Outthink Innovation – DRDS conference #4
For the 4th time, our event on current topics concerning innovation, design strategies and design research took place on September 28, 2017, in Hamburg. A great number of high-profile speakers from all over the world were present: from the Vice President of Strategic Design at BCG and the Senior Innovation Director of Lego to professors from the University of Chicago and the EPFL! Business Leaders from Airbus, Unicef, Whirlpool and Etihad Airways presented insights and answers to many questions.
We set the goal for our participants with the help of keynotes and hands-on workshops: to be returning to their own projects with new insights and practical approaches to solutions, as well as many amazing contacts, to move ahead on their projects with new vigor.
Especially well-received at last year’s workshops was the interactive part. We took this into account and brought theory and practice even closer together. The workshop “Rip the Brief”, led by our colleagues Alessandro and Maria, clearly showed that some customers make things very easy for themselves: A short internal meeting, a handful of ideas and the brief for the designer is ready. What is missing – among other things, is the question: “What does the consumer actually want” to decide through market research – which steps are necessary to develop a product that also finds its buyers, was worked out in small groups under the guidance of our two colleagues from TOI – Tools Of Innovators.
But when everything has succeeded and the innovation has been created, it still takes a lot of strength to integrate it into the company. Nany Tennant compared this to the beautiful designer home that suddenly when a baby announces itself, is seen with completely different eyes. And just as the home needs to be “baby-proofed,” so too does a company need to be trimmed for fitness in dealing with innovation. DRDS has once again given us good ideas for this.
Find a recap of the HORIZONT in this press release.
Maria Krüger
Strategy
