Design Thinking for Leaders: A Strategy for Innovation

Innovation Practices for Leaders

The revolution taking place in design — as it emerges from its traditional role of serving commerce — to a role of leading, shaping and directing the way we live and work, presents tremendous opportunities for leaders in business and government. CEOs of major corporations are now applying design principles to strategy and innovation. They realize the success rate for innovation dramatically improves when it is designed.

A design mind-set is not problem-focused, it’s solution focused, and action oriented. The purpose of design, ultimately, is to improve quality of life. This workshop explores the strategic dimensions of design in leadership and management practices. The design way of thinking can be applied to systems, situations, procedures, protocols, and innovation.

Learn how to use design protocols as a problem-solving/opportunity-realizing tool to lead and manage innovation initiatives.

Workshop Topics:
• Overview of Design – as a body of principles, actions and results
• Distinctions between problem-solving and design
• Design Thinking as a model for leading and managing innovation
• Design protocols — rules for relationships, that foster innovation
• Case studies: P&G, IDEO, Mcdonough and Braungart, Bruce Mau/Massive Change

Learning Outcomes:
• Problem solving/opportunity realizing tools and methodologies
• Apply design thinking to innovation in projects, policies and procedures
• Facilitate productive and creative brainstorming sessions
• Develop strategic thinking skills
• A framework for leading and managing innovation
• Visual thinking skills

Time frame: 1/2 day or 1 day

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