Prototype Exam 1 2/3

Designers

pragmatic creators with an emphasis on functional and esthetic design.

design thinkers

understand the technological innovation and ability to implement ideas.

design thinking

is about accelerating innovation to create better solutions to the challenges facing business and society

empathy

…is more than “customer-centered” it is “knowing” customers as real people with real problems.

invention

…is value creation starting with “what if?” vs. tweaks limited by constraints of budgets, ease of implementation, shareholder earnings, etc.

iteration

…is learning centered - successful invention takes experimentation and doesn’t let real and imagined constraints limit possibilities.

4 STAGES OF THE DESIGN THINKING PROCESS

Understand, then explore, then materialize, then scale

innovation

It’s creating a product or service that’s wholly new or combines existing technology in a novel way that the competition can’t make or even understand. (CREATIVITY + REALIZATION)

The innovation paradox

“The central role of product innovation in business strategy coupled with poor innovation performance by many firms has resulted in an urgent quest for solutions.

Self-sealing logic:

A cognitive trap where assumptions are protected from scrutiny, often leading to blind spots.

Collaborative iterative thinking

: A mindset that embraces feedback, iteration, and diverse perspectives to uncover hidden issues.

Product innovation

new or improved goods/services

service innovation

– new ways of delivering value

process innovation

better ways of doing things

technological innovation

new tech applications

form

How it looks and communicates

function

How it works and performs

emotion

How it makes people feel

product semantics

- the visual language of design.

communicates

It communicates a product's intended purpose and how it should be used through its design elements.

evokes emotions

It uses sensory properties to evoke specific sensations, emotions, and even cultural associations in the user

guides interaction

It provides users with intuitive cues to understand and interact with a product correctly.

visceral function

immediate sensory reaction

behavioral function

usability and performance

reflective function

- meaning and personal/cultural associations

reflective aesthetics

build deeper appreciation over time

language

Form is also a ______—designers use it to signal brand, values, and cultural relevance

Visceral Aesthetics

(e.g., color, texture) create desire.

scope

From strategy and portfolio management to project execution and commercialization.

Controllable inputs

Culture, Capability, Finance, Management

uncontrollable external forces

Competition, Policy, Global Trends, Suppliers

design criteria

act as a compass—they don’t eliminate uncertainty, but they help teams stay aligned with user needs, values, and goals.

product manager

Owns the product vision and lifecycle—from idea to launch and beyond.

project manager

Oversees execution of specific tasks or phases within a project.

Product

A good or service that meets market needs and evolves through its lifecycle.

Project

A temporary effort with defined outcomes and deliverables.

industrial products

Performance-driven, reliability-focused, often customized for integration into larger systems

consumer goods

: fast-moving, trend-sensitive, driven by aesthetics, convenience & emotional appeal.

Digital/software products

Rapid iteration cycles, low marginal cost, often service-oriented. ➔ Innovation driven by UX/UI, data, and platform scalability.

service based innovations

Intangible, experience-driven, often co-created with customers. ➔ Innovation driven by process design, customer interaction, and personalization.

processes

refer to the structured, repeatable activities and decision-making pathways that guide how ideas are generated, evaluated, developed, and brought to market. They are the connective tissue between strategy and execution — enabling organizations to move from insight to impact in a disciplined way.

Stage gate process

Structured decision-making and risk management Consumer goods, regulated industries

Lean startup process

Rapid experimentation and learning Startups, software, high uncertainty

design thinking process

Human-centered problem solving Services, UX design, complex challenges

Idea management

helps firms identify and qualify new technologies to create breakthrough products and services.

Key Activities Involved Activities include boundary spanning, technology scouting, applied research, and collaboration with early adopters.

Benefits for Organizations Systematic idea management enables proactive response to market changes and nurtures promising concepts into innovations.

market management

ensures that innovation is not just technically feasible, but also commercially viable.

platform management

is the strategic capability to design and plan a family of products or services using a shared set of modular components, technologies, or subsystems.

product management and portfolio management

the competencies that guide strategic prioritization, market alignment, and value delivery — and thus are central to go/kill decisions.

portfolio management

“There are two ways for a business to succeed at new products: doing projects right and doing the right projects. _____ is about doing the right projects”

portfolio

a collection of programs, projects and/or operations managed as a group. The components of a portfolio may not necessarily be interdependent or even related – but they are managed together as a group to achieve strategic objectives

breakthrough projects

These projects strive to bring a new product to the market with new technologies, depart significantly from existing organizational practices, and have a high level of risk.

platform projects

produce a set of subsystems and interfaces that form a common structure from which a stream of derivative products can be efficiently developed and produced. They provide the platform for founding derivative products/projects. They generally involve more risk than product enhancements or incremental improvements, but generally not as much as breakthrough.

Derivative projects

spin‐offs from other existing products or platforms. They may fill a gap in an existing product line, offer more cost‐competitive manufacturing, or offer enhancements and features based on core organization technology. Generally, they are relatively low risk.

support projects

can be incremental improvements in existing products or improvements in manufacturing efficiency of an existing product. Generally, they are low risk.

Joint ventures or M&A projects.

New product opportunities will often arise outside of the organization. These may include joint ventures or mergers and acquisitions. Just like the internal projects, these opportunities will consume finances and resources and should be considered as part of overall portfolio management.

quantitative evaluation

most financially based

qualitative evaluation

subjective. Nevertheless, there is a sound body of evidence that organizations using scoring methods in portfolio management achieve significant portfolio success. These methods are usually based on evaluating opportunities against a specific set of criteria (Internal strengths?, Superior product?)

strategic fit

Are the projects consistent with the articulated strategy? For example, if certain technologies or markets are specified as areas of strategic focus, do the projects fit into these areas?

strategic contribution

What specific goals are defined in the business strategy? For example, “capture a larger share of an existing market” or “break into a new product category.” How well will the projects contribute to achieving these goals?

strategic priorities

Does the breakdown of the investment across the portfolio reflect the strategic priorities? For example, if the organization seeks technology leadership, the portfolio's balance of projects should reflect this focus.

development phase

Pre-launch stage where the product is being conceptualized, designed, and tested.

introduction phase

High uncertainty, low sales, high investment - enters the market; low awareness and adoption.

growth phase

Rapid market acceptance and scaling. Competition emerges

maturity phase

Market saturation; competition intensifies. Efficiency focus with incremental innovation

decline phase

Market shrinks with reduced demand, cost-cutting measures, potential reinvention or exit

low

If the uncertainties are high, keep the stakes _____

value risk

(whether customers will buy it, or users will choose to use it)

usability risk

(whether users can figure out how to use it)

feasability risk

whether our engineers can build what we need with the time, skills, and technology available within the organization

business viability risk

(whether this solution also works for the various aspects of the business strategy)

organizational design

the interplay of structure, culture and incentives that either enable or stifle creativity. Companies that successfully innovate well often design for creativity intentionally.

structure

How we organize work

culture

how we think and behave

incentives

How we reward

work processes

What new innovation processes are needed?

structures and roles

What new roles or teams are required?

talent and capabilities

How do we get the right people in the right roles?

culture

the shared beliefs, core values, assumptions, and expectations of people in the organization.

climate

the set of properties of the work environment, perceived directly or indirectly by employees, that has a major effect on employee behavior:

inattention to results

The pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the focus on collective success.

avoidance of accountability

The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team members from holding one another accountable.

lack of committment

The lack of clarity or buy-in prevents team members from making decisions they will stick to.

fear of conflict

The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles the occurrence of productive ideological conflict.

absence of trust

The fear of being vulnerable with team members prevents the building of trust within the team.