The 7 Biggest Challenges in Merging Design and Business | Helen Waters - Co.Design

A couple of weeks ago, I was discussing coming to this event with a designer friend of mine. “What are you going to talk about?” he asked. “Oh, you know. How in the 21st century economy, design provides the differentiating factor that can really determine whether a modern day company thrives or fails,” I said merrily. His reaction was not quite what I’d hoped for. In fact, he laughed in my face. “That old shtick? Ugh. Are people *still* saying that?” he asked with a hint of derision in his voice. “Er. Yes?” I stammered in reply. Now bear in mind that this was a designer talking! This was not a jaded executive with no connection to the creative department. This was someone who has devoted years of study and thousands of dollars to getting a well-rounded design education. He’s worked hard and done well, working as a designer in various major American corporations hailed for their attention to innovation and design. He is you.
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Helen Walters Helen Walters is a New York City-based business and design journalist with experience writing, editing and publishing content across multiple platforms, online and offline. The former editor of innovation and design at Bloomberg Businessweek, she is currently working as a writer, editor and researcher at innovation consultancy Doblin, part of Monitor Group.

Innovation is born when art meets science | John Maeda, Rhode Island School of Design | The Observer

The technology and design guru argues that for invention to occur, scientists must embrace the art world John Maeda at the Rhode Island School of Design John Maeda at the Rhode Island School of Design Photograph: David O'Connor Photography A graphic designer and computer scientist, known for his work on the online computer game Second Life, as well as the author of bestselling self-help book The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda has made great use of dual educations at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and art school. Drawing from his experiences in these two disciplines, the 44-year-old has come to believe that too stark a distinction is drawn between science and the arts

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The Kindness of Strangers: - Jessica Helfand, The Design Observer Group

The spring of my junior year in college, I decided that the ultimate fulfillment of my two passionate interests — Italian and graphic design — could only be met through the deft maneuvering of post-graduate study at the Politecnico in Milan. Heading into what was clearly an economic recession, I figured the other side of the pond held enormous potential for my newly-minted approximation of adult life: affordable food, cute guys, a 24-7 chance to practice my Italian and — oh yes — advanced study in my chosen profession. It was, by all indications, a win-win situation. Yet even more brazen than this was my decision to ask for advice outside the confines of my narrow, yet fairly solid pantheon of advisors. No, I didn't ask my parents, or my professors, or even a number of rather sensible grad students I knew at the time. Instead, I headed straight to the top, and wrote to Massimo Vignelli. And he wrote back.

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How To Build a Creative Organization - Alicia Arnold, BusinessWeek

A 2010 study of 1,500 chief executives conducted by IBM's (IBM) Institute for Business Value identified creativity as the No. 1 leadership competency of the future. This paints a broad role for creativity in the business world in spurring economic growth. Creative solutions are needed for organizations to thrive, but how can business leaders deliberately increase creativity? Allow us to introduce the four Ps of Creativity, a holistic model for looking at creativity that leverages People, Products, Process, and Press to build creative competency, develop radically innovative solutions, and increase revenue.

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Slow design (as opposed to slow food) - a film on the design process in 50's

If you like slow food, then you will love this 15 minute film as it captures the beauty of slow design. This original film from the 50's follows the prototyping and modeling of the decanter from of one America's truly great design company's Landor Associates. What it also alerts us to is the loss of the process and most especially the humanity of design as a craft maintained in a nuanced fashion through practice and peers.

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