edu

Creative Waves—International Online Student Design Project
Call for Applications Deadline: February 20, 2005
Info: www.omnium.edu.au/go/creativewaves

365: AIGA Annual Design Exhibition 25
Through February 25, 2005, New York City, USA
Info: www.aiga.org.

DESIGN does not equal ART
Through February 27, 2005, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York City, USA
Info: ndm.si.edu.

ERA 05: World Design Congress—The Changing Role and Challenges of Design
Abstract Deadline: March 1, 2005, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Malmo, Oslo
Info: www.era05.com

InSource Presents: A Seat at the Table—Articulating Design’s Strategic Value to Management
March 2, 2005, Madison, New Jersey, USA
Info: www.in-source.org

Schools of Thoughts 2: Poised Toward the Future of Graphic Design Education/AIGA Design Educators Conference
March 4-6, 2005, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, Calif., USA
Info: www.aiga.org/content.cfm/schoolsofthoughts

Doors of Perception 8: “Infra”—Platforms for Social Innovation
March 21-26, 2005, New Delhi, India
Info: doors8delhi.doorsofperception.com

International Symposium on Fashion Marketing and Management Research
Abstract Deadline, March 31, 2005, London College of Fashion
Event: June 27, 2005. Info: Dr. Philippa Ashton, p.ashton@fashion.arts.ac.uk

ICSID Interdesign: Sustainable Transport
April 3-16, 2005, Northwest Province, South Africa
Info: www.interdesign2005.org.za.

The Design & Technology Festival
April 9-11, 2005, Toronto, Canada
Info: www.fitc.ca

Graphic Communications Day—New England
April 21, 2005, Boston, USA
Info: http://www.pine.org

2005 APDF Exchange
May 12-15, 2005, Austin, Texas, USA
Info: www.apdf.org

Innotown: 5th Annual International Innovation Conference
May 23-25, Ålesund, Norway
Info: www.innotown.com

2004 SEGD Annual Conference & Expo
June 2-5, 2004, Philadelphia, PA
Info: www.segd.org

Call For Papers, Special Issue of the Journal of Product Innovation Management: “Branding and New Product Development”
Deadline: August 31, 2005
Info: Prof. Erik Jan Hultink, Delft University of Technology, tel.: +31-15-2783068, e.j.hultink@io.tudelft.nl.