The nextMEDIA master class series included interactive discussions and hands-on tutorials, uncovering the key skills needed by 21st century digital executives. In collaboration with sLab we presented a didactic workshop on the design ecosystem. Robert K. Logan, Chief Scientist, and Greg Van Alstyne, Director of Research, sLab described how to build a design ecosystem which is capable of supporting the emergence of innovatively designed products, services, experiences, and processes.

1. The Design Ecosystem:
The Future of Design,
The Future of Innovation
Robert K. Logan Chief Scientist
Greg Van Alstyne Director of Research
Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab)
Ontario College of Art & Design
nextMedia @ Innovation Week ’09, Toronto
November 30, 2009
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

2. What is Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab)?
sLab develops and Rooted in a heritage of
applies design research, design thinking, our
innovation and strategic approach places human
foresight methods to needs, desires, behaviour
address complex and culture at the heart
opportunities and of problem finding,
problems in business problem framing, and
and society. problem solving.
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

3. sLab Research 2020 Media Futures The sBook Project
Selected projects Strategic Foresight for The Future of Reading,
Ontario’s Cultural Media Writing and Publishing in
Industries the Digital Media Era
Inclusive Design Design Thinking at MaRS
Access for All: Online Workshop and strategic
training for Ontario’s innovation research for
Public Employees two ICT startup firms
Greening My Hotel
Industry collaboration
with sustainability
coaching firm
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009
http://www.flickr.com/photos/santos/27538777/

4. sLab Events: Innovation in the Obama campaign
Torch-sLab Larry Keeley on innovation science
Unfinished Karen Stephenson on social networks
Lectures Dave Gray on knowledge games
2009/10 highlights
Chris Messina on the open web
Nathan Shedroff on sustainability
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

5. Inaugural at OCAD Hosted by Strategic Innovation Lab Sponsored by Torch Partnership
conversation about strategic innovation in the business and design of commercial enterprises and public organizations.
Draft design for Obama’s campaign logo, by Sol Sender
Tue. January 13, 2009, 5–7pm OCAD Auditorium, 100 McCaul St.
Innovation within the
Obama Campaign
Are the progressive tendencies evidenced in the campaign
of sea change in technologies of engagement? Obama
campaign Design Director Scott Thomas and New Media team
member Rahaf Harfoush will lead an interactive discussion on
how design and new media played an instrumental role in Barack
Obama’s historic campaign. Thomas and Harfoush will explore
the innovation of both campaign tactics and political strategy.
In conversation, we will explore the impact of many forms of
openness on participation in the 2008 US presidential campaign.
Scott Thomas (aka SimpleScott) is Rahaf Harfoush specializes in creating Torch Partnership. We think
constantly seeking the simplest answer authentic conversations in the social differently about the purpose is a centre for research and
to complex problems. In 2006 he began a media landscape. Her clients include and value of design. By treating
design collective entitled The Post Family. British Telecom, Unilever, InnoSpa, and business problems as problems the Faculty of Design at the
The group is devoted to supporting each Duke University. She is an avid blogger, of design we are able to develop a Ontario College of Art &
other’s design habits, from silk screen to writer, information junkie, web evangelist richer point of view on the problem Design. sLab operates on a
letterpress, from illustration to blogging, and social network ninja. Rahaf was the itself. This creates a deeper understanding model that integrates academic research,
in an effort to “get back to the hand.” In Research Coordinator on Don Tapscott’s of the problem’s dynamics, and leads professional services, curriculum and
2007 Scott’s career took a dramatic leap Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration to a diversity of insights into its causes skills development for stakeholders in
when he was invited to join the New Media Changes Everything and contributed to and its effects. Our greatest ambition as
team at Obama for America. The chance Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation designers is to improve the businesses we sectors. Strategic Innovation Lab is
encounter led him to becoming the Design is Changing Your World. She recently serve. We focus our attention on creating a growing community of researchers
Director of the historic Obama Presidential completed a three-month assignment as alignment between an organization’s and practitioners, design and business
campaign. Scott plans to continue part of Barack Obama’s New Media Team strategy and it’s design for creating professionals, teachers and students,
designing for social causes that might just at his headquarters in Chicago. Rahaf value: from structure to processes, who are passionate about creatively
someday change the world. blogs at TheFoush.com communications and core capabilities. envisioning possible futures.
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of ArthelpsDesign these events.
Registration not required but
& us to improve 2009

6. sLab Events: The Smartbook Project
Explorations Artist Natalie Jeremijenko
Workshops Future of Learning
2009/10 highlights
Future of Interactive Entertainment
Carlos Scolari Transmedia Storytelling
Delia Grenville Intel research methods
Scott Anthony Disruptive innovation
Warren Berger Glimmer
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

7. sLab Events:
Torch-sLab
Unfinished
Lectures
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

8. Master of Design in
Strategic Foresight
and Innovation
Canada’s first
strategic foresight
graduate program
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

9. sLab’s approach
Our multidisciplinary innovation approach embraces:
Problem finding foresight opportunity recognition
Problem framing research market research
Problem solving design product development
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

10. Why do we need to be human-centred?
A study for Ministry of State for Science and Technology,
using a sample of 30 companies, revealed two types:
Technology Bound vs. Market Driven
The study found that Market Driven companies, those
that respond to user needs, outperform in every case.
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

11. Research courtesy Helen Kerr, President, Kerr & Company:
What is the job of design?
Problem solving OLPC XO-1, industrial design: Yves Béhar, Fuseproject

12. Research courtesy Helen Kerr, President, Kerr & Company:
Problem framing Strategy, human factors, engineering: Design Continuum

13. Research courtesy Helen Kerr, President, Kerr & Company:
Problem finding “$100 Laptop” project founding, vision: Nicholas Negroponte

14. Introducing:
The Design Ecosystem
Strategic Innovation Lab OCAD 2009

15. Design ecosystem model draft Nov 2009
User
innovation
Biz Tech
Strategic Innovation Lab OCAD 2009

16. An example:
Nintendo Wii Fit User desirability
viability Biz Tech feasibility
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

17. Design ecosystem model draft Nov 2009
purchasing
enjoying
criticizing
sharing
sociosphere technosphere
behaviour User materials
culture energy
policy science
legislation technology
social capital natural law
Problem Problem
Finding Solving
foresight design
innovation
Biz Problem
Framing Tech
planning research inventing
managing engineering
manufacturing testing
selling/servicing improving
distributing
biosphere
Strategic Innovation Lab OCAD 2009 natural capital

18. What can we
learn from the
Design Ecosystem?
How not to fail.

20. What can we
learn from the
Design Ecosystem?
How actors and roles
can change, creating
new niches and new
opportunities

21. What can we
learn from the
Design Ecosystem?
How actors and roles
can change, creating
new niches and new
opportunities

22. Workshop
Exercise no. 1 – Finding, Framing, Solving
In your next innovation project, where are you at?
Problem finding foresight opportunity analysis
Problem framing research market research
Problem solving design product development
Consider the power and potential of reframing...
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

23. Workshop
Exercise no. 2 – Activating the Ecosystem
Beginning your next innovation project, consider
the roles and actors in the design ecosystem.
Which roles are “mobilized” by digital media?
Which roles may be fulfilled by new actors?
What can users do now that was formerly not their role?
Try to reframe your innovation opportunity.
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009

24. Consider roles and actors in your next innovation project
Which roles are made “mobile” by digital media?
Which roles may be filled by new actors?
What can users do that they couldn’t before? purchasing
Try to reframe your innovation opportunity. enjoying
criticizing
sharing
sociosphere technosphere
behaviour User technology
culture materials
policy energy
legislation natural law
Problem Problem
Finding Solving
foresight design
innovation
Biz Problem
Framing Tech
planning research inventing
managing engineering
manufacturing testing
selling/servicing improving
distributing
biosphere
Strategic Innovation Lab OCAD 2009 sustainability

25. We thank you.
Bob Logan logan@physics.utoronto.ca
Greg Van Alstyne gvanalstyne@faculty.ocad.ca
sLab at OCAD
Strategic Innovation Lab Ontario College of Art & Design 2009