Corporate Accountability & Product Innovation

There are many design methodologies and ideologies to live by when it comes to the art of mass-production, design and corporate culture. Some are interdepartmentally focused and some are holistic, big picture mission/vision-like. I’d like to briefly set the stage for a 3-pronged approach to the very accountable practice of, design and development.

Not to be bleak, but we live in a sick culture with the overwhelming need to consume whatever is put in front of us. Whether it be the daily news, a blog, the newest smartphone, jewelry, and fancy cars all powered by over-caffeinated energy drinks and social vanity. Ironically, we know this is killing the balance of our planet, but unfortunately the short-term endorphin rush of owning the freshest fly-by-night thing is more powerful than the long-term contextual association of thing and place.

So, it goes without saying that most energy put into product creation leans in on emotional cues to overwhelm the senses and take advantage of that primitive core in the brain that makes snap decisions for short-term survival, and since survival is synonymous with success, well, you get my drift.

As one who survives off the very profession of creation, I find it my moral imperative to press upon those with organizational pull a few ideas on how to shift the overly-vane deployment of impulse and consumable mentality within your department, company, and therefore the world in three areas. If we are truly to listen to the user across all platforms and industry we would quickly come to understand that the everything of everything falls squarely in our ability to offer products, services and goods that heal, connect, protect, and ease the daily navigation of an already complex and unpredictable sea.

To make things easy, I broke this approach into three equally important subjects when it comes to shifting corporate product innovation. Simply, they are User, Company, and Context. Use the questions to provoke your own thoughts and feel free to continue to draft more as you move across each of your objectives.

The User

Are we understanding our users and all of their spoken and more importantly their unspoken, latent needs?

Is the thing we are creating less wasteful, healthy, safe, cradle to cradle, educational, reusable, multifunctional, easily repairable, and upgradable?

Does this thing make life easier, more adaptable, and less worrisome?

Is thing thing empowering?

The Company

How do we make this thing and be profitable?

Is there more than financial profit to be gained?

How does our supply chain setup affect the promotion of generational fecundity?

How are we being prudent to our perceived future needs?

Are we being a leader in community representation?

Is the thing we are creating something that people need?

Do our products create sick, or addicted cultures, or are we crafting long-term happiness and community for our users and the world?

Are our employees empowered to fail?

The Culture (context)

How does this fit into our idea of the reality we want to manifest?

How does this thing we are making make the world a better place?

If we are using natural resources, are we giving back more than we are taking?

Does this thing assist in the guidance to a healthier/safer/wiser/connected/ future?

As you probe deeper and deeper into each of the three areas for analysis you will begin to see the interconnectedness and power companies have in their ability to move the flow of culture.

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

-R.Irwin