The proof is in the tangible benefits a brand provides, but winning awards is always a nice endorsement of the work. Off the back of the Innovation by Design programme, the Institute of Technology Sligo chose Design Factory to rebrand the college, and the work was just recognised by getting shortlisted for the IDI Design Awards 2008.

Irish companies that use design are more successful than those that do not. This fact was borne out of research published by the Centre for Design Innovation in the beginning of 2007. The challenge was to create a practical approach and tools that organisations could use to innovate and grow.

The result was Innovation by Design, an 18-month programme of workshops, research and mentoring for six Northwest organisations that began in June 2007. Precision toolmaker. Agricultural co-operative. Software developer. Third level institute. Airport. Heavy machinery manufacturer. Six very different organisations across six very different sectors; yet all with the common goal to grow their businesses.

Within 15 months different participants have launched new brands; generated hundreds of ideas; explored new markets; created prototypes for new products; redesigned their product development processes; delivered new and enhanced services to their customers; briefed and contracted design agencies; and one even renamed their company. Everyone has applied a design approach to understanding customers’ needs first, which is key to identifying the right ideas to commercialise.

But don’t take our word for it, read about Avenue Mould Solutions, Connacht Gold, Infacta, Institute of Technology Sligo, Ireland West Airport, and Mantis Cranes to see what they have accomplished.

In the end, success of the programme will be judged by the companies that took part and these are their stories in their own words.

Innovation by Design (PDF, 2.41MB)

What have we been up to over the few weeks between this and our last blog post? Doing a lot of thinking about service and pulling together a day-long workshop to help organisations better understand the why, what and how of service design. One of numerous tools we experimented with was the ubiquitous napkin sketch. In order to make up for the gap in posts, here are PDF downloads of the card decks we give to participants from all three of our workshops:

• User-centred Design (170KB)
• Why Brand? (241KB)
• Why Service? (217KB)

You also might like to read about the “revival” of the napkin sketch over at FastCompany.

This past week in Waterford we took a group of companies and individuals from the WIT Research and Innovation Centre through a user-centered design workshop. During our workshops, we intend to teach organisations simple tools to better understand their customers and their needs. One of my favourite exercises is the day in the life photo journal. Participants are given a pack of photos taken by a person through the course of one day. With only the photographs to work from, small groups distill detailed information about that person. It is amazing how much insight can be gained in ten minutes from a few photos. Many people learn more about a stranger than they do about those folks they each lunch with on a daily basis.

How much more simple can you get than handing out a few disposable cameras to your users? I have included a copy of our brief to complete the exercise, as well as the worksheet from the workshop.

Photo Journal Brief (Word, 42K)
Whose Life Worksheet (PDF, 119K)