Workshop 2 -
Design in Education, SME's and industries
The second workshop shifts focus to design in SME's and industries. Design is a creative activity whose aim is to establish the multi-faceted qualities of objects, processes, services and their systems in whole life cycles. Therefore, design is the central factor of innovative humanisation of technologies and the crucial factor of cultural and economic exchange. The second workshop explores design as a strategic tool for innovation in SME's and industries. Design promotion centres have often been driven in the past by a traditional craftsmanship culture that entails a strategy focused mainly on product design and on the performance of products in the market place. While at the same time the design profession was fundamentally changing with styling & packaging design, branding & corporate design and web, interface & communication design as driving forces. The economic and managerial context of "design added value" is bestowed by regional or national design promotion centres, acting as centres of resources for integrating design into SMEs. Designers themselves are often SMEs. SMEs are a very interesting target for design promotion centres, who can help in improving an SMEs competitive edge and performance.
Speakers of Work shop 2
Mrs Ingrid Vandenhoudt of Flanders Design will moderate the second workshop. Examples will showcase regional, municipal, academic and industrial best practices of Design implementation in SME's and industries.
Plenary lecturers include :
16.15 h Mr. Matthew Desmier of the South West (and Dorset) Design Forum, talks about designers for designers,
16.30 h Mr. Stéphane Simon, Operational Director of the Lieu du Design, Paris, Région Ile-de-France (FR) situates Design in the Paris Region with 4,000 companies and over 30,000 people, and
16.45 h Mrs. Marriet Mittendorf as a Councillor responsible for design in the Municipality of Eindhoven (NL) enables companies to implement good design management.
17.00 h Regional Showcases include (each 10 minutes) :
Prof. Alessandro Deserti, of the Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Lombardia Region (IT) will present the Milano-Brianza Design Cluster. The presentation will be focalized on the characteristics of the Milano-Brianza Design Cluster, with the following structure : The history of the Milano-Brianza design cluster,
Prof. Michael Tovey, Director for Design at the Coventry School of Design, Coventry University, West Midlands (UK), design support for niche vehicle companies, taking microcab as an example.
Prof. Małgorzata Wyszogrodzka-Trzcinka, Head of Designing Basics Course, Faculty of Design and Interior Architecture, Academy of Fine Arts and Disign in Lodz, Lodz Region (Poland)- "The Role of Institutions of Higher Art Education in Training Designers for Various Branches of Industry"
Mr.José Luis Sánchez, of Grupo Sodercan (Cantabria, ES) on Design as key factor towards the development of innovative technological industries,
Mr. Dirk Vens and Adriaan Debruyne, of Curana, Flanders (Belgium) showcases Curana as a strategic development partner for the big European bicycle manufacturers.
17.50 h Discussion
18.15 h Conclusions, Luc Van den Brande, President of the Committee of the Regions
18.30 h Reception
