What is your assessment of the Idealab initiative? Is it a good approach to changing the design process at B&O? Will the plan work?
The concept of idealab was generated by Sorensen in the year 2002. The purpose of these labs was to explore extensions to the processes of Bang and Olufsen product development. The main emphasis of this lab was on the technologies related to computer that leads to innovation and creativity. In addition to that, there should be a balance between renewal and continuity because now products are not just physical, but digital accessories in the products are added as well. The management of the company needs to inspire their designers for the ways of using new digital technologies along with mechanical inventions. These new technologies include GUI i.e. graphical user interface and finding ways of interacting in the cyberspace.
In addition to that, the company can also go for blue ocean opportunities with the aid of idealab as blue ocean strategies are based on targeting areas that have not been explored in the market yet. The concept was entirely different from the concept of idealand as the later one focuses on the design of the product, hence, idealab was based on highlighting on software related technologies. Initiatives taken by the company is good, and the plan is already working with the clear signs of progress. The company has hired several producers from the software background, and those producers are working on cross-product software concepts. With the aid of idealab, a new process is not required to go through with the traditional process to any further extent.
The concepts of idealab and idealand have their own culture; thus, they have their own pros and cons. Both the concepts are based on their procedures and structures so as to help the company in preventing the multi-dimensional influence. The approach is going good as the company has in wmployees from all parts of the world so that software expertise from all over the world can be gathered at one place to achieve efficiency in design and business. Employees that are working in idealab are working side by side with the designers to add more value to the existing products by adding digital and software technologies into it that in turn will increase the profit margins of the company.
After analyzing all the information, it can be stated that the ideas generated by both idealand and idealab is a key for the company for the development of the product. The attention should be given to the point that it will be fruitful for the company if the two concept worked together in a simpler way. In order to do that, management of the company needs to make efforts to combine the development in technology along with the product ideas so that goals and objectives of the company can be achieved successfully.
3.) What are the main steps involved in design thinking process? Please explain each step in details with examples?
Bang and Olufsen has no standard procedure related to the development of design of the product and utilize the process of product development as the heart of design thinking process. In the product designing department, the main concept often used is synthesis that is based on two steps known as “thesis” and “anti-thesis”. Thesis is a basic idea generated by the designers while anti-thesis is the answer to the questions or idea generated by the engineers in the thesis process. The combination of thesis and anti-thesis developed synthesis. Ideas generated through synthesis are first introduced in idealand and then to idealab where teams from diverse professional backgrounds evaluate the ideas.
Idea generation:
In design thinking process, the first step is idea generation; in this step ideas are generated by engineers and designers of the company. These ideas can also be generated through emergence of new technology that give an opportunity to the company. Once the idea is generated, then it is forwarded to idealand so that engineers can work on to obtain maximum output from it. The company always put emphasis on brainstorming and idea generation because in this way; the company can go beyond the expectations of customers
Identifying “substance” in concepts:
After the first step of idea generation, the next step followed by the company is the creation of models out of which only one model is approved by the management of the company. The approval of the idea is based on the concepts having substance. The definition of substance here is an idea that has a personality that is entirely different from competitors and unique in every aspect. Normally, designers and engineers almost make 20 or even more than 20 models before transforming it into the actual product.
After achieving the substance in concepts, next steps towards design thinking process are the product commitment in which technical and financial evaluations has been made regarding the designing of a product.
Prime example include B&O Beo vision MX 4200 that is a TV designed by the company and has a tremendous life of over 25 years. The example has proved that the company is focused on design driven innovation. Another example includes BeoSound 9000, which is a CD player with innovative and provoking design that is not even appreciated by the management of the company, but with continuous efforts made by the engineers; it has become one of the most successful brand of the company. Another example includes BeoLab 8000 loudspeaker that is entirely different in shape and was initially rejected by the management of the company, but it was later approved and sold in the market..........................................
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