Entrepreneur

In changing world, design is Detroit’s untapped strength


Designers are the key to Detroit’s future. That may seem like a bold claim, but it is one that we feel even more confident making after reading the special report on workforce trends, “When Tech Joins the Team,” in the Jan. 20 issue of Crain’s Detroit Business.

The article argues that to generate the greatest economic returns from artificial intelligence and automation, companies will need to redefine processes and business models in addition to increasing the technical ability of their workforce to work with new technology. Not only will this result in cost savings, but more importantly, better services and products.

How can our region be the leader of the fourth industrial revolution like we were for the third? By leveraging — and growing — our inherent advantage in design. Design skills and mindsets are the key to creating the business models and processes that make technology relevant to the real world.

The talent to lead this change is here in the region already, but it must be amplified and empowered. Most importantly, it must evolve to respond to changing market demands to create the cutting edge, not just be on it.

Steve Jobs is quoted as saying, “Design is not what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works.” Designers are creative problem solvers that imagine new systems for objects, environments and activities within a set of constraints.

A 2017 report by the United Kingdom’s Design Council found that 43 percent of workers using design skills were more likely to be in jobs requiring and generating innovation, compared with an average of just 6 percent for the wider U.K. workforce. These skills extend beyond architecture, product and graphic design to services and systems, user experience, and the interaction of people and products with technology.

Designers are now part researcher, maker, social scientist, natural scientist and engineer, as well as social worker and community organizer. When their leadership is tapped, they can create new business models that are relevant and adaptable.

McKinsey and Co’s 2018 “The Business Value of Design” report found that the companies that were best at deploying design practices increased revenue by 32 percent and returns to shareholders by 56 percent more than their industry counterparts did over a five-year period.

College for Creative Studies and other local design programs are turning out the talent that can develop these business models, joining the 97,000 people working in research, engineering and design across every sector in our region. The Detroit region is 16 times more concentrated in industrial and commercial designers than the national average. This is our competitive edge, and we cannot afford to lose it.

To stay relevant in a changing world, business models of the future will need to embrace inclusion as a core principle. Artificial intelligence used to drive Industry 4.0 must be designed in a way that avoids bias.

Increasingly, designers are emphasizing inclusion in their practice to reach people that may otherwise be excluded, due to age, race/ethnicity, physical ability, language, geography or income. This means inclusive business models that can reach more customers, increase satisfaction, and minimize product retrofit costs. Innovations, like the touchscreen, result when designing for inclusion and serve everyone.

As the only UNESCO City of Design in the United States, Detroit has already set its sights on becoming an inclusive design capital. Over 60 businesses, institutions and organizations are working together to make that a reality. Detroit’s design talent must understand the diverse cultures of the world, researching what works and what doesn’t.

We must double down on these regional design strengths, not just to stay abreast of the trends but to leapfrog them. Both Singapore and Helsinki have adopted tools and pedagogy that integrate design methods into primary and secondary education. They are training problem-solvers for the future, workers who will have the creative mindset and problem-solving skills to harness artificial intelligence to create new processes, systems and innovations, and ultimately, new economic value.

When it comes to automation and artificial intelligence, it’s not enough to play the game. You need to design the game, and Detroit has the talent to do that. College for Creative Studies and Design Core are committed to help — is your company ready?



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