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12/05/2008
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The ability to innovate can help to lift a company above its rivals and win more business – an approach rewarded in the Innovation & Design Excellence Awards
Design-based companies are working harder and harder to add value, differentiate their products and get to market first.
Technology can help; so can experience. But it is the ability to innovate – to do things differently in order to succeed commercially – that can help to lift these companies above the pack.
There are similarities between these companies: they usually encourage calculated risk-taking; they lead rather than follow; they collaborate widely; and they have cultures that foster these approaches.
These are all qualities recognised by the judges of the Innovation & Design Excellence Awards (iDEA), which runs again in 2008. The awards, organised by Cranfield School of Management, Eureka and New Electronics, are unique – as they are judged on the basis of a rigorous audit visit rather than simply a written entry form. There are seven categories this year, plus the overall ‘Innovator of the Year’ Award (see box).
“Innovation has moved to the top of the agenda in many companies,” says Marek Szwejczewski of Cranfield School of Management, and director of the Awards. “While many people appreciate the importance of innovation, most lack the experience and understanding to develop and launch innovative new products.”
Winners of last year’s Awards – including prosthetics manufacturer Blatchford, design consultancy PDD and gas detector company Crowcon – all proved an innovative approach to idea generation and product design.
For example, the development of Blatchford’s Smart IP (“intelligent prosthetic”) leg – which adapts automatically to walking conditions – was led by David Moser, and based largely on work he carried out as part of his biomechanics PhD.
Historically, the Awards have focused only on established products – which have three years’ worth of sales to prove their market success. This year, for the first time, there will be a New Product Award. This will assess a product that has been on the market for less than 12 months – so the judges are looking solely at the process used to develop the product.
Any kind of entry form – whether it a tax return or a lottery ticket – is slightly daunting. The iDEA form has been simplified to make it easier to complete – though there will be no reduction in the rigour of the judging process.
Part 1 – a single page – is completed by everybody. It asks for basic information on the nature of the company. Entrants then fill in one of two sections depending on whether they develop their own products, or whether they are a design consultancy.
The questions ask detailed questions about company culture, products and financial information. These help the judges build up a picture of the organisation – and decide which ones to select for an audit visit.
More details on iDEA 2008 can be found on the Awards website below where there is also a downloadable entry form.
iDEA categories
Design Collaboration Award
Cycle Time Reduction Award
Best Design Consultancy
Best Small Company
Product Design Innovation Award
New Product Award
Environmental Innovation Award
Innovation of the Year Award
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Author
Tom Shelley
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