Design as a driver of user-centred innovation
The Commission staff working document on Design as a driver of user-centred innovation provides an analysis of the rationale for making design an integral part of European innovation policy. The questions below are based on the document. Their aim is to find out whether more should be done at EU level in the area of design and if so, what.
The Commission Staff Working Document on ‘Design as a driver of user-centred innovation’ analyses the contribution of design to innovation and competitiveness. The results are compelling: companies that invest in design tend to be more innovative, more profitable and grow faster than those who do not. At a macro-economic level, there is a strong positive correlation between the use of design and national competitiveness. Although often associated with aesthetics and the ‘looks’ of products only, the application of design is in reality much broader. User needs, aspirations and abilities are the starting point and focus of design activities. With a potential to integrate for example environmental, safety and accessibility considerations — in addition to economic — into products, services and systems, design is an area which deserves public attention. Design as a driver and enabler of innovation complements more traditional innovation activities such as research. In the current economic climate, where resources for innovation are scarce, design and other non-technological innovation drivers, such as organisational development, employee-involvement and branding, become particularly relevant. They often are less capital intensive and have shorter pay-back periods than for example technological research, but still have the potential to drive competitiveness. Potential barriers exist to better use of design for innovation in Europe. Design as a tool for innovation has developed rapidly in recent years, resulting notably in concepts such as strategic design, design management and design thinking. Innovation policy and support, as well as education systems, have not yet caught up with these developments. Companies that lack experience of design — particularly SMEs, low-tech companies and companies not located in big cities where design businesses tend to concentrate — often do not know where to turn for professional help in the area of design. Design businesses are generally very small, a factor affecting their marketing and influencing powers. Although many European ‘innovation leaders’ such as Finland, Denmark and the UK are tapping into the potential of design as a tool for sustainable innovation, other Member States pay little political attention to design. The document concludes that design has the potential to become an integral part of European innovation policy, a building block of a policy model that encourages innovation driven by societal and user needs, and that builds on existing European strengths such as our heritage, creativity and diversity to make Europe more innovative.Based on this document, the European Commission has launched an online public consultation. The results of the consultation will be presented by Charlotte Arwidi and discussed by Jan Stavik and Roger O'Keefe and design specialists from all over Europe.
Future joint European action regarding Design could include non-binding cooperation, sharing of experiences and good practice, and the setting of common targets and benchmarking. The development of tools and support mechanisms for design-driven, user-centred innovation, networking and research, and collaboration in education and training are areas of action that could help remove some of the barriers to better use of design in Europe.
Dossier Design
http://www.vleva.eu/content/4301: Uitnodiging (Nederlands)
http://www.vleva.eu/content/4302: Invitation (English)
http://www.vleva.eu/content/4303: Agenda, 6 oktober 2009 (Brussel)
http://www.vleva.eu/content/4304: Europesean Commission design consultation results presented on October 6th 2009 (Brussel)
