DE
SIGN
CAPA
CITY
MODEL
Right /
Design Capacity Model
GUIDE /
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1. Design awareness
Who are the design thinkers?
All employees
see design as an
important factor
2. The importance of design
in internal processes
Design is present
in specific departments
Design is used in?
Top management
- on the strategic agenda
Strategy and
management
Innovation projects
Design is seen as
a possibility
Production processes
Product and service development, including finish and styling
No one
5. Design capabilities
Design capabilities
originate from?
Both internal
and external
designers
Internal
designers/
design
department
Marketing
Not important
External
designers
engaged
No
designers
employed
No engagement
Technology
driven innovation
User surveys and user feedback
User observations
and focus groups
Supplyer
driven innovation
Users are engaged in
processes in the company
User communities
and lead users
Market (user/customer)
driven innovation
3. Users involvement
How are users engaged?
4. Innovation drivers
DESIGN CAPACITY MODEL
– WHY?
What drives the
innovation processes?
Design driven innovation
(vision, market og technology)
D2i © 2014
The Design Capacity Model is developed in
the D2i – Design to innovate project by Professor Poul Rind Christensen and postdocs
Susanne Jensen, Marianne Storgaard, Pia
Storvang and Kiki Mikkelsen from the University of Southern Denmark. The model was
developed to help paint a picture of the use
of design in companies. The model serves to
give a systematic - but not complete - overview
of a company’s potential for strengthening
its innovative and competitive performance
through design initiatives.
The strength of the Design Capacity
Model is that it uses several dimensions to
describe the design practice within a company.
In consequence, several ways may be found to
improve the design potential of the company.
The model incorporates a dynamic perspective,
so companies can work towards a desired level
of design practice.
PURPOSE & APPLICATION
The Design Capacity Model is based on 5
dimensions, which measure how prepared a
company is to use design to support its development and growth.
Additionally, the model includes the framework
under which the company is working by measuring the company’s status. Together, the
five criteria and this status give an overall
impression of the company’s framework conditions, its design management capacity and
its use of design.
The Design Capacity Model cannot stand
alone, but must be seen in connection with
the impressions of the company that occur
through interview(s), consultations or other
contacts with the company. Also be aware
that the choice of the contact person(s) will
colour the picture.
The model has several applications.
Firstly, it can be used to identify the company’s
design management practice and to compare it
with other companies. Secondly, it can be used
as a dialogue tool, at e.g. design consultation
or other development activities. Thirdly, the
model can be used as basis for discussions
in the company about how the company wish
to improve its design capacity in the next few
years. This is done through measuring of status
and of wishes for the future. Furthermore, the
model enables measuring the current use of
design and the desired future.
Figures /
Examples of 6 different companies’ design capacity models.
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1. DESIGN AWARENESS
WHO ARE THE DESIGN THINKERS?
This dimension measures if there is an awareness and identifies the motivated employees that bring design methods
into play. Is only the management aware and motivated or is
it only specific departments (e.g. R&D, marketing) or are all
employees aware and motivated for working with design?
1.5. ALL EMPLOYEES SEE DESIGN AS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR
Design is integrated in all business processes in the company. The awareness involves management,
despartments and all other employees.
1.4. DESIGN IS PRESENT IN SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS
There is an awareness of the value of design in specific departments, however the same
motivation for prioritising design is not present within other departments or in the top management.
1.3. TOP MANAGEMENT - ON THE STRATEGIC AGENDA
Picture 1 / Design awareness can be present with individuals, departments or entire companies.
The management is aware of the value of design. Therefore, design is part of the company’s
strategy, but mainly as something coming from the management.
1.2. DESIGN IS SEEN AS A POSSIBILITY
There is a general awareness that design may be a possibility. The awareness is not linked to
specific departments/functions or the management.
1.1. NO ONE
Picture 2 / Who participates in the design work in the company?
Picture 3 / Design tools are used to identify the company’s customers.
Design is not a conscious and systematic part of the company’s business processes and is not
seen as a possibility.
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2. THE IMPORTANCE
OF DESIGN IN
INTERNAL
PROCESSES
WHERE IS DESIGN USED?
Here you measure the extent of design within the organisation
of the company and how design is present in the processes.
Design may be present at several levels in the company. It is
possible to tick off more than one answer.
2.6. STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT
Picture 4 / The Thermos cup combines aesthetic and functionality,
but design is not just a matter of products and services …
Design is present on the strategic level to define and solve complex issues regarding the entire
company and its continued strategic development.
2.5. INNOVATION PROJECTS
Design is a factor in the innovation processes of the company where design can contribute to
shape the process and the course of development.
2.4. PRODUCTION PROCESSES
Picture 5 / … but also a matter of processes and how design
may contribute to the development of the company.
Design plays a role in the planning and implementation of production processes, including choice
of materials, process technology and suppliers.
2.3. PRODUCT- AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
INCLUDING FINISH OG STYLING
Design is a factor in the development of new products and services and may manifest itself in
the form of finish and styling.
2.2. MARKETING
Picture 6 / An idea generating process at a workshop.
Design plays a roll in the market communication of the company, for instance in relation to sales
promotion, branding etc.
2.1. NOT IMPORTANT
Design is not included in any systematic way in the processes of the company.
Picture 7 / At Apple design permeates the entire company and they use design both
strategically and in internal processes.
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3. USER INVOLVEMENT
TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE USERS INVOLVED?
There is a significant difference between collecting information from
the users (e.g. via a questionnaire) and involving the users in the
shaping of a design solution. Users can be both customers and
end-users, but also other stakeholders involved in the development
processes of the company.
3.5. USER COMMUNITIES AND LEAD USERS
Picture 8 / Retrieval of information about users by means of questionnaires.
In this situation, the users will often make the first move to define problem areas or new possibilities
and the first development of a new solution. An example of ’lead users’ can be medical devices
where doctors play an important role as ’lead users’, but the practical implementation rests with the
equipment industry.
3.4. USERS ARE ENGAGED IN PROCESSES IN THE COMPANY
The users are active in the entire development process, or part of it, and act as integrated players.
Picture 9 / Focus groups may provide valuable information about users.
3.3. USER OBSERVATION AND FOCUS GROUPS
It may be difficult for the users to express their feelings (taste, aesthetics), needs, and wishes
because they are not even recognized yet. Thus, information is collected through user observations
and focus groups. Here, the users are more active, but still not fully integrated in the process as it is
the company that translates the collected knowledge to new products, services, processes etc.
Picture 10 / Observation of users may give access to knowledge of the
users’ unconscious needs.
3.2. USER SURVEYS AND USER FEEDBACK
Information on the users’ needs and wishes is collected through user studies, e.g. interviews or
questionnaires or other relevant user information. The users are not actively involved in the process
of development.
3.1. NO ENGAGEMENT
The users are not involved in any systematic way in the development processes of the company.
Picture 11 / Lead user - the surgeon John H. Gibbon invented in the 1930s the heart-lung machine as a
consequence of the death of a young patient.
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4. INNOVATION
DRIVERS
WHAT DRIVES THE INNOVATION PROCESSES?
This criterion deals with the central motivation behind the innovations of the company. Is it the technological possibilities,
signals from suppliers, the market or design driven solutions that
are the driving force for the innovative activities of the company?
4.4. DESIGN-DRIVEN INNOVATION
(VISIONS, MARKET AND TECHNOLOGY)
Picture 12 / Often technology is developed without any specific application
or product in mind. This is the case with the technology used in Blue-Ray.
Through language, knowledge and understanding design can create new meanings that signal
a certain lifestyle; this is true for instance for B&O but also for smartphones. You can say that
design-driven innovation involves an orientation towards both technology and market, but in a
new interpretation.
4.3. MARKET-DRIVEN INNOVATION
The market and the demand are considered to be the driving forces of innovation where the users’
needs are important factors for the development.
Picture 13 / The slide function of Nokia’s mobile phone emerged
when Nokia and their supplier together found new ways of using
existing components.
4.2. SUPPLIER-DRIVEN INNOVATION
One or more suppliers play an important role in relation to development of new technologies and
applications in new products, services or processes.
4.1. TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN INNOVATION
Picture 14 / Nespresso - an example of market driven innovation.
Picture 15 / Sony’s Walkman signals a certain lifestyle and is an example of design
driven innovation.
New technological breakthroughs are regarded as the driving force for the companies’
development of new products, services and processes. The technology may be developed as a
result of the company’s own investments in research and development or may be purchased.
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5. DESIGN CAPABILITIES
FROM WHERE DO DESIGN CAPABILITIES ORIGINATE?
Which design capabilities does the company have at its disposal? Own
employees? Or external designers? Or a combination? How are the design
activities organised? In this connection designers are not only designers
educated at Danish or foreign design schools, but also architects, graphic
designers, people with a university education with focus on design, e.g.
design managers.
5.4. BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DESIGNERS
The company has designers employed, but also uses external designers.
5.3. INTERNAL DESIGNERS/DESIGN DEPARTMENT
The company has employees with a design education.
5.2. EXTERNAL DESIGNERS ENGAGED
Picture 16 / The company may have designers employed
and/or engage external designers.
The company engages an external designer for short or long periods of time.
5.1. NO DESIGNERS EMPLOYED
The company does not employ or engage designers, and the purchase of external design services
is not worth mentioning.
Picture 17 / Post-its are the designer’s most important tool.
Picture 18 / Visualizing is one of the methods used by designers.
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BRI
EFLY
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Page 16
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AT THE HEART OF DESIGN-DRIVEN INNOVATION,
D2i BRINGS DESIGN RESEARCH AND PRACTICES TO BUSINESSES, PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND
OTHER KNOWLEDGE-BASED INSTITUTIONS
THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING WITH OR WISH
TO WORK WITH DESIGN THINKING AND DE-
CONTACT
SIGN-DRIVEN INNOVATION.
Thit Juul Madsen
WE’RE A PLATFORM FOR NETWORKING, DEVELOPMENT AND COLLABORATION.
Head of Secretariat
D2i – Design to innovate
+45 2528 4215
WE DELIVER THE LATEST RESEARCH AND PRAC-
thit@d2i.dk
TICES IN DESIGN THINKING AND DESIGN PROCESSES. AT THE SAME TIME WE ALSO CARRY
Poul Rind Christensen
OUT RESEARCH IN OUR OWN WORK, CONTIN-
Professor, Project Manager
UOUSLY ADDING TO THE MASS OF KNOWLEDGE
University of Southern Denmark
AT OUR FINGERTIPS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE
+45 6550 7541
GET EVEN BETTER AT DOING WHAT WE DO
rind@sam.sdu.dk
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D2i – Design to innovate © 2014