Design is vital in innovation

Recently the Design Council welcomed the government’s announced Science & Innovation Strategy, which states a clear need for design as a vital ingredient in successful innovation.

Richard Bland, Creative Director of KISS, agrees saying strategic design is an essential element to successful innovations.

“As a business heavily involved with this sector for many years, we have seen the value of good strategic design as an enabler for great innovations. The enormous number of highly creative science and technology companies in our region all face the same hurdles when it comes to commercialising their ideas.

“Communicating complex concepts to the wider world throws up a whole range of issues. Propositions that were suitable for the laboratory need to be rethought for investors and the media. Companies with ambition need to recognise their competitive environment and work with creative specialists, to clearly define their proposition and build strong differentiation.”

John Mathers, Design Council CEO, adds: > “One of our main objectives at Design Council is to help the UK’s great technological minds to commercialise and add value to their ideas. Our programme for research bodies helps find practical applications for research insights and accelerate the route from innovative idea to market proposition and we have now worked with 30% of the UK’s Technology Transfer Offices. Design-led innovation has been proven to reduce risk, maximise value and attract investment – pillars of a successful economic model.

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