If you're not 'Design Thinking' you're not thinking!
Great design extends beyond making things look good.
Great design means creating things that people interact with on an emotional level. It means creating an experience that changes your service offering from an option to a 'must have'
Design-led busineses know how to capture an audience and keep it.
What is Design Thinking?
Design thinking is not just about branding or advertising a finished product. Neither is it just about fantastic looking products or great applications.
To survive in future, organisations must adopt a culture of innovation that thrives within every employee.
Design Thinking is not something that is just the domain of the design department. Designers also must realise if they want their product to win they must work with sales, marketing and manufacturing to deliver a total customer experience.
It is the responsibilty of everyone to consider the needs of the customer!
Great Products are About the Total Customer Experience
Really great products and services exist when value chains collaborate to ensure that the consumer's needs are met. Products that connect with people at an emotional level can command higher values and powerful brand loyalty.Just look at apple - The i-phone has a profound following even though its technology is far superseded by other mobile devices. Apple through consistent design thinking about the entire consumer experience of their products over decades has delivered the company a fiercely loyal fan base.
But its not just about the products. The entire method of buying an i-phone, the sales environment, and even the ability to buy applications on-line are all carefully considered and designed experiences.
Creating an Innovation Culture
Join the design revolution.
Right now an industrial revolution is going on. If you don't believe me take a look at banks, big brands and western economies. The balance of power is shifting fast from companies to consumers. People can choose whom to buy from, they can communicate good and poor experiences and they do.If you think your company can continue for much longer without an innovation culture, you might be right, or maybe people will find another product that is better from a company that they love buying from.
Change for many organisations is now essential, but it is also possible. You do not have to be a creative person.
Design thinking is about problem solving before people know there is a problem. It is about anticipating the needs of your customers and delivering a package of outstanding goods and services before they even know they need them.
Let us say your company makes wool carpet. You need to consider more than just using the very finest wool from New Zealand.
Are the colours in your range in tune with the very latest interior design trends?
Are at least 20% of the products ahead of current trends?
Is the retailer an expert on wool carpets?
Is the retail environment in-line with your desired consumer.
Does the retailer stock products that you would do well not to be associated with?
Is your website filled with messages about the benefits of wool carpets, advice on maintenance, a number to call to talk to a real person?
Is your product one of aspiration? Advertising on TV is dumb, but advertising in a high-end interior magazine is just the right audience (people actively looking to buy high value interior design elements)
Is your company doing anything for society? Donating goods to the local community centre? Are you telling people?
The point is no matter what your company sells you are designing the experience of interacting with your brand.
Every single person who adds value to your brand must embrace to concept of design thinking. They must all be involved in the process of understanding how the little things they do can make the experience with your company one that makes people happy and makes them talk about the right things.
If you do it well all your efforts will be invisible. From the outside looking in the system will just work, as people quite rightfully expect.
Do it right and you are on your way to building Brand Integrity.
Books to help you join Design Revolution.
Be up to speed with the smartest business minds.
Do You Matter? How Great Design Will Make People Love Your Company
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/06/2009) 
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 12/06/2009)
Meatball Sundae
Amazon Price: (as of 12/06/2009)
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Amazon Price: $13.62 (as of 12/06/2009)
The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEO's Strategies for Defeating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 12/06/2009)
I.D. Magazine
You need to subscribe to this!!
I.D.
Amazon Price: $30.00 (as of 12/06/2009)
More from Purple Sheep
Read more about innovation and being a design-led organisation.-
Purple Sheep Project - The Death of Retail
-
Here is a short story about an everyday experience. If you want your company to vainsh be like these guys... It is bizarre how many companies out there are blaming the economic downturn for their downfall. Companies can grow now if they get smart!...
-
Purple Sheep Project - The Seven Deadly Sins of Marketing
-
New Marketing is not rocket science, never was. It isn't getting harder or more difficult, but it is changing, always will. The world has changed, attention spans are shorter, digital media has shifted power from advertising executives to consumers....
-
Sustainable Brands
-
Increasingly people (customers) are looking for stories. The story of how your product got to market. The story they can tell their friends about the discovery they made. Right now people are more critical than ever before about spending on things w...
-
Purple Sheep Project - Business As Unusual
-
The business models that created iconic brands of the past are now guaranteed models of business failure. Incredibly we still see major businesses and even governments, in fact even the European Union embracing thinking that is almost certain to deli...
-
Purple Sheep Project - We are all Doomed!
-
What is your business doing to anticipte market shifts? The world is changing at an ever increasing pace, yet many companies keep doing what they have always done. It is critical to the survival of organisations that they anticipate market shifts a...
-
Steven Parsons & The Purple Sheep Project
-
After several years as a designer in the wool carpet industry I decided it was time to share some of what I have learnt to date. The problem is the more you get into the world and start really listening the more you realise there is just so much to l...
-
Purple Sheep Project - Guide To Commercial Suicide
-
Many organisations promise a lot but then deliver less. It is tempting when income streams dry up to cut a few corners, downgrade on the specification, buy cheaper parts, and hope the end user does not notice. They notice and they leave! If your...
-
How to be Fantastic & Purple
-
This is me. Steven is my name. So What?! Why should you listen to me? I have something to tell you, something you may already know, but I'm telling it differently and with the most noble intentions. I want to help you to be Fantastic. You will fin...
-
Purple Sheep Project - Return to Sensibility
-
This year is officialy the International Year of Natural Fibres. The World Trade Organisation will be taking this opportunity to remind people how important natural fibres are to the well being of society. When you think it about the world went nuts...
-
Purple Sheep Project - The Big Picture
-
Often we focus on a small part of business to ensure we do "our job" really well. If we are too focussed on key objectves do we risk loosing sight of the main target? It is worth taking a step back and looking at the big picture every once in a whil...
See it again..
Blobby Link List
Get some Blobby in your dull life.
- Mr. Blobby Returns
- The life and times of the fabulous Mr. Blobby. Exclusive to Squidoo!
by purplesheep
I like great things. I hate lazy inventions.
I was trained in textile design and interior design and spent many years as a carpet design... (more)
Explore related pages
USMC- Semper Fi! This site is dedicated to all, who have ...
Purple Sheep Project - We are all Doomed!- What is your business doing to anticipte market shifts? The world is changing a...
Strategic Storytelling- First and foremost, I'm a writer. Essays, short stories, television, film and bo...
Sustainable Brands- Increasingly people (customers) are looking for stories. The story of how your p...
Purple Sheep Project - Fuzzy Innovation- Fuzzy innovation is about getting stuff done. But getting stuff done that is wor...
Purple Sheep Project - Magnetic Business- Stop thinking like a bean counter and start connecting with your audience to pro...
