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.

Starting point for a good design

Good design starts with meaning and context. Good designers work with form and meaning. Great design comes from love and passion towards what is created. Design has to be learnt as liberal art before it is considered as a business tool. Great Design is about meaning first, and not about rationalized reports on business opportunities.
Design should not start with estimation of effort and return on investment. Measuring the impact of design using financial term is not the right strategy.

What is good design ?

The flow of creating something seems to follow the sequence- a thought to idea to tangibles. Tangibles can be something of value that one can feel or sense. From an idea to tangibles means various intermediate steps. The clarity on how to come up with these steps and laying it out on a media to see the manifestation of the idea is design. So, what is a good design? A good design is one in which the degree of closeness between the idea and its manifestation (tangible) is as close as possible.

On the other hand if the closeness between design and its manifestation is lacking then no amount of analysis and parameter tuning can markedly improve the value of the tangible. Which also means that there are fundamental contradictions designed into the manifestation. The ability to preemptively address and resolves design issues is an area of great importance.