In today’s fast-paced global markets, innovation is essential to corporate success. In addition to perfecting routine activities, then, organizations also have to pursue change and new ideas. Contributors highlight designers as vital players in the team effort to translate creative thinking into effective business strategies. They maintain that innovation can be managed and use case studies to showcase companies that have established an innovation culture. They discuss the infrastructure and research that support innovation, review mechanisms to legally protect innovation, and outline programs to nurture innovation in small businesses.

Articles

Managing Innovation for Long-Term Value
Thomas Walton

Innovation--What’s Design Got to Do with It? 
Bettina von Stamm

Mixing It Up: Maytag and Fitch Innovate Kitchen Products and Best Practices
Nita Rollins

B&O Goes to the Head of the Class
James Cockerille

Understanding Why Your New Design Ideas Get Blocked
Alison Rieple

Why These Ideas Work, But Seem Weird
Robert Sutton

Understanding Digital Futures
Anton Andrews Marco Bevolo

Creating Modular Platforms for Strategic Flexibility
Ron Sanchez

Breaking Down the Barriers to Packaging Innovation
Scott Young

Design Experience: Transforming Fragile Ideas into Innovative Products
Bruce Wood, Director, Geraldo Pougy, and Gisele Raulik

Managing Design for Market Advantage: Protecting Both Form and Function of Innovation
Joshua Cohen