Design Management, International

February 5th, 2018. A charmingly gloomy day in the city of Amsterdam. Our very own Co-Head of Programme, Jan-Erik Baars, accompanied by two third year students, Anastasia Linn and Karma Morcos, set out to surf the TIDE.

About TIDE

TIDE is: Technology, Innovation, Design, Experience, a bi-annual conference for professionals in the Audio-Visual industry. The conference is held annually in the U.S and for the first time this year has come to Europe. TIDE is part of a global content initiative by AXIVA to engage in a conversation which focuses on bringing the end user to the heart of the AV industry. The conference took place just before the Integrated Systems Europe show in Amsterdam and aimed to contextualise all the technology to be seen at the show. This year’s TIDE conference focused on Design Thinking for Business, and explored the creative forces shaping the industry.

Keynote Speech

“You can’t stick a turbo-engine on an old car” exclaims Jan-Erik. In front of him is an audience of roughly 200 conference participants from the AV industry each wondering how Design Thinking can be of value to their enterprise. Indeed, Design Thinking is trendy! However, it needs the appropriate environment in order to really perform. You first need to re-new, re-structure and renovate the car so the turbo-engine can be of optimal value.

Challenges require change and change is a journey from the current state to a desired state. Traditionally, there were two main ways of tackling challenges and bringing about desired change. The first is a rational approach which based on analysis, research and observation. The second would be a more abstract approach which focuses on contextualising, envisioning and exploring conceptual models. Traditionally a rational approach was the go-to route but this approach has proven to only eliminate or kill the problem. It results in a ‘shoot and ask later’ attitude. As for the abstract approach - it’s scary! Feelings, fuzziness and the unknown are seen as a no-go in traditional management. Therefore, Design Thinking is a methodology which combines both the abstract and the rational approaches when responding to challenges. 

The audiences faces light up, and, after a convincing keynote, Jan-Erik exits the stage.

Breakout Workshop Session

We’re now in a room with twenty-five managerial executives from diverse companies worldwide. Ranging from Engineers to Innovation Champions working at companies such as Google, Calvin Klein and Samsung. Karma and Anastasia lead a workshop session on how to integrate a design thinking mindset into an organisation by creating the environment necessary for it to really have an impact.

The session uses our Value Creation model to tackle an obstacle effecting the adoption of design thinking in their organisations. The model integrates both the rational and the abstract approach to help participants solve the underlying problems, rather than spending resources addressing symptoms. The exercise worked on two levels: helping teams gain insight into the issues they chose to focus on, but also familiarising them with a process of thought that they can apply and share.

8 sprints, 30 minutes and countless post-its later, each team had an inspiring strategy, clarified next steps, and an applicable new tool to help them lead the change they wish to see.

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Looking into the opportunities of using a human-centered approach in the design field 

Change is the only constant

Society is volatile and complex. Globalisation, the prominence of technology and the flow of information dictate the importance of embracing change in any enterprise (Jeff Davidson, n.d.). Businesses have to adapt themselves to the actual situation and cannot rest on their laurels. Innovation and customer-centricity are becoming crucial in the design field. Organisation systems, linear thinking and incremental changes tend to limit creativity. Furthermore, businesses and processes might need to be adapted in order to become more flexible and respond to clients’ and employees’ needs. Therefore, organisations in the design field might consider other approaches to solve such holistic challenges and to run a business in a human perspective.

Missing the essence

Humans are not robots and they should not be put in boxes. Even though people may live in groups for a certain purpose (e.g. community, sport clubs, business company, etc.), each person is an individual with his own body, his own mind and his own life (Craig Biddle, 2014). Standardisation and lack of empathy are issues in the society. The need of being able to stand in somebody else’s shoes and see the world through their eyes is prominent (Catherine Conroy, 2017). Especially in the design field, considering human needs is crucial. Omitting human factors might prejudice the outcome of a design process but also the welfare of a business. Therefore, the necessity to put the human at the core of organisations and realisations is even more critical nowadays.

Mindset over strategy

The aim of human-centrictiy design is to create a product or service tailored to its end user. If the goal is to create something user-friendly for everyone, it will probably end up user-friendly for no one. It is thinking about adequacy of the person to whom the idea is conveyed.

“People ignore design that ignores people” (Frank Chimero, 2012)

Furthermore, human-centricity goes beyond processes, products or services. Companies considering such an approach within their own organisation do not only have an impact on their customers but also on their employees and wider community (Simon Berglung, 2016).

“I truly believe that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business.” (Richard Branson, 2015)

Thus, managers should not minimise their employees’ needs and motivations for the welfare and the sake of the company.

Better fit

Whereas other industries are more analytical, numbers and process driven, the final goal of design is the creation of something for a human being. Therefore, the challenge lies very much on accomplishing a goal by the manifest of the end-user. While aestheticism and functionality also necessitates to be considered, the process cannot be linear and binary in the design field. Whereas some design companies try to produce solutions as fast as possible in order to gain more profits, the main question remains on what is the right thing to do. The answer usually stands in the mission of the company, its vision and its values. If the company targets experience, innovation, human satisfaction or sustainable solutions, then they might preferably do business in a more synthetic and iterative way with a focus on human needs.

Cherry on the cake

Caring about people considering their own lives and tastes leads to a high quality outcome and a greater user experience. Thus, the right “thing” is created instead of building “it” right.

“Life’s too short to build something nobody wants” (Ash Maurya, 2012)

It is important to define the target (who) and the goal (when, where, what, how, and why) in a common language then. This scale functions as an indicator, a help to clarify the priorities but also encourages for continuous improvements. When having defined such measures for the purpose, the “rightness” of the future outcome is shared within the team. As a result, it leads to success in the team and business.

From a business point of view, human-centricity might be hard to sell. However, it is proved that there are long-term financial as well as social-impact benefits. It allows companies to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry and increases customer loyalty. Furthermore, overall schedule and costs can be reduced by between 20% and 25% (Mario Sakata, 2015). Costs are reduced on redesigning and redeveloping features. The risk of failure is reduced and productivity is increased as the time is invested in what user wants and not on unnecessary things or features (Apiumhub, 2017).

In a nutshell

Aesthetics and technology are not enough for the long run. Designing a product or a service tailored to the target with a holistic and memorable experience is the ultimate ambition for any company in the design field. Human-centricity is a great opportunity to accomplish this purpose.

To our fellow third year students hunting for a BA Thesis Topic. You are not alone! Jabbo Gehring (DMI Alumni, 2016) has you covered, with his guide to help you find and select a proper thesis topic.

Diverse speakers from varied backgrounds, queries and insights into emerging phenomena, and an explorative approach: as Richard Buchanan of Case Western University’s Design and Innovation Department deftly summarized in his closing keynote, the Design in Organizations Symposium was a “conference of discovery”. 

Held at the Viscosistadt building of the Lucerne School of Art and Design, the first half of the two-day gathering was a collaborative whirlwind with leaders from business, academia, government, and the social sector sharing their perspectives on the integration of design in their respective fields. 

The day was opened and lead by Sabine Junginger, Head of the Competence Center for Design and Management at the Lucerne School of Art and Design and Fellow at the Hertie School of Governance. The Competence Center, the hosts of the Symposium, is a research division of the HSLU focused on investigating, developing, and applying design methodologies to support human-centered innovation in organizations. They focus largely on design management for social innovation, public sector development, and organizational change, all of which aspects were represented in Thursday’s activities. Participants heard from an internationally-acclaimed array of experts including Dr. Xiangyan Xin, PhD, of the Jiangnan University School of Design; Dr. Martin Vogelsang of the German National Advisory Board for Impact Investing and the EVPA; Alenka Bonnard of Staatslabor Bern; Prof. Dr. Lorenz Herfurth of Glasgow School of Art; Caroline Paulick-Thiel of Politics for Tomorrow; Kaja Tooming Buchanan of Tongji University in Shanghai; Peter Wirz of Vetica, Catalina Jossen Cardozo of By Maria, and André Gassmann of Gemeinde Emmen.  

Through engaging discussion of disparate-seeming contexts and projects, a number of themes emerged. Whether in education, government, social enterprise, or the private sector, there is a need for design to empower, lead, and evolve organizations moving into the future. 

Dissemination: Sharing, Educating & Empowering

Often in Design Management, we speak about being advocates for design within organizations. This is based on the assumption that design is largely something new, foreign, and unlikely to be accepted easily. The disadvantages of such a mindset are obvious, but conversations during the Symposium reminded us of an important point. In a number of her papers, Sabine Junginger has urged design professionals (especially in the public sector) to remember: design activities are already going on throughout organizations, with or without professional designers. The people involved are recognizing needs, solving problems, and iterating solutions every day without acknowledging these as design activities. As Jan-Erik Baars is known to put it, “everyone designs, they just might not know it yet.”

So if everyone “designs”, what is the role of designers or design managers? As I stated in a panel discussion with Jan-Erik Baars and André Gassmann, I believe this makes design management expertise more relevant, not less. Design professionals catalyze these activities, giving a voice to ‘silent design’ and increasing the quality and efficiency of improvements. By bringing awareness and support to otherwise unconscious design activities, organizations can tap into their innovative potential.

This is in part about educating, but it’s more about empowerment. Education implies an imbalance: a divide between those with information and those without. To mediate this, we should appreciate our role as respectful and curious outsiders, and never seek to teach, without striving to learn from others as well. In the long-term, these practices can help build the trust necessary for collaborative growth.  

As Enrique Martinez put it when describing his work at the US Office of Personnel Management’s Innovation Lab: when it comes to dissemination, we should aim to increase design literacy to the point that we make ourselves obsolete. Everyone has creative and transformative abilities. It is the job of design managers to remove barriers to that expression and create an environment where everyone can contribute. We must make hope accessible, and then step back and, as Priscilla Chueng-Nainby eloquently put it, “hold the space for change”.

Leadership: Purposeful Boundaries, Choices & Responsibilities

Both design and management are functions that determine “what” needs to be done. In determining this, they are trusted to give professional advice as to “how” projects and organizations should develop, and this inherently sets boundaries in order to direct future developments. Traditionally, management has dictated what should be done, and design has been concerned with how. While both of these activities involve narrowing options and defining an optimal direction, design had focused on the more physical and concrete aspects of improvement. However, as management sees the value of purpose-driven business, and as design moves from a Tactical Driver to an Organizational and Strategic one, both disciplines are starting to answer “why”.

We know that purpose-driven organizations have an easier time attracting talent, benefit from increased productivity, and enjoy improved resilience. Models like the Benefit Corporation and the social enterprise may well become more prevalent as we use our businesses not just to reap financial wealth, but to contribute solutions to the world’s many pressing problems. Their blend of traditionally disparate organizational formats (non-profit and for-profit) mirrors the kind of interdisciplinary line-blurring that Design Management often works to support, and evidences the increasingly collaborative, networked way of working we may do more of in the future.

Interestingly, the as the distinctions between disciplines fade and the edges of organizations blur, different boundaries have become much more important: those that define why an organization exists, what it is here to do, and which lines it will not cross. In addition to having a significant purpose, fostering cultures in which ethical discourse is valued and impactful can assist in this. Organizations must become proactive about ethics, Richard Buchanan said, and human-centered management should take a proactive role in realizing that. After all, he reminded us, we cannot talk about “sustainability” without defining what it is we want to sustain.

Fortunately, design practice has provided us with many tools we can apply to create more ethical organizations. In DMI for instance, we learn how to engage others in open-ended discussion (Ethnographic Conversation in Design Research), how to translate triple-bottom line needs and key organizational competencies into an actionable strategy (from Strategic Branding to Project Management), and how to build organizations optimized to follow through on that (Organizational Design). In this way, Design Managers are uniquely prepared to contribute to the organizations of the future. Wherever they find themselves, Design Managers should be a voice for people and planet, as well as profit. In taking more responsibility for our actions, as designers, design managers, and organizations, we can move towards true leadership.

Evolution: Iteration, Design-Being, and Continuing Prerogatives

In these times of accelerating change, the combination of guiding purpose and empowered evolution is the best-case-scenario for business. To be successful in such an environment, organizations must have both clear guiding principles and the ability to adapt to change. While the practices described in the last section help with the former, the tools we use to foster design competencies in organizations explained in the first section help with the latter. It is the synergy of these that allow for “problem-solution co-evolution” over time: “Design Being”.

Even as we move into dialectic design leadership though, we must not forget our essence. Many shared stories of promoted designers forced to conform to business as usual and losing their unique value in the process. We have a responsibility to stay true to our roots. Effective communications and innovative solutions: these, Richard Buchanan reminded us, are the foundations of design. The benefits of effective, human-centered problem-solving at any point in the efforts described in this paper is evident, but clear, compelling communication is also vital to succeeding at any of the areas described. Both should remain key competencies for design managers going forward. [They also define the two tracks of our Design Management Bachelor’s Program...] Likewise, we must remain advocates of end users, environment, and even beauty, tackling challenges with both effectiveness and elegance.

While each can learn something from these findings, the sectors of business, academia, and government need not become the same. They are most effective when they complement each other and interact often, exchanging insights as was done at this Symposium.

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140 years since the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences began offering art and design education, we are undeniably in a time when the definition and role of design is changing. It’s part of a continued evolution from singular, superficial, and authorial to holistic, collective, and consciously transformative.

Design is a way of actively engaging in the evolution of our reality, and well-managed design in organizations allows for those profound contributions at scale. As the power of design is distributed, it becomes less about “making hope visible” as Brian Collins memorably said, and more about making hope accessible, meaningful, and actionable for all.

This is no small thing.  It is a remarkable opportunity that comes with both transformative challenges and significant responsibilities. Still, one thing is certain: there is much work to do, plenty to learn, and far more left to discover.

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There’s a new BINGO game at our school!

Here’s how to play: Check off the block when you hear the word during a lecture or a group work. When you get four blocks horizontally, vertically or diagonally, stand up and shout: “Bingo!”

Any design thinker would know that Design Thinking is more than just a tool to frame innovation methodically. In the short existence of this discipline, creative industries have used it potentially to identify emotionally resonant insights. However, one can argue that the qualitative outcomes of design thinking are far beyond untapping human needs for innovation. The upshot of this is not the creation of new inventions, but business transformation. A better, healthier, simpler and intuitive organizational environment that could lead to exceptional profitable results can be achieved by fostering the cross-fertilization of ideas and using diversity as the main asset. Diversity is one of the main pillars of Design Thinking because it feeds creativity in a non-linear way. It is the ground upon which creativity finds relationships amongst things that on a first instance, have no relationship between them.  Diversity per se, it's nor good or bad. It just is. It becomes what we make of it, and in the creative industry, it can be our biggest asset. Today, institutions and organizations have to answer to the external changes faster than ever.  They have to be agile in their response to a society who is becoming more heterogeneous in race, religion, gender and every conceivable way. One way to understand and answer this heterogeneity in society is to implement diversity in the organization itself. (Nordstrom & Riderstrale, 2000) Design thinking nurtures the type of management that is required in a culturally rich environment in which creativity blooms and thrives. What we understand of this new human-centered approach is fraught with attributes that we socially associate to the female character. Companies are realizing that they need to embody the female side of humane, and that empathy, relationship building, and effective communication are critical to managing diversity in order to make creativity effective. Every gender should embrace the type of leadership required for creativity to bloom. The principles that this discipline entails, help to eliminate the structures and beliefs that hinder diversity and intellectual freedom.

By Maria-José Nenclares

Waste equals food. This equation is the basis for life on Earth, and yet, over the course of industrialization, humans and our creations have lost contact with it. The Cradle to Cradle (C2C) philosophy developed by American architect William McDonough and German biochemist Michael Braungart aims to connect these two once more, bringing economic vitality, environmental harmony and true sustainability in the process.

Rather than continue with the destructive misconception that things we produce can go through an incomplete life cycle (creation/production→ use/life → disposal/death) ending in a landfill or incinerator, McDonough and Braungart made a strikingly elegant point. Just like other natural systems, these processes should be cyclical and “death” of old products should become fuel for new life. This is the basis for the C2C approach. [Those interested can read more here or check out the Waste=Food documentary.]

For now, C2C is generally recognized as the highest standard of sustainability. Students at DMI are exposed to the concept during the Sustainability module in the First Year, and dive into it specifically in the Second Year. It is as a part of this module that DMI has been working closely with the EPEA, the authority on Cradle to Cradle in Europe. In addition to having Swiss C2C leader Albin Kälin as a mentor, students have visited the Giroflex factory in Koblenz (ZH) and had a lecture from Laurent Maeder of EPEA Switzerland.

Laurent has spent most of his professional career in the textile industry, and after a workshop with Kälin introduced him to C2C, he’s devoted himself to helping organizations transition into the circular economy, with a particular focus on managing supply networks. Since he quit school at age 16 to become a carpenter, his curious and pragmatic approach has always inspired him to trace an object’s origins. “I wasn’t happy going to trade fairs and just seeing polished final products,” he told us, “I wanted to go to the factories and see how things were made. I guess it’s part of me.”

In C2C, products fit entirely into either technical or biological cycles where their material “nutrients” can be retrieved and recycled indefinitely. For this to be possible, producers must have a keen awareness of what’s going on in their supply chains. Energy, resource, and water flows must be traced to their sources to get a holistic picture of everything involved in the production and the impact these processes have. It gets very complex very quickly.  

[As Frans Jozaisse mentioned in his talk on the future of Design Management, demand will grow exponentially for experts who know how to manage sustainable business models like this. “That’s where you’ll make the big bucks!”]   

So what can we actually do, both as individual citizens of the world and as Design Managers? For individuals it’s easy, Laurent says. “Be a little more curious. Decide what you want to do and how you want to buy things. If nobody buys a product, it will disappear immediately. I understand that it may be difficult [for busy people] but the information and alternatives are available. There are ways to do things differently, so individuals can act.” 

As Design Managers, the challenge is far larger, but so is the potential impact. “You have to come with an economic argument and think about not only the design but also the global product life cycle. A lot of initiatives (like Fairphone, Laufenmühle, etc.) started with designers who decided they wanted to change something. It is possible, but it takes a lot of courage. Show that you are this type of person. Be really clear with the people you talk to without being arrogant.” Anyone in an organization can raise questions and present alternatives, but design leaders should both allow for this and lead by example. “Prove to companies that you can do things differently. If you raise questions, never be arrogant. Just say ‘maybe we have an alternative...’.”

Managers should also be aware of the role they play in the larger economic environment. Is your organization speeding in the race to the bottom, struggling to compete on price? What strategy do you take in the face of competition? “If you have competition based on service, it’s perfect,” Laurent said. “Competition based on price is terrible and will only lead us to more problems.”  

At this point, much of the impact we can have comes from starting conversations. “Negativity and extremism don’t work. Making people feel bad doesn’t spread positive change.” Instead, we can learn about alternatives, lead by example, and be open to discussing these topics in constructive ways. “Changing the world is a matter of what a community can do. But even as an individual, if you do small things in a positive way, you will have a positive impact.”

If management consultancies keep acquiring design firms, artificial intelligences start taking design jobs and design thinking is oversold, what will become of Design Management? DM competencies are only going to become more critical in the future, and in his talk, leading Design Management figure Frans Joziasse laid out a guideline of where and how this may develop.

Frans has long been a key figure in the field of Design Management particularly for his role as co-founder and Director of PARK, a unique, strictly-DM consultancy. There, he and a team of experienced consultants help market leaders make the most out of their design teams and, in so doing, strengthen their organizations as a whole. They offer guidance on how to grow design culture, optimize innovation processes and evaluate design services. As their clients undergo these difficult transformation processes, PARK remains a source of advice and support, generally for at least five years. It’s “10% ‘party’, 90% implementation” as he put it in his talk.

“Business success requires a combination of persistence, naivete and luck,” Frans told us in an interview. This he knows from his own entrepreneurial experience. “We knew we weren’t going to make much money in the first five years [after founding Park]. At that point in Europe, no one knew what Design Management was. Those weren’t two words that you heard together. But we kept at it and then got clients like Sony Europe. That was the turning point.” PARK has gone on to work with clients like Nestlé, Lego and Bang & Olufsen leaving a trail of success stories in their wake.

In his Design Manager’s talk, Frans laid out six influential factors that will shape Design Management going forward. From cheap outsourced design capabilities to the human-centered mindset that entrepreneurial DMs can use to disrupt, it was a very insightful discussion. Key takeaways: learn more about sustainability (it’s a must); retain respect for good design doing; and keep educating yourself continuously, even and especially after graduation.

He urged us to see the opportunity embedded in each of these future challenges and was enthusiastic about us being in the right place. “When I graduated [as an Industrial Designer from TU Delft in the 80s], 50% of those designers were unemployed. Now, we have the so-called ‘War on Talent’!” From startups to management consultancies to the Fortune 500, organizations need Design Managers, and the success of PARK and Frans Joziasse prove it.

With the start of this spring semester comes the launch of our new DMI logo. Based on the four key skillsets outlined in the Competency Framework, these bold symbols are the new face of DMI.

What is the Competency Framework?

As a vanguard in the field of undergraduate-level Design Management education, a key question in the formation of our curriculum was: what skills should be developed at the Bachelor’s level to prepare students for careers in this unique management field? It’s clear that successful designers are often unprepared for leadership roles. Likewise, managers from other functional backgrounds generally don’t understand design processes. There is evidently a need for this particular skillset, but what abilities does that include?

The Competency Framework is our answer to this problem. Developed by DMI lecturer Sarah Ruedi and Program Chair Jan-Erik Baars, it the result of research conducted with industry leaders regarding which skills were the most necessary for Design Managers. The 14 qualities defined fit into four main categories and form the basis for the course of study here at DMI.

Manage the Design Process

This is the most fundamental of the four Competences. It also represents the most traditional role Design Managers have played: project managing design teams. The ability to strategically define the tasks at hand (typically in a design brief) and map out the processes necessary to complete them successfully is central to this aspect.

By the time they complete their studies, DMI graduates are fully able to manage the design process. As you can see in the graphic below, the other competency areas are introduced, but primarily developed later in one’s professional life.

The design process includes a series of cyclical iterations, so here it is represented with a free yet directional curl. You’ll also recognize this loop from the Lucerne Design Management Process model. In this symbol, as with the others, the square frame represents the domain of Design Management, the structure DM provides within which these activities can take place.

Mediate Business Value

This area of competence connects “Design Doing” to Business Purpose: it makes sure that any design processes are in-line with the goals an organization wants to achieve. Whereas design processes in the first competency frame can be self-contained, here design must connect to other aspects of and stakeholders in an organization to ensure their intentions are aligned. By and knowing how to tailor communication to the needs of varied stakeholders, design can help organizations succeed and gain legitimacy in the process.

Its graphic representation captures the typical business goal of growth with an upward-facing arrow. It can also be seen to express the increase in the value of both design and the organization itself when design is used strategically.

Foster Creative Environments

Whether working with designers, professionals from other functional backgrounds or interdisciplinary teams, Design Managers are experts at creating environments for meaningful creativity. This is one of the primary reasons Design Management exists at all: the needs of exuberant creation and mechanized management don’t traditionally match. Wherever they find themselves, Design Managers can create spaces of open-mindedness and trust where effective collaboration can thrive.

This box has tidy and well-defined borders that allow for all kinds of inventive craziness to occur inside. Just like the clear timeframes and objectives of a well-managed design process, it creates a framework where creative energy can flourish without losing sight of its goals.

Connect and Convince Others

This set of abilities, the final of the four, is the most advanced. In fact, we only begin to build this invaluable skillset in our program. It can only be developed over the course of one’s lifetime, with years of navigating interpersonal relationships and professional experience. It involves connecting the function of design to business purpose: determining why an enterprise exists and how design is integral in that.

This set of leadership skills include the translation of abstract ideas into actionable information (sense-making), self-awareness and empathy. At this level, Design Managers can promote an organization’s vision and bring purpose to any of its activities.

In its graphic form, a horizontal arrow purposefully connects vertical silos to bring direction to an organization.

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This strong new set of symbols is the new face of DMI, so you’ll be seeing it around. While the “think outside the box” icon will remain our profile image across social media, you’ll still find the “CompFrame Quartet” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin. 

If you’re reading this right now, it’s evident that part of your life exists in a digital space. Whether in the role of creator, consumer or both, these days we increasingly learn, share, and live online. We’ve largely accepted this new dimension as individuals, but what does it mean for business?

Surviving in this relatively new space can be overwhelming, especially for organizations whose structures weren’t born in the Internet Age. Your brand can easily set up camp on social media, but so can everyone else. It’s free to start a Facebook page, a Twitter account, or even a MailChimp Newsletter and broadcast your message to some corner of the virtual world, but what do you or your company really have to say? The lack of upfront investment is deceptive: being a brand or organization in the digital world is anything but easy.

This is where Sylvia Ewerling comes in. As a Digital Design Manager she helps organizations prepare themselves to live sustainable lives in the virtual realm. She coaches businesses as they navigate the challenges, learn the lingo and persevere to keep reaching their goals using user-centered digital marketing long after she leaves. As a sought-after professional with her own consulting firm, both Sylvia and the Internet have come a long way since she graduated with a degree in Graphic Design and Web Design wasn’t even among the Art School program offerings…

        In anticipation of his talk this Wednesday evening, Jürgen Salenbacher shares insight and inspiration for change-makers, creative leaders, and visionary modern humans (or more simply, Design Managers!).

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Creative Personal Branding: Adapting Your Mental Model to the World’s Challenges Today

Thank goodness that times have changed for creative professionals. There is more respect and recognition for us, but also more responsibility if we think and talk about our education and dedication to create and grow.

The BA in Design Management is an excellent example of a highly relevant way of educating the type of change-makers, visionaries and creative leaders most companies need urgently to facilitate change of companies’ business model and culture. Sometimes I wish that students and young professionals have more faith, willingness and ambitions to position themselves as a relevant and decisive part of the workforce. Even by daring to develop their own business-model.

Creativity and innovation are no longer rare habits. They form the backbone of economies in transitions. We need to develop a vision to make them part of our work and lives.

In my book Creative Personal Branding we reflect on and reframe what is actually happening with the economy and society, we dedicate time to understand who we are, what interests, skills and interests we have, what new skills and competences we need and where we can get them.

         The recommendation of the European Parliament and Council for ‘life-long learning’ defines eight key forms of competence:

Communication in your native language

Communication in a foreign language

Mathematical competence and basic competence in science and technology

Digital competence

Learning to learn

Social and civil competence

A sense of initiative and entrepreneurship

Cultural awareness and expression

These forms of competence are interdependent. The emphasis in each of them is on critical thinking, creativity, initiative-taking, problem- solving, risk-assessment, decision-taking and constructive management of feelings.

We urgently need change-makers, creative visionaries and leaders, people with these hybrid competences. With substance: real and valuable knowledge and expertise in at least one relevant area that increases effectiveness. We need people with the hybrid ability to synthesise information and combine creativity with business strategy.

We need creative leaders with style: an understanding of aesthetics and the power of design and design thinking.

We need informed, active, responsible and relevant citizens for our global society.

We need creative leaders with conviction: ethics, integrity, beliefs and an idea of how a better world would be.

We need people with grace: the ability to listen and talk within a diverse community, to understand and act within new business realities and sometimes just say ‘thank you’.

We need people who challenge the status quo, contribute to the future and lead their lives to help others. There is a huge demand for people with the emotional and intellectual capacity to relate and react to a complex world in a state of constant flux. We need people who combine substance and style, conviction and grace.

-Jürgen Salenbacher

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         Today is a big day at Design Management, International. The Infodays are in full swing, there’s lots of energetic activity, and we’ve just announced the expansion of our study program. With all this excitement, you may be wondering just what all of the fuss is about. Let us explain…

The fuss about DMI: we’re one of a kind!

          The world is changing. Lines between countries, traditional disciplines, and even the words ‘real’ and ‘digital’ are blurring. Things are moving faster, the stakes are high and expectations are even higher. In this age of constant change, many traditional business models have lost their footing. Organizations are realizing they need new skills in order to operate in this environment. Competencies like interdisciplinary collaboration, clear communication, and rapid, human-centered solution generation are increasingly sought after. These skills are at the heart of Design Management and the Lucerne School of Art and Design is the only university offering these “new fundamentals” at an undergraduate level.  

The fuss about the Program Expansion:  we’re growing and innovating!

          We’re innovators, and our program is always evolving, reflecting the needs of the industry and our students. This development is no exception. Starting in Fall 2016, Design Management, International will offer two Specialization Tracks. One is focused on Solution Creation through the design of products and services, while the other is concerned with Market Creation and designing to communicate with the public. Both are grounded in the core competencies of Design Management and both apply the same fundamental process, they simply concentrate on applying them differently resulting in either product solutions or communication solutions. These specializations allow for students to grow deeply confident in their chosen area of interest, while still understanding the context of Design Management. The interest in DMI has continued to grow and with this expansion, the program can also welcome about 20% more students.

The fuss about Infodays: we’d love to meet you!

          The Infodays are an especially exciting time for us because it means we get to meet you! That is, we get to meet curious individuals who are interested in learning more about DMI and may become future members of our ever-strengthening community. From finding out the answer to “DMI… Whaaat?!” with Head of Program Jan-Erik Baars, to taking a tour of our world of workspaces here at the Sentimatt, to enjoying some treats and a coffee, it’s a great chance to get a sense for what we do. Current students will also be around to answer your questions. We’d love to have you join us!

In his Design Managers Talk, Iain Aitchison shared views on the rapid recent developments of the design world. Through connections to his personal journey, and that of the consultancy he helps run, we were given new insights into the vibrant industry of which we are a part. We spoke to him about silos, management muscles, and Why Questions to better understand the inner workings of someone continually “At the Start of Things”.

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Like many of us here at DMI, you went into college with a wide variety of interests but you chose to study Design. Did you know what direction you wanted to take when you made that decision?

Iain Aitchison: No, is the answer. *laughs* Absolutely not. But I was interested in an environment that would allow me to find out. Finding the right place to experience what design is in its entirety and then position yourself within that as a practitioner.

In your talk, you described the challenge of being forced into choosing a discipline, even though you wanted to just be a Designer. It’s true that a lot of programs are preparing students for “silos” that don’t really exist anymore. 

IA: That’s a big question in education in general: the role of disciplines versus a more contextual approach. Without disciplines, the creation and management of knowledge becomes more difficult. It’s not an either or, though. You need both.

Education for T-shaped people! You also mentioned that, even though Plan didn’t start out as a Design Management firm (and still doesn’t identify as one), you were pulled in that direction by the desire to create impact. That’s wonderful!

IA: Even designers are now looking at the impact they deliver at more organizational level. You measure it no longer only by what products you got to market but also by what changes you affected in the organization that led to better things happening.

That’s a change that happened in the Management Consulting industry 10 or 20 years ago when the McKinseys and the BCGs started to focus much more on organizational change and transformation, not just giving advice. They still give advice, but now they also help organizations to react to this advice and actually make it happen. I think Design Management is a part of the same shift.

Do you have any habits, routines or practices that you consider especially integral to your process or Design Management work?

IA: One would be making things visual. We have studios like yours where everything’s mapped out on the walls [giving] us space to reflect and make connections. That’s really integral, especially when you see so many Powerpoints. When you’re working with such complexity, sometimes you just need to get it all out there.

The other thing is that we like to think of ourselves as having a creative muscle and an analytical muscle, like a left arm and a right arm. The pure design process is quite intuitive and requires big leaps of faith. When you’re communicating design decisions to complex organizations or non-designers, though, you need to be able to explain your thinking. We don’t want to make the design process an analytical process, but we spend a lot of time thinking about how we can clarify the decisions we made and the reasons for them. To say why we haven’t done what we could have done, as well as why we have done what we did. That’s a habit, a kind of muscle memory which we’ve tried to build up as a company. 

“Why questions” are huge at DMI as well. What about any current or future projects that you’re especially excited about? It seems like you have a lot!

IA: The thing that gets me out of bed is any kind of situation where design is taking on a role it hasn’t had before. Either it [design] doesn’t exist within a company and you’re trying to help it establish itself or you’re in a much bigger situation, where there may be a very large organization but it needs to be revamped in some way. That’s what I find interesting. For all the poster children of “design success” in organizations, there are hundreds of thousands of examples where design is not even present! 

Design isn’t the be-all and end-all of everything, but still. There’s lots of work to be done.

Definitely. As the world around us gets more man-made, the role of design is getting exponentially more prominent.  

IA: True. People ask “what does a design education give you” [and] I say, it gives you agency for your world. It gives you the ability to think that things can be different and the ability to visualize and give form to that future state. That’s an incredible capacity and you can use it in lots of ways.

What about when people ask you to define “Design Management”?

IA: I’d say it’s about insuring the effective use of design and helping to support design itself in any organizational context, big or small.

There’s a danger that Design Management can become too obsessed with Design Thinking and other roles for design within organizations when actually there’s a very distinct discipline of and need for Design Management itself. 

Even within our major, Design Management is recognized as being divided into two parts: one is just managing design (DM in its traditional sense) and the other is applying Design Thinking or creative problem solving techniques in organizations that are not typically creative.

IA: It’s important to know that these two contexts exist. In practicing it, you’ll become even more aware of that fact and then you can make a choice about where to focus.

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Circus artist, Fitness Instructor, Businesswoman, Goldsmith......which occupation would you like to practice? My journey from solid foundation to professional satisfaction.

As many other young people, I also had difficulties in deciding for a profession as a young girl leaving school. First, I preferably wanted to become a circus artist because of my extensive urge to move around in dangerous spots, but since this really was not the simplest path to go for both my parents and me, I reconsidered my choice. Second, I loved to do handicrafts and tried to build objects, accessories and jewelry out of all kinds of materials. That would have indicated towards an education in handicraft. However, my parents did not consider this as a solid foundation for the future. Then, my third strength was to have things at the right place: I liked lists, structures, processes and organization. All of this spoke for a commercial education. Guess what - I did an apprenticeship as a commercial clerk. How creative...!

As was only to be expected, I was not fully satisfied with office work. Besides doing a lot of different sports to act out on my urge to move, I started to be creative in my free time. I designed jewelry for my friends and family, went to Christmas markets etcetera. Many people told me that I was quite talented and that they wanted jewelry from me. Therefore, I signed up for a silver-/goldsmith-course to learn how to properly fabricate high quality jewelry.

Nevertheless, I still spent the majority of time working in the office to make a living. But it wasn’t really challenging, so I signed up for an evening school to become a „Swiss certified specialist for management assistance”, e.g. “eidg. Dipl. Direktionsassistentin”
. On top of that, I completed a fitness instructor degree as a ‘Cardio Dance Teacher’. Consequently, I started to work for CEO’s and Management Boards in huge international companies and teach fitness dance courses in evenings. In addition, I created jewelry on weekends.

But for all that, there still remained this slight dissatisfaction with my office job. Once more, I had to face the difficult decision about what to do in order to find joy with what I like to do. This time, I decided to:

1.   make a list of what I am good at

2.   find patterns

3.   circle overlapping interests that correspond with my skills

With this newly gained insights about my interests and skills, I stumbled over the course ‘Design Management’, which combines creativity with business. As of this moment, it was very clear to me that I am going to study Design Management.

And here I am - I never stopped to follow what I like and what I am good at. But without entrepreneurial and business skills I was not able to make more out of it. That is where DMI comes into play. Since DMI teaches all kinds of entrepreneurial skills, I was finally able to establish my jewelry brand and an online shop relle . Design Management skills helped me to effectively manage and create sustainable, desirable, usable and feasible new products and to manage the whole value chain of a business. Moreover, it enabled me to combine creative thinking with a sound basis of business skills and knowledge about the innovation process from the initial idea to production, delivery and marketing.

Thus, my advice: never stop to believe in your favorite skills, and if it is also a passion it’s even better! If you want to reach job satisfaction - even if it is a long and tiring journey - it is worth the effort.

Check out my online shop here: www.relle.ch

Rebecca Ziegler

As usual the minute the summer break starts, all the students fly off in a hurry, but already a few weeks into their holiday they start missing DMI. After the twelfth ‘school sick’ student approached me asking for book recommendations (yes, they actually want to read books in their free time! :) ) we decided to set up a summer book list. This list has a recommendation for each DMI year, a few selected guest writers recommending their favourites and a few other good books. If you know any other titles that are must-reads for future Design Managers, please leave a comment, we’re always on the lookout for new, interesting books!

Pick your year, pick your book

First years – freshies get the classics

First off, welcome to the DMI family! It is all going to be a fun, exciting but also overwhelming journey and you will definitely have a few “oh-my-god-what-am-I-doing-here” moments. This book has been recommended so many times it is almost cliché, but honestly the best read before, during and after your studies is Kathryn Best’s Design Management: Managing Design Strategy, Process and Implementation. Whether you need an overview of what Design Management is, want to find out more about a Design Manager’s skillset or just need a bit of reassurance that you’re studying the right subject, once you start flipping through the pages everything will make sense again. Cases studies, process descriptions, interviews with leading professionals and questions for discussion will not only give you an impression of our broad professional field, but also help you form your own opinion on how Design and Management are interlinked and how design adds value to business.

Second years – saddle up for the ride

In the second year things start to get serious, suddenly you’re expected to know everything and being a newbie isn’t a valid excuse anymore. Before you know it you’ll be knees deep in the New Product Development project. The Delft Design Guide: Design Strategies an Methods is a practical, well-designed toolkit book with an overview of 70+ design methods that can be used within the design process. Each method is illustrated over a double-page spread with the most important information as well as recommendations for further reading. This book will give you the head start you need and let you focus about the important stuff in the project like letting your creative juices flow. As Norbert Roozenberg says in the foreword: “In the realm of the minds a method is comparable to a crutch; the true thinker walks freely”

Third years – ready to take on the world

You’ve got one more semester left to enjoy to the fullest before you start writing your BA thesis, so make the most of it while you still can! Finally you now have the skill-set to really get stuff done and you get to work on exciting projects like setting up design strategies, business development - and innovation plans. The one book that shouldn’t leave your side is 10 Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs. It is set up as a periodic system of innovation and gives a clearly structured overview on the different types and has case studies that illustrate each type well. Due to it’s simplicity it can be a bit superficial at times, but paired with 101 Design Methods: A Structured Approach for Driving Innovation in Your Organization and The Art of Innovation you’ll be able to tackle the third year with no problems whatsoever.

DMI Guest Writer Recommendations

“I’ll take the opportunity to recommend one of my all time favourites for keeping creative people sane: Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace. Read this whenever the corporate dementors are trying to suck your soul!” - Andreas Erbe, design thinker, SCRUM master, founder of launchlabs and presumably Harry Potter fan.

„Creating the Perfect Design Brief is a quick and simple, but insightful and invaluable read. I actually bought this book some years ago – some time during my studies, but I didn’t really started reading it until recently (looked pretty boring to me). The reason I gave this book another look was because I had to write a design brief for a project we did at work, but somehow struggled a bit. So I picked it up from my bookshelf and started reading… The book gave me an overview on the whole design process in an agency – even though I’ve worked in one for over 1.5 years. The book title reads „creating the perfect design brief“ and – in my opinion – it’s a bit misleading, since Phillips covers a lot more than just how to write the perfect brief. It also acts as a guide to project management philosophy for design projects. This great read tells us a lot about how to lead designers, deal with clients and handle a design project – a MUST for every potential Design Manager (in an agency or corporation). - Olivier Weiss, DMI alumni, Strategic Consultant at vetica, Canada lover and sunflower seed chewer.

“Design Management reads, for the summer? You mean other than my blog? The Designful Company: How to build a culture of nonstop innovation by Marty Neumeier, a great book and a light read - perfect for a summer at the pool.“ - Jan-Erik Baars, Head of the DMI Programme, partygoer, blogger and cycler.

"Reimagine by Tom Peters is a passionately 'angry' (to use the author's term) exploration of business and management in the early 21st century. It was written in 2003 when a lot of developments were coming to the forefront and everyone was scrambling to understand the impact of these new realities. Peters' text offers managers of all varieties advice on thriving in a world where ‘departments’ become ‘Professional Service Firms’ and the marketplace is driven less by ‘products and services’ and more by ‘experiences and solutions’. In our era of constant fluctuation and change, Reimagine provides Design Managers with a wonderful context for their work and a strong foundation upon which to build as we move into the future. "– Anastasia Linn, DMI freshie, service design-loving, Mandarin-speaking Greco-American with an unidentifiable accent.

Other good reads

Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation - Tim Brown

Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All - Tom Kelley and Dave Kelley

Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers - Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie 

Service Design: From Insight to Implementation - Andy Polaine

This is Service Design Thinking: Basics, Tools, Cases - Marc Stickdorn

Design Thinking: Integrating Innovation, Customer Experience, and Brand Value - Thomas Lockwood

Building Design Strategy: Using Design to Achieve Key Business Objectives Paperback –  Thomas Lockwood 

Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers - Alexander Osterwalder

Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy Hardcover – Dev Patnaik 

A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future – Daniel H. Pink 

Metaskills: Five Talents for the Robotic Age Hardcover – Marty Neumeier

CAD Monkeys, Dinosaur Babies, and T-Shaped People: Inside the World of Design Thinking and How It Can Spark Creativity and Innovation - Warren Berger 

A Fine Line: How Design Strategies Are Shaping the Future of Business –  Hartmut Esslinger 

Three students from different departments came together and formed a team. In the beginning there was nothing, but a cow. A cow was the start and focal point in the project module “Trash, Kitsch, Camp or Pop”.