Design can be crucial to business profitability

TWO WISE MEN

Q: How do I integrate design throughout my company?

A: This question often comes up when people talk about using "design thinking" in their business, and it is important to note that there is a difference between design and design thinking.

Design is concentrating on the small things that are incremental like making things attractive, easier to use or more marketable. These have a smaller overall impact and are done predominantly by designers.

Design thinking is about asking the big questions about our business and questioning our vision for the future; what is the real problem?

How can we make this better for those involved?

Design thinking is for everyone not just designers. It is about utilising design methodology for problem solving.

In its basic form design thinking is human-centred and is about what makes our lives easier, more enjoyable or technology more useful. It can't be done though without a "brief". This is the first task to integration into your company.

Ask yourself where the best opportunities are to improve processes, systems or save time. Give the people who are working in the business everyday input. You will soon find possible ways of making your business more meaningful, productive and profitable.

You are then in a position to try new things - or "prototype" ideas. The faster we can test new ideas the faster we get feedback and the faster ideas evolve into new systems for success.

How best to integrate design into your company is about re- thinking your current approach to see where there is room to improve or an opportunity to do things better.

To really integrate design into your business you may want to start by benchmarking yourself against your competition. Who are the shining stars in your industry, what is happening globally and what are the future trends in your industry? How do you compare and what can you do to improve?

You need to know the constraints of your business to be able to rethink your processes and systems. Understanding these constraints is as important as how or if to adjust them.

If you can't implement the cost of change immediately then think what is the cost if I don't change? Incremental change might be the answer to that question.

Steve O'Connor, GM of Creative HQ business incubator.

A: Design is more about a culture, rather than a one-off activity. Engage your target customers and staff in making decisions about your products. Listen to your customers - social media has provided us a new way to engage our customers at a lower cost than ever before.

If you are seeking outside assistance make sure your supplier "gets" what your company is all about. Shop around for professional assistance, often emerging design companies offer greater value for money. Check they have worked with companies like yours, those of similar size and maturity.

Mark Robotham - GM Escalator Investment Ready Service - building investment-ready businesses.

Blog: succinct.co.nz.

If you want to contact either of our two wise men, please email: BusinessDay@dompost.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News