“Neither analysis nor intuition alone is enough. The most successful businesses in the years to come will balance analytical mystery and intuitive originality in a dynamic interplay that I call Design Thinking”. As I read this excerpt from Roger Martin's “The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive edge” I knew I had found my Eureka! moment.
As a designer with my own design shop, the greatest challenge I faced was developing a business out of a design venture. As I attempted to find the right balance between innovation and a business approach, I struggled with the dilemma of which way to lean towards. To my designer mind, making a business of design seemed to compromise innovation and passion. To my entrepreneurial mind, my business, though successful, would not achieve the heights I strive for.
With these thoughts in mind, I came to INSEAD 4 months ago. The question is have a been able to find this balance. Not yet. Insead is supposed to be one of the schools which focuses on design and its importance in business. Of course, the importance of design as a key differentiator, the culture at IDEO and like and the great design success story of Apple has been brought up. But since most businesses deal with mass production, whether it is services of products, customisation-the key factor of any design process has not yet been dealt with. How does one make a business of customisation? IDEO seems to do it well, and in fact so does McKinsey. But how do they do it? I question I hope shall get answered in my exciting new elective this term: Strategies for Product and Service Development. Lets see!
