As design school grads launch into their chosen professions, it’s a good time to remember that your career is the one design project that you control. And, like design, there is no single right answer, but there is an array of options. So the path you take is entirely up to you. Just consider the […]
Read MoreHow to hire great design leaders
Let’s face it, every business must innovate for the future, and innovation requires creativity. Not just creativity, but appropriately focused and managed creativity. But this kind of creativity doesn’t just pop up on demand, and you can’t just click on it; it takes savvy Design, UX and Innovation leaders that know how to nurture and […]
Read More5 key trends in design leadership
Just wrote about 5 key trends in design leadership and design thinking for Fast Company. Design finally has a seat at the table, here’s what is next … full post here.
Read MoreSix imperatives of innovation culture, and why design is at the top.
In the ongoing quest for corporate profits, most companies have squeezed out their inefficiencies by now and are coming to grips with the fact that future profits must come from top line growth. But they are also recognizing that opening new territories, extending brands, and marketing campaigns aren’t working so hot anymore. Which means creating […]
Read MoreFinding X: Why T-shaped people are valuable but insufficient in an age of nonstop innovation.
By Marty Neumeier. Companies are quickly learning that a post-graduate degree offers no guarantee of real-world innovation skills. That’s why, in design-driven organizations with multi-disciplinary teams, there’s an ongoing search for “T-shaped” people. A T-shaped person is someone who has a strong descender (the vertical stroke of the T) and a well-developed crossbar (the horizontal […]
Read MoreGood Business is Good for Design
Interesting twist. Many of us have embraced the phrase “Good Design is Good for Business” for years. Thomas Watson Jr, former IBM Chairman, made this phrase popular after Paul Rand inspired him with “Good Design is Good Will” (Yale University, 1987). Good design is absolutely abundant today. Come to think about it, I really can’t […]
Read MoreWho leads design-led innovation?
I’m a big fan of design-led innovation, and who leads this amazing process is a fair question. I’d like to unpack this question with five reference points; Roberto Verganti in Milan who wrote Design-Driven Innovation, Park Advanced Design Management in Germany with research on design leadership roles, Yu-Jin Kim in Korea with research on the […]
Read MoreDesign-led Innovation and building brands by design, interview with Mauro Porcini
I’ve had many opportunities to collaborate with Mauro Porcini, SVP & Chief Design Officer, PepsiCo. We developed a conference together in Milan, have been speakers at conferences in Seattle, Boston, London, Copenhagen and a small town in Norway, Advisers to DMI, and attended many other activities. I’ve deep admiration for what he has accomplished professionally, […]
Read MoreTen recruiting predictions for 2016 – and the role of design
General Electric, the nations largest industrial company, just announced it is moving it’s headquarters from Connecticut to Boston. Of their 360,000 G.E. employees globally, only 800 will go to the new HQ in Boston. What I find most interesting is that the New York Times reports that of the 800 going to headquarters only 200 will […]
Read MoreHow to critique product design portfolios
Here are seven tips to evaluate product design portfolios Lets be honest, critiquing design portfolios can be difficult. And for the untrained reviewer, even daunting. It’s easy to get swept away by beautiful renderings and snappy concept sketches. And its even more difficult if you are looking for design leaders. To evaluate a design candidates […]
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