Introductory description

This module is designed to guide the MSMS students through the process of product ideation to creation. It will develop student’s appreciation and understanding of the contribution that service and product design makes to organizational success.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Design definitions and management processes
Overview – what is design?
Design as a management process

Designing for competitive advantage
Generating ideas through design thinking.
Using design to create new meanings.
Using design to solve complex problems.
Managing creativity.
Approaches to innovation.

Design as strategy.
Organizational ambidexterity.
New product design
New service design
Impact of design on performance.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Define the main concepts of design, design thinking, and design as a process.
• Explain why design and design thinking are important for organizations.
• Identify the tensions that exist between design functions and other organizational departments.
• Explain the difference in the role of design for incremental versus radical innovation.
• Analyse and evaluate design thinking as an integrative process.
• Critically apply the eight core design thinking characteristics.
• Critically compare and contrast the benefits and limitations of each type.

Indicative reading list

The primary textbook for this module is
Verganti, R. (2009) Design-driven Innovation Boston: Harvard Business School

Additional recommended readings:
Beverland, M., Wilner, S. and Micheli, P. (2015), ‘Reconciling the tension between consistency and relevance: design thinking as a mechanism for brand ambidexterity’, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43, 5, pp. 589–609.
Cooper, R. (2009) 'How Companies are Reinventing Idea-to-launch Methodologies' Research Technology Management, 52, 2,pp. 47-57.
Luchs, M. and Swan, K.S. (2011) 'Perspective: The emergence of Product Design as a Field of Marketing Inquiry' Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28, pp. 327-45.
Micheli, P.; Jaina, J.; Goffin, K.; Lemke, F. and Verganti, R. (2012) 'Perceptions of Product Design: The "Means" and the "Ends"' Journal of Product Innovation Management, 29, 5, pp. 687-704.
Lifshitz-Assaf, H. (2017). Dismantling Knowledge Boundaries at NASA: The Critical Role of Professional Identity in Open Innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, In Press.
Chesbrough, H.W. and Teece, D. (1996) 'When is Virtual Virtuous? Organising for Innovation' Harvard Business Review, 74, pp.65-73.
Christensen, C.M. (1997) The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Lojacono, G. and Zaccai, G. (2004)'The Evolution of the Design Inspired Enterprise' MIT Sloan Management Review, 45, 3, pp.74-9
Ravasi, D. and Stigliani, I. (2012) 'Product Design: A Review and Research Agenda for Management Studies' InternationalJournal of Management Reviews, 14, 4, pp. 464-88.
Tomke S. and von Hippel, E. (2002) 'Customers as Innovators: A New Way to Create Value' Harvard Business Review, 80, 4, pp. 74-8 1.
Verganti, R. (2009)'Design, Meanings, and Radical Innovation: A Metamodel and a Research Agenda' Journal of Product Innovation Management, 25, pp. 436-5 6.
Veryzer, R.W. and Borja de Mozota, B. (2005) 'The Impact of User-Oriented Design on New Product Development: An Examination of Fundamental Relationships' Journal of Product Innovation Management, 22, 2, pp. 128-43.
Perks, H.; Cooper, R. and Jones, C. (2005) 'Characterizing the Role of Design in New Product Development: An Empirically Derived Taxonomy' Journal of Product Innovation Management, 22, 2, pp. 111-27.
Czarnitzki, D. and Thorwarth, S. (2012)'The Contribution of In-house and External Design Activities to Product Market Performance' Journal of Product Innovation Management, 29, 5, pp. 878-95.
Gemser, G.; Candi, M. and van den Ende, J. (2011) 'How Design Can Improve Firm Performance' Design Management Review, 22, 2, pp. 77.
Candi, M. (2010)'Benefits of Aesthetic Design as an Element of New Service Development' Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27, pp. 1,047-64.

Research element

Demonstrate research skills to gain sufficient information to be able to meaningfully demonstrate how design thinking can be adopted to gain competitive advantage

Subject specific skills

Compare and evaluate different approaches to New Product/Service Development Processes (Stage-Gate, Iterations, Behavioral).
Effectively deploy design management tools and techniques.
Define and analyze the main types of innovation (radical vs. incremental; disruptive; user driven, user generated, and user-centred).
Evaluate the impact of design on performance (social, environmental, and financial).

Transferable skills

Demonstrate written communication skills.
Demonstrate problem solving skills.
Demonstrate leadership, team building and project management skills.