Using innovation to drive design means shifting thought patterns.
Innovation is a powerful concept that is sometimes difficult for corporations, whether large or small, to grasp. Companies tend to do things in the way that they always have because it works. But innovation is important for companies, especially those in high-paced fields that are changing every day. By using innovation to push design to heights beyond what it has already achieved, your company can rise to the top in very competitive fields.
Instructions
1. Rely on creative people. Innovation means coming up with new ideas, and creative people live to create. Even though sometimes they are not the best managers, you must find a way to take advantage of their creativity to bring innovation to your design process. Whether or not you put them in charge is not so much the issue as is positioning them to have great influence on the design process.
2. Think "simple." Truly innovative products make things easier and simpler. For example, the invention of the automobile was innovative because it made traveling from point A to point B simpler, easier and faster. So to get really innovative and really creative, focus on simplicity. With its iPad, iPod and iPhone product lines, Apple has mastered the art of thinking simple. If your product is so simple that a three-year old can use it, it is innovative because it takes no time for the average person to pick it up and start using it.
3. Don't fear failure. Historically, the greatest innovators and designers often experimented with ideas that resulted in complete failure. Companies that are ultra-conservative in their design processes and take no risks almost never succeed in bringing innovative products to market. Companies like Google, Apple and Microsoft have developed many products that were complete failures, but because the companies innovate and constantly design new products, they are successful companies.
4. Allow employees to work on their own ideas. Recently a software company called Atlassian conducted what it called "FedEx days," in which employees had a 24-hour period to come up with creative ideas. At the end of the 24 hours, employees were required to present their ideas to the other employees. Many of these employee-generated ideas resulted in products that the company opted to develop, some of which have been brought to market.
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