"Create, Design, Innovate" - Enhancing Business Performance

Industrial Symposium: 21 & 22 September 2006, Downing College, Cambridge, UK

Summary

• Delegates enjoyed a stimulating two days at CTM's 12th Technology Management Symposium held at Downing College, Cambridge in September
• Fascinating insights into the multi-facetted world of product innovation and design were provided at CTM's Technology Management Symposium when speakers focused on ways to convert human creativity and ingenuity into attractive and sustainable products and services.

The context was set by Sir George Cox, Chairman of the Design Council, who drew on his recent report to the Chancellor on creativity in business. Describing design as the link between creativity and innovation, Sir George challenged UK companies to build more effectively on their design capability and promote economic growth. He identified diverse factors affecting this goal including the early arts/science divide in the education system, public sector buying policy and lack of ambition at an individual level.

The Symposium took place in Cambridge at the end of September. Keynote speakers from leading companies provided stimulating examples of design capability in action - in very diverse industrial contexts. Clive Grinyer, Director of Design at Orange, discussed the strategic use of design. He reminded delegates of the need to try ideas early and to be sensitive to the real needs of the consumer. Joe Ferry, Head of Design at Virgin Atlantic, described the competition generated in the airline industry over 'flat-seats' for business class - illustrating the impact that innovative design can have on business results. Gert Hildebrand, Head of the Mini Design Team at BMW explained how inspiration coupled with systematic hard work lay behind the rebirth of the Mini, and gave a glimpse of some of the new variants planned for the brand. Finally, Andrew Till, Director of Strategy and Portfolio, Personal Devices Business, Motorola, told the story of the resurgence of Motorola's fortunes in mobile phones and the factors behind the success of the RAZR quad-band phone.

A key issue that emerged during the Symposium was the ability to deal with the unexpected. Professor John Bessant from Imperial College expanded on this theme in his presentation 'Dealing with discontinuity - managing innovation beyond the steady state', in which he gave a stimulating insight into how to look for solutions outside known territory.

As usual the Symposium included a variety of workshop and case study sessions which allowed delegates to get into more detailed discussion and to explore ideas emerging from both research and company experience. This aspect of the proceedings is particularly valued by delegates.

In a stimulating after-dinner speech Professor Arnoud de Meyer, the new Head of the Judge Business School, discussed the globalisation of innovation, showing how creative new ideas could emerge from very different economic and market conditions in the developing world.

Altogether the Symposium generated a real feeling of excitement about the issues. In the closing sessions delegates discussed ways in which the ideas raised could be taken forward by the industrial, academic and policy-making communities. These points will be captured in the full proceedings to be published later this year. Next year's Symposium will be on 20-21 September - get the dates in your diary now!

Next year's symposium

CTM Symposium in 2007 - "Successful innovation in an uncertain world"

Thursday 20 and Friday 21 September 2007 - Downing College, Cambridge