The role of design professionals' in innovation is growing towards a more strategic one. They are no longer just executors of new product and/or service design briefs but are increasingly involved in the crafting of these briefs and in the strategic decisions leading to these briefs. In order to effectively play this role, design professionals need to master a set of strategic practices - i.e., routinized actions and ways of working. However, since the strategic role of designers is a relativ...

Many designs that appear in today's society will circulate and encounter audiences of many different cultures and languages. With communication comes responsibility; are designers aware of the meaning and impact of their work? An image or symbol that is acceptable in one culture can be offensive or even harmful in the next. A typeface or colour in a design might appear to be neutral, but its meaning is always culturally dependent. If designers learn to be aware of global cultural contexts, we...

You are negotiating every day, whether it's with business partners, colleagues, in the community or at home. The challenge isn't to get as much for yourself as you can at the other's expense. It's in the art of searching together for possibilities that serve as many interests as possible. The premise of this book is that it's both possible and necessary to create value together, distribute the consequences fairly, while strengthening the relationship. In times where 'win as much as you can' i...

Je onderhandelt elke dag, of het nou met zakenpartners, collega's, thuis of elders in de samenleving is. De uitdaging is niet om zo veel mogelijk te winnen ten koste van de ander maar om samen te zoeken naar mogelijkheden die voor beide partijen het meeste opleveren. Het uitgangspunt van dit boek is dat het zowel mogelijk als noodzakelijk is om samen waarde te creëren, de consequenties redelijk te verdelen en tegelijkertijd de relatie te versterken. Nu de populariteit van 'zoveel mogelijk wi...