abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
Uncovering the Hidden Meaning of Things: Why Design-Driven Innovation is Central in Technology-Intensive Organizations
Roberto VergantiProfessor of Management of Innovation, Politecnico di MilanoVisiting Scholar, Harvard Business Schoolwww.verganti.it
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Worldwide Sales of Games Consoles
Source: http://www.vgchartz.com/
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Agenda
� Design
� Innovation strategies
� Managing design driven innovation
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Agenda
� Design
� Innovation strategies
� Managing design driven innovation
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Design
FUNCTION(TECHNOLOGY)
FORM(AESTHETIC)
USER(NEEDS)
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
The Challenge of Artemide
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Artemide Metamorfosi: The Human Light
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Design
“The etymology of design goes back to the latin de + signare
and means making something, distinguishing it by a sign, giving
it significance, designating its relation to other things, owners,
users or gods.
Based on this original meaning, one could say:
design is making sense (of things).”
— Klaus Krippendorff, Design Issues, 1989
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Design
FUNCTION(TECHNOLOGY)
SENSE(LANGUAGE)
USER(NEEDS)
Meanings
Performance
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
www.cutter.com
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Agenda
� Design
� Innovation strategies
� Managing design driven innovation
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Innovation Strategy
Adaptation to the evolution of
socio-cultural models
MEANINGS (languages)
Incremental Improvement
Radical Improvement
FUNCTION (technology)
Generation of new meanings
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Adaptation to the evolution of
socio-cultural models
MEANINGS (languages)
Incremental Improvement
Radical Improvement
FUNCTION (technology)
Generation of new meanings
Innovation Strategy
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Alessi: Family Follows Fiction
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Understanding User Needs
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Adaptation to the evolution of
socio-cultural models
MEANINGS (languages)
Incremental Improvement
Radical Improvement
PERFORMANCE (technology)
Generation of new meanings
USER CENTRED
TECHNOLOGY PUSH
DESIGN DRIVEN
Innovation Strategies
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Innovation Strategies
Adaptation to the evolution of
socio-cultural models
MEANINGS (languages)
Incremental Improvement
Radical Improvement
PERFORMANCE (technology)
Generation of new meanings
USER CENTRED
TECHNOLOGY PUSH
DESIGN DRIVEN
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Adaptation to the evolution of
socio-cultural models
MEANINGS (languages)
Incremental Improvement
Radical Improvement
PERFORMANCE (technology)
Generation of new meanings
USER CENTRED
TECHNOLOGY PUSH
DESIGN DRIVEN
Innovation Strategies
www.cutter.com
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Adaptation to the evolution of
socio-cultural models
MEANINGS (languages)
Incremental Improvement
Radical Improvement
PERFORMANCE (technology)
Generation of new meanings
USER CENTRED
TECHNOLOGY PUSH
DESIGN DRIVEN
InnovationStrategies
Creative Nomad, Jukebox 2001
MPMan 1997
Sony DiscMan 1999
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Agenda
� Design
� Innovation strategies
� Managing design driven innovation
Cutter Consortium
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Understanding User Needs
Socio-cultural context
Socio-cultural context
Firm Users
Interpreter
User centered
Firm Users
Design driven
Now
Future
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
The Interpreters and the Design Discourse
Firm
People
Technology Suppliers
Sociologists Anthropologists
Marketers
Media Artists
Retail and delivery
Education and research
Designers Pioneering
Projects
Cultural organizations
Cu l t u ra l Pr o d uc t i o n
T ec h n o l o g y
Firms in other industries
www.cutter.com
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di MilanoAllianz Arena, design by Jacques Hertzog and Pierre De Meuron, 2002
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
The Process
Interpreter
Interpreter
DevelopmentTHINK
LISTEN
NewLanguages and
Meanings
NewProducts
USER
KnowledgeBase
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
TALK
Interpreter
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Tizio, Artemide, 1972Design by Richard Sapper
Halley, Lucesco, 2005Design by Richard Sapper
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Forward Looking Researchers: Memphis
“I’m always offended when they say that I play when I do Memphis work; actually I’m very serious.
I’m never more serious than when I do Memphis work. It’s when I design machines for Olivetti that I play.”
— Ettore Sottsass
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Firms as Interpreters
Flat TV with Ambilight, 2004
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Technology Suppliers as Interpreters
Firm
People
Technology Suppliers
Sociologists Anthropologists
Marketers
Media Artists
Retail and delivery
Education and research
Designers Pioneering Projects
Cultural organizations
T ec h no log y
Firms in other industries
www.cutter.com
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Attracting Interpreters
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
The Crucial Role of Technologies
Bookworm, Kartell, design Ron Arad
La Marie, Kartell, design Philippe Starck
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Design and Technological Research
Concept design
Design and socio-cultural research
Technology Research
Product Development
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Artemide Metamorfosi
The Human Light
Technology Kit
Light FieldsDiscussion group on Socio-cultural models
Research on light control and filtering
Development of several products
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abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Alessi Kettle Model 9093
1. “Listen”Alessi’s
immersion
Design Discourse in
Milan(Memphis etc.)
2. Research: “Tea and Coffe Piazza”
New Visionand Language
4. Product Development for the Kettle
Model 9093
Global Design Discourse(architects overseas)
3. “Talk” to the community-Books-Exhibitions-Limited series-…
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
The Process
Interpreter
Interpreter
DevelopmentTHINK
LISTEN
NewLanguages and
Meanings
NewProducts
USER
KnowledgeBase
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
TALK
Interpreter
Cutter Consortium
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Cultural Prototypes
Interpreter
Interpreter
DevelopmentTHINK USER
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
TALK
Interpreter
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Talk
www.cutter.com
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Conclusions
� Every product has a meaning
Adaptation to the evolution of
socio-cultural models
MEANING (language)
Incremental Improvement
Radical Improvement
FUNCTION (technology)
Generation of new meanings
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Conclusions
� Every product has a meaning
� Innovation does not necessarily imply getting closer to users
Firm Users
Interpreter
User centered
Firm Users
Design driven
Cutter Consortium
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Conclusions
� Every product has a meaning. Companies that do not realize this,simply do not manage it nor innovate it
� Design does not necessarily imply getting closer to users
� A collaborative research process
Firm
People
Technology Suppliers
Sociologists Anthropologists
Marketers
Media Artists
Retail and delivery
Education and research
Designers Pioneering Projects
Cultural organizations
Cu l t u ra l Pr o d uc t io n
T ec h n o lo g y
Firms in other industries
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Conclusions
� Every product has a meaning. Companies that do not realize this,simply do not manage it nor innovate it
� Design does not necessarily imply getting closer to users
� A collaborative research process
� Where technology matters
Firm
People
Technology Suppliers
Sociologists Anthropologists
Marketers
Media Artists
Retail and delivery
Education and research
Designers Pioneering Projects
Cultural organizations
T ec h no l og y
Firms in other industries
www.cutter.com
abpfdkJaofsbk=fkkls^qflkSUMMIT 2008
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Tools
Interpreter
LISTEN(immersion)
NewLanguages and
MeaningsKnowledgeBase
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
Interpreter
TALK(cultural products)
DESIGN
DIRECTION
WORKSHOP
KNOWLEDGE
REPOSITORY
PROCESS
LANGUAGE
MINING
THINK(research)
SEMINAR
SERIES
© Roberto Verganti, Politecnico di Milano
Forthcoming:
Design Driven InnovationRoberto VergantiHarvard Business School Press, 2009www.verganti.it
Cutter Consortium