Recap: Swiss Innovation forum, Roundtable
Exchange and inspiration fuels innovation. The Swiss Innovation Forum on 18 November in Basel brought both together in one place. As a long-standing Knowledge Partner, the Swiss Design Association SDA was again present in Basel this year.
In the SDA breakout session Design: Value driven innovation Eva Pauline Bossow from the Zurich Center for Creative Economies of the ZHdK, Simon Widmer from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Dominic Sturm, President of the SDA and Meret Ernst, Vice President of the SDA discussed design, innovation and their role in the circular economy.
The Value of Design was defined by stating that design is a prospective process (not a result) and an occupation governed by the imperative of novelty. As such, design is constantly evolving and expanding, focusing on the user (not on technology). Design creates value through relevance and differentiation. The amount of value generated through design always depends on the (company’s) level of design maturity.
The Impact of Design derives from an understanding of design as an industry, as an occupational field and as an ability to interact with other branches. Design as an industry is one of the largest submarkets of the Swiss creative economy. The Design Economy consists of three types of employees: Non–specialists like a controller in a design agency giving support to specialists, e.g. a designer in a design agency, or embedded designer like a game designer who works in financial services.
The Value of Design in Implementing the Circular Economy is key if the design is understood as a central, strategic and systemic factor alike. Design helps to find holistic, new and integrated solutions helping to make the future tangible and real. Economic challenges are always also design challenges. Design in a contemporary sense is central to the success of businesses: In a networked economy and in systemic challenges such as climate change and waste. Design helps us to develop new innovative solutions that are future-proof and create added value - for customers, companies and society.
Recap Future Exhibition
