Case studies

‘Innovation by design’  Good Practices from Design4Innovation Partner Regions 

“Creativity is the generation of new ideas. 
Innovation is the successful exploitation of new ideas. 
Design is what links creativity and innovation. It shapes ideas to become practical and attractive propositions for users or customers.” 
Sir George Cox 

“Design leads to innovation and innovation demands design.”
Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo

 

In recent years, design has gained significant recognition as a user-centred method for innovating not only products, but also services, business models, public service delivery and policy creation. A growing number of studies reveal that companies that invest strategically in design are more profitable and grow faster. This is being recognised by government who are seeking to support companies to use design more effectively. Design is one of ten innovation priorities for the European Union. However, still over half of European businesses do not use design.  

Design4Innovation is a partnership of eight European organisations aiming to increase innovativeness and competitiveness of small and medium enterprises by supporting them to use design. We have collated a collection of case studies demonstrating how design can have an impact on innovation across Design4Innovation partner regions:

1. Wales - Timesco Healthcare - From an innovative product concept to innovating business model
2. Wales - Riversimple Movement - Designing a circular value network for a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle company
3. Flanders - Addax Motors - Improving quality of urban life with sustainable logistics 
4. Flanders - Boplan - Designed for the industry
5. Flanders - ETAP Lightning - Re-designing lightning as a service
6. Central Macedonia - Entranet - Simplifying technology with users
7. Latvia - Madara - Design-driven innovation in cosmetics
8. Malta - Valletta 2018 Foundation - Valletta Design Cluster
9. Malta - Deep Shelter Project - Design and Art Interventions Interview Room Day Ward
10. Silesia - Parkanizer - Smart parking information and management system for cities and commercial car parks
11. Silesia - Parostatek Social Cooperative - Entrepreneurial women redesigning a small-town services market
12. Galicia - Norvento - Headquarters of Norvento
13. Galicia - Formato Verde - Waste container BIG BIN
14. Catalonia - Emokio tOgs - First interactive step to developing digital skills

This exhibition was part of the partnership meeting in Valletta on 11-12 April 2018, and part of official programme of the Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture.