Design and Innovation (excerpts from Cranbrook’s interview)

Innovation makes strategy. Design makes form. Strategy without form is an empty container these days. What we say and how we say it—with form—must match. If markets are more specific, then form must be more specific.
Innovation is the result of good design. When we successfully identify an unmet need and then develop a new product, communication, or service that solves that need and makes some money for the company, we are innovating. I would also suggest that form is the tangible result of strategy. Considering them different methods or an approach is not constructive—it serves to further highlight the unfortunate (and often only perceived) gap between “designers” and “businesspeople.”
Innovation culture is different from design culture. I admire innovation culture for speaking the language of business and gaining a seat at the table. But rational propositions are the most obvious ones. Cultural propositions are fuzzy and require a specific proof of value with a specific form. In this case, design becomes more aligned with art than business. This is a critical distinction—we believe design needs to create value for both the user and the organization, which requires the designers to have an intimate knowledge of an organization’s business model and its capabilities.