Find out! Why the word “Design” has become synonymous with “Innovation”

Find out! Why the word Design has become synonymous with Innovation

Design became related to Innovation because it’s the proven secret of leading companies to succeed in their initiatives. Feel free to discover their secret in our Innovation Certificate workshop.

Now, mainly in the west, the word Design is being connected with Innovation. - and there’s a good reason why.

Design-driven companies result’s last 2015 has exceeded the S&P 500 (a list of top companies) by over 200% (Design Management Institute).  The same reason why 13 of “2014 Fortune 125” companies have executive-level positions or CEO support for design (Harmer).

• Mark Parker, Nike’s CEO is a designer.
• Jonathan Ive is Apple's Chief Design Officer and a member of Apple's executive leadership team.
• Phil Gilbert is the GM and at the same time, the head of design at IBM.

Design’s core meaning refers to one’s function. Meaning, when you talk to your friend and you say, “Friend, ang ganda ng pagkakadesign mo dyan”. You should not only refer to the facade and decorations. You should also take note of how it feels and how it works when you start using it. 

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like, Design is how it works.” - Steve Jobs

While Innovation is the process of translating an idea into a product or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. (Business Dictionary)
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Let us put the two meanings into a simple image to further understand.

​As seen in the visual perspective:

• Innovation is an idea translated into a product/service for you to sell
• However, a product doesn’t sell unless the “Design” specification matches the customer’s needs
• Design then becomes your bridge for your new idea to sell

​Customers will buy your products or avail your services if how it works (functionality) will satisfy their needs.

The same truth behind Samsung’s success despite a lot of Android software mobile phones. Their secret is the phone’s functionality matches the need of mobile users.

The more their phone matches the customers' needs, the more the customers will buy.
Paraphrased, the more your Design matches your customers' needs, the more your customers will buy.

So why do companies still fail despite knowing that design is key to a successful innovation? This question is what gave rise to the methodology most people in the west are very much familiar with.

Design Thinking.

Design Thinking was made famous by Tim Brown in which he describes as “a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer's toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.”

The methodology made headlines because of breakthrough successes they had. Design Thinking became the answer of most companies in their quest for innovation.

Discover how in our Innovation workshops. What’s more exciting is we even had it upgraded!

You will be learning a unique mixture of the classic Design Thinking and Google’s Design Sprint. Only at School of Design Sprint.

Don't get left behind. Learn what matters. Enroll now!

​​See you!

-The Sprint King