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DESIGN FOR LEADING THE ELEMENTS OF WORLD CLASS PRODUCT DESIGN

Product design excellence$$design that is innovative, aesthetically appealing, and highly usable$$is increasingly vital to

success. Companies in electronics, home appliances, and even fast$-$moving consumer goods have invested in cutting$-$edge

design capabilities that were once mainly the concern of industries characterized by rapidly evolving style preferences,

such as automotive and apparel. The incentives are clear: companies with a track record of launching well$-$designed

products show strong sales growth and solid brand images. Apple is perhaps the most visible example of how good design

can drive market success, generating new interest in longtime mass$-$market categories $($such as desktop computers$)$ while

creating mass$-$market demand for one$-$time niche products $($such as tablets$).$ Similarly innovative and iconic product design

has been essential to organizations as diverse as cleaning$-$products company Method and vacuum manufacturer Dyson.

Several forces are coming together to promote design as a fundamental business capability. Rising product complexity, for

example, increases the value of intuitive interfaces, while for mature product lines, the threat of commoditization leaves

design as one of the few remaining points of differentiation. Furthermore, rapidly expanding middle classes in emerging

markets are exposing companies to new sets of preferences and to consumers who are discriminating about the products

they choose. Companies that succeed amid these pressures do quite well$$ indeed, even players in less glamorous

industries can use design to thrive. Akzo Nobel$$s Dulux brand, for example, launched its $$Perfect Accessories$$ line of

paintbrushes in $2009.$ These brushes offered a novel triangular shape to make painting edges easier and came with a paint

can opener built into an ergonomic handle. Sales growth was strong$$as much as $36$ percent annually$$and the brushes

garnered several awards, including being named $$product of the year$$ by DIY Week.

Yet despite a growing understanding of the importance of product design, many companies$$ design functions are not

keeping up$.$ There are two reasons for this gap. First, given product design$$s sensitive nature, companies tend to be

protective of their design departments and have limited awareness of how the best in the business operate. Second, and

even more corrosive, is the widespread perception that because design is inherently creative, a logical$,$ structured approach

to assessing and improving the function is of limited value. To examine these issues, we sought to understand what made

top$-$performing design departments successful. Through interviews and work alongside teams known for producing iconic

designs$$in industries from automotive to consumer electronics and luxury goods$$we identified a set of ten systematic,

mutually reinforcing practices. Departments that followed most or all of these practices produced better quality, more

innovative designs and used design talent more efficiently throughout the design and development process.

An overarching attribute of well$-$designed products is that they follow a coherent set of design principles that govern their

style and function. Product designs based on consistent principles create a unique visual language that ensures

differentiation and product recognition, thereby moving the product beyond purely functional appeal and triggering an

emotional connection with customers. Additionally, the principles should reinforce larger brand messages. Examples

include the minimalist look and feel of Apple devices, which subtly conveys the message that the products are simple to

use, or the well$-$sculpted surfaces of a BMW$,$ which evoke a sense of power and strength. One way to establish design

consistency is to encourage leadership from a $$guru$$ in the design process. Among the best known is Jonathan Ive at

Apple, whose portfolio recently expanded beyond hardware to include software as well. Alternatively, a clearly articulated

design $$bible$$ can achieve the same end, promoting long$-$term consistency while mitigating the risk of relying too much on

one person. BMW$$s well$-$defined design vision and philosophy helps bolster the status of the brand and its vehicles.

Distinctive elements such as the two$-$section, kidney$-$shaped grille $($part of the company$$s brand identity since $1933)$ and the

$$Hofmeister kink$$the counter curve in the window outline at the base of the rear roof pillar$$allow for instant recognition

even of the company$$s most futuristic concept vehicles.

Producing iconic designs is only the start. Ultimately, the product design function$$s value comes from supporting the timely

launch of successful products. We found that the most effective way to fulfill both requirements is to ensure organizational

alignment among the design group, the product planning gr