Monday, 23 June 2008

B1. Giving Form to Business Strategy

Design can be active at 3 levels within an organisation:
  1. level of corporate strategy - design expresses the vision, values and beliefs of the organisation (corporate identity etc.)
  2. the business-unit level - design is used tactically to help achieve business-unit goals (organisation might conduct design audit when entering new markets to benchmark the compatition etc.)
  3. at an operational level - design is present in the day-to-day operations and in the refining the prouct or service development process
The greatest support within an organisation receive design projects that reinforce:
  • the brand
  • add value
  • create competitive advantage
Design is:
  • set of methods
  • a process
  • the implementation of a project

The client brief
Brief describes:
  • what the organisation would like to achieve
  • the market opportunity identified
  • an estimate of the budget
  • time allocated
  • any key deadlines
  • should clarify needs
  • should set the project parameters
Elements <> Contains
  1. Introduction <> Information about the project background and opportunity identified
  2. Company <> Information about the organisation, its brand values, methods of operation and its existing customers
  3. Customers <> Information about the organisation's target customers
  4. Competition <> A review of the organisation's competitors and their unique selling points
  5. Positioning <> Information about the proposed strategy and plan for action
  6. Design challenge <> Information about project objectives, scope of work, expected outcomes and specifications
  7. Metrics for success <> An outline of how the project's success will be measured
  8. Programme plan <> An outline of the project's stages, phases and milestones
  9. Costs <> A list of fees, expenses and product costs

The design brief
It takes into account both the 'business' and the 'design' point of view
It is a creative response to client's brief

Reflects:
  • the knowledge
  • skills
  • experience of the design team
  • the strategic objectives
  • business viability of the project
Needs to:
  • motivate the design team to create the great work
  • translate statistical charts and business jargon into information that the design team can put into effective use
It will include:
  • the business case
  • key findings
  • project goals, aims and objectives
  • background research and future aspirations
  • target audiences and end-users
  • functional requirements and specifications
  • key project and process stages
  • timescales and deadlines
  • milestones, performance measures
  • project deliverables
At early stages it will not include exactly what it is or what form it will take. It may well be

Needs to be realistic and achievable within the costs and timescale.

Design manager identifies:
revised or become more detailed as the design process evolves.
  • client contact
  • stakeholders
  • team members
  • lead design consultancy or creative agency
  • sub-agencies
  • specialist consultants
  • agree the roles and responsibilities, channels of communication

Design resource
Design rosters are lists of design-service providers who have been pre-approved for consultation and potential engagement on a project.

They can be approved through:
  • open call invitation
  • reputation
  • previous success
  • are usually pre-checked by internal procurement department

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For Major Project
The client brief:
  • open - self directed study
The design brief includes:
  • Learning Contract (with Rob)
  • signed 'Final Major Project' team agreement (Team E, TUBE)
  • Team fishbone, Project fishbone
  • What, Who, Where... project specifications
  • The design brief

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