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Design Makes the Difference Workshops
Belgium
The future of design in the
The importance of design cannot be understated, and so, DF has introduced a number of programmes to encourage the use of design including a series of workshops labelled “Design Makes the Difference”, as part of the “Design Management” programme. The aim of the workshops is to bring designers together with companies. Specifically, it is targeted at the managers of the companies, in particular of SMEs, who want to know more about introducing design in their business strategy. All the while these collaborations provide useful case studies for anyone interested in design as a strategy, and encourage the growth of design within
Occurring 2 to 3 times a year, the workshops last an entire day, and comprise of one theoretical lecture, three success stories of design management, and presentations about Design Flanders and the VIZO Department of Business Consultancy. The exclusively small number of companies invited to the workshops (only 30) allows for effective discussions and flow of information.
To ensure a wider range of knowledge is shared, three collaborations all different in their nature, are presented and the participants are then able to ask questions during the interactive lecture. To keep the workshop interesting and challenging, DF invites three different companies, in terms of their sector (furniture, plastic, lighting etc….), different level of design management, different motivation to introduce design, and different kinds of independent and external designers (industrial designer, craftsman, etc).
“Design Makes the Difference” also allows for companies to see actual examples of past successful collaborations, so they will get a better view of how to successfully implement design into their company’s strategy. DF came up with the idea of inviting past clients to give a 30 minute presentation of the successful project. A representative from a Flemish company and a designer detail various aspects and points of view from their project. The audience can see and feel the communication between the manager and the external designer as well as the confidence of the manager as the decision-maker. These are key factors for the success of the project management process.
All lectures are published in full text (Dutch – English), including the PowerPoint version, and freely distributed, first to all designers and companies involved, as well as to all the European partners of Design Flanders.
At the end of the workshops guests and lecturers are asked to fill in evaluation forms, where they can ask for further counselling from DF and/or Business Consultancy. DF and Business Consultancy work together with those clients offering advice about design.
The evaluation forms that participants are asked to fill in show that almost all participants are convinced that design is an essential success factor for the industry in general and their company in particular. The results show the benefits of the workshops with:
Ø 25% of the participants didn’t work with designers and do now,
Ø 30% of the participants worked already with a designer, but have now extended these collaborations.
Ø 5% of the participants already have their own design department, and found the workshop very useful, some now using external designers.
Ø Overall, 60% of companies attending the workshops have implemented design, and 30% start thinking about the process of design implementation.
Since 2001, the workshops have been a way of promoting design to companies and to the public in
Ø The development of social and economic support for design in
Ø The development of promotional activities, to acknowledge the added value of design as a quality promotional and innovating instrument.
Ø The development of company focused activities to show that when design is well used as a management instrument it strengthens the performance of private companies and stimulates export and international competitiveness.
The workshops provide companies with detailed and proven knowledge of how they can effectively fit design into their strategic planning. Guests are encouraged to interact, what allows for plenty of effective discussion and networking between companies and designers. Managers have the opportunity to meet designers and make appointments with them to discuss design possibilities.
At a cost of around 20,000 euros per event and financed by the Flemish Government, as well as the EDF (European Design Forum) project and the ESF project CONCReaS; the workshops have been very successful. So far, over the 8 workshops, 120 companies have attended from all different sectors.
DF highlights using past success stories as ‘role-models’ for prospective companies as the key factor in the success of the workshops. It is the first-hand knowledge and experience on show, coupled with the encouragement of intensive interaction that provides such a useful function for companies wishing to use design further. Whilst acknowledging the fact that manager’s of SME’s are often hard to contact, with 6000 invitations being sent out and only 30 companies attending the workshops, still the success of the workshops is undeniable and they are an opportunity businesses should not miss out on.
For further information please contact Ingrid Vandenhoudt at Design Flanders Ingrid.Vandenhoudt@designvlaanderen.be.
(Text: Stephen Hemmings)
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© Design Wales 2006
