Frans Joziasse, Founder of PARK (Europe) traveled to Los Angeles for LA Design Week 2018. He presented a talk about ‘Managing and Leading Design from a European Perspective’. The talk took place at the General Assembly location in downtown, Los Angeles.

Frans introduced PARK and how the consultancy helps companies manage and lead design innovation. European case studies from clients LEGO, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Bang & Olufsen (B&O), Stokke and Kvadrat showcased opportunities and challenges around managing design lead innovation. After 20+ years of experience in design management, Frans presented PARK’s “10 Key Success Factors for Design & Innovation Leadership”:

1. Have clear Innovation Definitions, communicate & apply them
2. Connect Long-Term Business/Growth Objectives with Design & Innovation
3. Balance incremental/adjacent/breakthrough Innovations
4. Plan and monitor short, mid, long term Design & Innovation Pipeline
5. Establish Feasible/Viable/Desirable/Sustainable Innovation Opportunities
6. Go beyond Product Design & Innovation, it’s System Design & Innovation!
7. Establish multi-disciplinary/ambidextrous Front-End Team
8. Scope Opportunity Directions and Opportunities continuously
9. Combine Discipline/Rigor with Flexibility and Agility
10. Iterate, Prototype and Test with Consumers

The talk concluded with open discussion centered around the differences of American Design versus European Design, global trend foresight and insights on the future of design and innovation. The audience was amazed to learn similar business and innovation challenges in Europe and United States with emphasis on understanding the differences between global customer’s experiences.

Thank you to everyone that attended the event and hope to see you at 2019 LA Design Week.

Read more about this event.