Design Is How It Work

Design in the twenty-first century is about creating experiences that consumers cannot get elsewhere and satisfying needs they never knew they had. A design culture starts with the CEO, who must allow the organization to rethink its innovation process and perhaps even its business processes. It requires experimenting, making mistakes, revisiting decisions, testing and trying different ideas — without worrying about quantifying risk, cost overruns, and other basics in a numbers-oriented business. Greene introduces us to eight companies (Porsche; Nike; LEGO; OXO, design-centric kitchenware; REI, outdoor outfitter; energy-food company Clif Bar; Ace Hotels; and Virgin Atlantic) of different sizes, in different industries and locations, new and old, publicly traded and privately held to show that design is something in which any company can succeed. Greene provides valuable information and insight for companies in all businesses as he explains the importance of design thinking. He quotes Apple’s Steve Jobs in discussing the iPod, “It’s design’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.