who?
About the Centre
We think innovation is important. Actually, we think innovation is essential. How else do we retain competitive advantage in the face of increasing commoditisation? How else do we solve the intractable social problems of the day? How else do we create a sustainable future? We use human ingenuity to come up with new, better ways of doing things.
What has this got to do with design? Design is the critical element in achieving successful innovation. If one can better anticipate and understand the needs and desires of your users then you are more likely to be able to turn those insights into wonderful ideas which in turn become successful products, services or solutions.
We think that design helps to make things better for people. Our goal is that Irish managers become the best design thinkers in the world.
We will achieve our goal by:
- Generating proof to inspire organisations to use design thinking.
- Creating programmes that develop the capability of those organisation to use design effectively.
- Promoting the message to every individual and institution to foster culture change.
More formally, the Centre for Design Innovation is the National centre of excellence for the research, understanding and promotion of the effective use of design within business and the public sector in Ireland. We are located in the Business Innovation Centre on the Institute of Technology campus in Sligo.
The Centre for Design Innovation was established to:
- Foster and support more effective use of design within Irish industry and businesses.
- Conduct world-class research in design management and innovation.
- Develop practical programmes for Irish companies to develop their design capabilities to a level such that a company may perform its own design work or be equipped with the knowledge to properly specify design work for contracting out.
- Contribute to the development of national strategies to promote design thinking as a key driver of innovation and competitiveness, and as a means for improving the social and cultural quality of life in Ireland.
- Develop an international awareness and establish Sligo as an international design research and education capital.