Design Innovation and Management
If innovation is a very commonly used word today, so is design. Never has design been given greater importance as now and there is a reason – the word design is now used in a broad sense of giving shape to anything such that we can speak of designing a new curriculum, a new format for sports, a new training course, a product, a service, even institutions ranging from schools to hospitals. While Governments talk of designing new policies targeting some specific goal, non-profit organisations also stress the importance of designing appropriate programmes and companies talk of designing new performance management systems.
You just have to decide what exactly do you wish to explore in this area and you will find it. Consider the fact that some universities offer a Masters in researching for design and innovation. Some have an engineering focus while others emphasise the managerial dimension. Some have an openly spelt out global dimension. However, even the courses whose core focus is engineering do consider management because there is nothing that doesn’t need some element of management. Whatever be their specific focus, all of them strive to bring a holistic perspective without which this exciting area of study becomes sterile. Never ever forget that synthesis is at the heart of anything to do with design.
“How can the innovation process support the development of new products and services? This programme investigates the processes of design and innovation, and evaluates and tests your own ideas through a series of individual and group projects. This programme has been established to develop innovative thinkers from creative designers”. So says Loughborough University, London, which offers an MSc in Design Innovation Management (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/programmes/departments/london/design-innovation-management/). It also offers similar programmes in Design Innovation and Design & Culture. The University of Glasgow offers an MSc in International Management and Design Innovation (http://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/internationalmanagementanddesigninnovation/). Ravensbourne in the UK offers a Service Design Innovation MDes, recognizing the growing importance of service industries (http://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/design-management-innovation-courses/mdes-service-design-innovation/). Aston University offers an MSc in Product Design Innovation (http://www.aston.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-programmes/eas/msc-product-design-innovation/). Central Saint Martins, UK, offers an MA in Innovation Management (http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/courses/postgraduate/ma-innovation-management/) and says that “Where MBA and design management programmes analyse problems, this postgraduate course deploys connective and creative approaches to managing innovation in order to synthesise opportunities.”
The Segal Design Institute at Northwestern University offers a Master of Science Engineering Design Innovation (http://segal.northwestern.edu/programs/graduate/engineering-design-innovation/). Drucker School of Management offers an Innovation Systems Design MBA Degree as a dual degree programme (http://drucker.cgu.edu/program/innovation-systems-design/).
IT University of Copenhagen offers an MSc in Digital Innovation and Management (http://en.itu.dk/Programmes/MSc-Programmes/Digital-Innovation-and-Management). The Barcelona School of Design and Engineering offers a Master in Research for Design and Innovation (http://www.elisava.net/en/studies/master-research-design-and-innovation). Grenoble Graduate School of Business offers an MSc in Fashion, Design and Luxury Management (http://en.grenoble-em.com/msc-fashion-design-and-luxury-management).
The Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, offers a Master of Design Strategy and Innovation (http://www.swinburne.edu.au/study/course/Master-of-Design-Strategy-and-Innovation-MA-DSI/local).