Design‐Driven Innovation Process Model

Two applied research projects undertaken in Central Switzerland aimed to introduce design and design management into the strategy building and innovation processes of firms with little or no design experience and—on a theoretical level—to introduce design management into a generic innovation management model. Research with 11 variously‐sized companies in a variety of industries revealed that many of the small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) do not engage in innovation activities in a systematic and proactive way in order to understand market and customer needs. They also lack a design management function that would coordinate the processes of product and service development, brand design, and communication to create a coherent market entry and customer experience for new products or services. Researchers explored the contribution of design research, design leadership, and design management to a generic innovation management model, and developed a design‐driven innovation process model with six phases: impulse, research, development, strategy, implementation, and evolution. The model is designed to meet the needs of SMEs for easy implementation and cost and risk reduction. Further applied research is planned to validate the model.