Research to define design-led innovation

Transcription

1 Invitatin t tender Research t define design-led innvatin Nvember 2016 Design Cuncil is the UK gvernment s adviser n design and recgnised as a leading authrity n the use f strategic design. We use design as a strategic tl t tackle majr scietal challenges, drive ecnmic grwth and innvatin, and imprve the quality f the built envirnment. This paper invites tenders t help us prvide a definitin and cdificatin f the term design-led innvatin. This is the first in a series f prjects frming part f ur refreshed Leading Business by Design research prgramme. 1. Backgrund t the prject Design-led innvatin is an increasingly used term, which is nly likely t becme mre prevalent as the UK cntinues t transitin frm a capital t knwledge intensive ecnmy. There are a number f trends infrming this research prject and which it will seek t infrm: The added value f design Our Design Ecnmy research (2015) was able t measure the ecnmic cntributin f the design sectr (i.e. the wrkers and businesses that d design ) in terms f hw many there are, and hw much mney they make. Hwever, this measurement f ecnmic value des nt fully capture the added value f design. In ther wrds, whilst the design sectr(s) may be wrth 72bn t the UK ecnmy, further evidence is required t explain why it is distinct frm any ther sectr. Our riginal Leading Business by Design research series ( ) essentially aimed t d this, in terms f design s rle in prmting business grwth. While mderately successful in its wn right, as a small qualitative study tackling a big subject, further research is required. Nn-technlgical innvatin The phrase design-driven innvatin has n cnsistent definitin; hwever it is ften classed as a type f nn-technlgical innvatin. Fr instance, in the Eurpean Cmmissin s Innvatin Unin, they state that:

2 When applied t services, systems and rganisatins, user-centred design thinking drives business mdel innvatin, rganisatinal innvatin and ther frms f nn-technlgical innvatin. 1 This type f nn-technlgical innvatin is the driver behind the mst high-prfile innvative business successes in recent years, including s-called unicrn cmpanies such as AirBnB and Uber. These cmpanies have created markets nt n the back f new technlgical r bichemical innvatins, but rather marketing r business mdel innvatin and the creatin f new prduct meaning. The afrementined cmpanies are clear examples f what is pssible with a deeper understanding f why peple use a prduct r a service. The success f these types f cmpanies is ften given as the underpinning ratinale fr natinal innvatin plicies. 2 Hwever the resulting natinal plicies tend t be heavily fcussed n the precise ppsite: high-end, capital-intensive, technlgical innvatin as a result f university research and industrial investment. The terminlgy is prblematic, as clearly design-driven innvatin can be technlgical, in that it makes use f new and existing technlgies, especially including digital technlgies. This may be ne f the issues that this research culd seek t address: prpsing a better set f terms and definitins fr the type f innvatin that design can enable and that the Design Cuncil supprts. Place-based innvatin Innvatin plicies have, t-date, primarily been natinal (fcussed n higher educatin, research and innvatin funding, IP and ther natinal regulatry factrs). Hwever lcal authrities nw have a direct remit t prmte business grwth in their area (alngside Lcal Enterprise Partnerships), and alngside this devlutin (thrugh City Deals, Devlutin Deals, and ther ancillary pwers fr city regins) has increased the remit f lcal places t prmte ecnmic grwth and inward investment. In additin t changes in lcal gvernance, in 2016, BEIS launched Science and Innvatin Audits, which asked cnsrtia f LEPs, universities and businesses t map their research and innvatin strengths and identify areas f ptential glbal cmpetitive advantage. They used data frm natinal research and innvatin funders, IP registratins, citatin databases, etc., t d this. Hwever this prcess des nt currently include data related t design-led innvatin. 1 Actin Plan fr Design-Driven Innvatin (2013), Eurpean Cmmissin, p.4, 2 Fr instance the prpsal fr a Eurpean Innvatin Cuncil: 2

3 There is therefre nw a space t prmte the pssibilities fr lcal places t encurage innvatin-led grwth, and design-led innvatin (i.e. cheap, userdriven, market-fcussed innvatin) culd be ne slutin. Furthermre, in identifying clusters f activity, we wuld be able t demnstrate the factrs which fster design-led innvatin. This apprach will enable us t link data frm this research prgramme t data frm ur Design Ecnmy and Skills research prjects, infrming strategic investment and plicy decisins in intercnnected areas, such as skills and infrastructure. Hw we currently define design-led innvatin As the afrementined trends demnstrate, there is much ptential fr the increased applicatin f design-led innvatin, thugh there remains a degree f ambiguity as t what design-led innvatin is. Varius definitins have been published, thugh few which describe it in terms that are cmmnly understd: i.e. precise, measurable, ecnmic terms. When it cmes t defining design-led innvatin, we knw that we are nt starting frm a blank slate. Design-led innvatin (r design innvatin the terms are ften used interchangeably) has a histry f several decades, emerging ut f traditinal industrial design (nt unlike the Design Cuncil itself) and cntinues t be refined as a definitin and demnstrated in practice. An internal literature review undertaken by Design Cuncil suggests there are a number f definitins we can draw n and reference fr this research prject, starting back frm 1979 and including the Cx Review (2005) and The Design Ecnmy (2015). When it cmes t design-led innvatin, there are a number f imprtant cncepts cmmn acrss the literature: Design-led innvatin is abut the creatin f new prduct meaning, nt just new prducts. This means having a deeper understanding f why peple use a prduct r service is essential. Design-led innvatin invlves designers using design techniques t achieve this, such as reframing f the design prblem, persnas, user testing etc. Design-led innvatin has peple s needs at its cre, but ges beynd simply asking peple what they want, t understand peple s latent needs and mtivatins. Designers are als able t use design techniques t examine hw peple s needs and mtives are changing, understanding the interactin between transient trends and mre universal principles. Our ambitin is fr this research prject is t build n existing evidence and prvide a clear definitin f what design-led innvatin is and hw it can be recgnised, measured and defined.. 3

4 2. Overall research bjectives In respnse t the afrementined trends, Design Cuncil has refreshed the Leading Business by Design research prgramme, which will nw seek t define and measure design-led innvatin. This ITT frms the first part f this research prgramme. The principle aim f the latest Leading Business by Design (LBBD) research prgramme is: t prduce a quantitative framewrk fr defining and measuring designled innvatin. Our verall bjectives fr this research prgramme are: T develp a definitive accunt f what design-led innvatin is and lks like T develp a quantitative framewrk fr the measurement f design-led innvatin T better understand the factrs which fster design-led innvatin T map design-led innvatin spatially This term is much used in plicy (and by the Design Cuncil), but we are lacking a clear definitin f what precise activity it refers t. We acknwledge we culd be better infrmed as t hw it culd be measured at a natinal r lcal level, and are seeking t redress this thrugh the first phase f research utlined in this ITT. 3. Research questins The prpsed tp-line research questin fr the LBBD research prgramme is: What are the factrs which fster design-led innvatin in places? Hwever in rder t answer this questin, a number f preliminary questins need t be answered: A. What is meant by design-led (r design-driven) innvatin? B. Is this phenmenn quantifiable? C. If s, is it currently captured by any existing data surces? Is this data spatial? D. If nt, what wuld be needed t measure it? Equally, nce we answer these questins, we are able t answer a number f fllw-n questins, including: E. Where is this activity mst prevalent in the UK? F. What plicy drivers are successful in encuraging it? 4

5 G. What are the ecnmic and scial benefits f prmting design-led innvatin? H. Hw d changes in the built envirnment affect it? 4. What is being cmmissined thrugh this Invitatin t Tender? Aims and bjectives fr this cntract Our prpsal is that in rder t eventually prduce a spatial index and uncver the factrs which fster design-led innvatin in places, it will first be necessary t undertake several stages f research. The main aim f this first stage f research will be: T define design-led innvatin This cmmissin frms the first step twards ur gal f defining and measuring design-led innvatin, and thrugh it we wuld like t answer the fllwing research questins: A. What is meant by design-led (r design-driven) innvatin? B. Is this phenmenn quantifiable? C. If s, is it currently captured by any existing data surces? Is this data spatial? D. If nt, what wuld be needed t measure it? The bjectives fr this cnsultancy supprt are: T prduce a clear, wrking definitin f design-led innvatin T prvide recmmendatins n hw t measure design-led innvatin, r hw t plug gaps in the evidence base 5. Apprach We have scped ut an apprach we think wuld wrk fr this particular research prject. Hwever we welcme alternative suggestin and recmmendatins. As a first step in cmpleting this prject, we recmmend defining design-led innvatin by cnsulting with key stakehlders within Design Cuncil and acrss the design ecnmy. Design Cuncil will assist with the sampling fr this. This prcess will infrm the scpe f a literature review, which will be used t refine the definitin f design-led innvatin by drawing n a wider range f literature and research utside f Design Cuncil s wn cann. 5

6 Using the utcmes frm this prcess, the cntracted research team culd then undertake a scping review f datasets which quantify this activity (e.g. Design Ecnmy, Small Business Survey, UK Innvatin Survey). We recgnise that the nature f this research prject means the cntracted research team may nt find secndary datasets which will adequately enable us t create a spatial index and uncver the factrs which fster design-led innvatin in places. As such, fllwing this prcess, the next step will entail either recmmendatins n hw t measure design-led innvatin (using existing datasets), r hw t plug gaps in the evidence base (by cmmissining new primary research). These recmmendatins, alng with preliminary findings and/r learning frm the research, will be delivered t internal stakehlders (including the research spnsr, the Department fr Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy) in early March 2017, and disseminated externally later the same mnth. Our ambitin is fr the definitin f design-led innvatin develped thrugh this prject t becme ur adpted apprach. We plan t create additinal cllateral fllwing this prject t cmmunicate the definitin f design-led innvatin. We als plan t use the utputs frm this prject (e.g. the final reprt) acrss all areas f ur wrk, including in ur plicy and public affairs wrk. This means the utputs will need t be f the highest quality. This apprach will als establish the platfrm fr the launch f ur ther research prject tw mnths later, which lks at design skills fr innvatin and prductivity. 6. Audiences The audiences fr this piece f wrk are: Central gvernment plicymakers LEPs Lcal authrities Industry and the private sectr (i.e. SMEs and large crprates) Thught leaders acrss the design and innvatin sectrs 7. Deliverables Depending n the utcmes f this research, we expect ne f the fllwing utputs frm this wrk: Reprt with preliminary findings n hw t define and measure design-led activity, r; Reprt n hw t define and measure design-led activity with recmmendatins fr imprving the evidence base n design-led innvatin 6

7 8. Timescale fr this cntract Belw we have utlined an apprximate timescale fr this cntract, thugh this wuld be subject t discussin with the successful cntractr. Tender applicatins clse 1pm, 18 th Nvember 2016 Supplier shrtlist interviews 23 rd Nvember Inceptin meeting W/B 28 th Nvember (TBC) Draft reprt Date TBC with supplier Presentatin t steering grup W/B 13 th February 2017 Final full reprt 24 th February 2017 Presentatin at external launch April 2017 (date TBC) 9. Management arrangements The day-t-day cntact will be Stephen Miller, Research & Evaluatin Manager stephen.miller@designcuncil.rg.uk The steering grup members will be cnfirmed t the supplier upn appintment, but will include Stephen Miller, Sally Bentn (Directr, Plicy & Cmmunicatins, Design Cuncil) as well as representatives frm ther key stakehlder rganisatins (TBC). The research will reprt t the steering grup and will be signed ff by them. Verbal r written prgress reprts will be required frm the supplier n a frtnightly basis. 10. Budget The ttal budget fr this wrk is 25,000, nt including VAT. A detailed breakdwn f csts, day rates and days allcated per member f staff is required within the prpsal. 11. The bidding prcess Submissin requirements Prpsals shuld be a maximum f 8 A4 pages. Within the page limit the prpsal shuld cver the fllwing: A succinct summary f the prpsal 7

8 Details f the apprach and methds t be used, including any adjustments yu wuld make t ur prpsed methdlgy and yur ratinale fr ding s Issues and challenges faced in answering the research questins, and hw yu wuld expect t vercme these Yur rganisatin s experience f undertaking similar research Details f the persnnel t be invlved including their rle fr this evaluatin and their previus relevant experience (CV s t be included as an appendix) Arrangements fr managing this wrk and quality assuring utputs, including hw yu wuld like t wrk with Design Cuncil during the research A detailed budget, with a breakdwn f time and csts per activity and per team member the budget shuld als include any anticipated expenses and specify if it includes VAT Cnsideratin f any ethical and ther research gvernance issues If yu have any queries regarding this tender, they may be submitted in writing t Stephen Miller Stephen.miller@designcuncil.rg.uk by 5pm n 11 th Nvember Criteria fr selectin The criteria, belw will frm the basis fr shrtlisting and interview: Criteria Weighting (%) Experience f cnducting similar and relevant research, 35 particularly in design r in the Creative Industries Evidence f an understanding f design and its measurement and 20 impact Suitability f prpsed methdlgy 20 Track recrd fr presenting engaging evidence with cmpelling 15 writing Prpsed budget and value fr mney f the prpsal 10 Selectin prcess Ptential suppliers shuld cnfirm whether r nt they intend t bid by 5pm n 11 th Nvember The prpsals shuld be sent t Stephen.miller@designcuncil.rg.uk by the deadline f 1pm n Friday 18 th Nvember 2016 Interviews will be held n 23 rd Nvember, Any queries shuld be sent t Stephen.miller@designcuncil.rg.uk by 5pm n 11 th Nvember