Introduction
The relevance of design and innovation concerning social challenges aims at the deeper level of its impact on the society behind the visual content of a designed product. Design is commonly viewed as the form of things, while innovation is seen as the beauty of novelty. Hence, design and innovation, as two aesthetic concepts with constantly evolving strategies, give a more comprehensive perspective onto the socio-cultural context, which, I believe, plays a crucial role in solving social problems.
Main body
To begin with, any social product represents the changes and dramatic progress in the modern society, which, in turn, requires a strong ability to analyze these issues and find the right user-centered approach. According to Verganti and Dell’Era, the design-driven innovation is reflecting the “subtle and unspoken dynamics in socio-cultural models” (p. 146). Therefore, it is leading to fundamentally new meanings and languages with the possibility of change in the social and cultural regimes. Thus, one of my significant expectations of this course is learning those skills that can help me to design products and to search for the right methodology for their creation.
A properly selected methodology directly results in innovative concepts that still co-exist with the traditional market pull process. Furthermore, considering design as the form of things, it can also serve as a creative problem solving, although, most importantly, design is the innovation of meanings (Verganti and Dell’Era, p. 147). In that regard, I look forward to learning new innovative cases and discussing them in order to find easier ways of making an impact on the society. However, there is a definite possibility of the challenges that I might face throughout the design and innovation course. In my opinion, those include the relevancy of the created product since there are a big number of social issues that has already been solved. As a result, it is essential to develop a sense of novelty by learning and deeply exploring the existing market and social environment. By spending time in this field, I await to achieve this through the explicit work and sharing new ideas and experience with my teammates. I think that this class is not only teaches us the contents, but also shows the easier way to learn what we can do for the society.
One of my biggest concerns, as a creator, is undoubtedly the possibility and ease of acceptance by consumers as well as difficulties of the product’s distribution. Verganti and Dell’Era claim that design is seen as the key strategic asset in today’s business arena, as it was at the rising point in management the first decade of the twenty-first century (p. 148). This rise facilitated the investigation and awareness of the connections between design, innovation, and competitive advantage (Verganti and Dell’Era, p. 148). The consumers’ choice is usually based upon the aesthetic and symbolic value of products and services, which are directly related to the company’s accomplishment and success.
Conclusion
To conclude, I expect the design and innovation course to provide a various set of valuable knowledge and skills to teach myself the mastery of creating a relevant product related to the social enterprise. Design is inherently connected to the innovation aspect and is aimed to create a social product that is viewed as the reflection of the socio-cultural evolution. That being said, by learning the right strategies and methods during this course, I might learn to distribute a good product, easily accepted by consumers. This implies the ability to satisfy the needs of the society by influencing it and solving the social issues that still exist today.
Work Cited
Verganti, Roberto, and Claudio Dell’Era. “Design-Driven Innovation. Meaning as a Source of Innovation.” The Oxford Handbook of Innovation Management, 1st ed., edited by Mark Dodgson, David Gann and Nelson Phillips, Oxford University Press, 2014, pp. 140-157.