Collaboration

Design is out of the silo. It has become an integrated part of the complex, multilayered business process. Designers who aspire to apply their expertise to the fullest and exert influence on business strategy must know how to work effectively with other professionals across departments, divisions and disciplines. They must understand how to build and work in interdisciplinary teams.

Strategic Thinking

Corporations increasingly look to designers to anticipate and create products and services that provide added value for their customers. Designers who achieve that aim will possess the know-how to navigate effectively in the world of commerce. They will understand how business works and how the worlds of business and customer experience intersect. Their role will be not just directing how things are made, but deciding what is made. 

Innovation

According to a Boston Consulting Group survey with BusinessWeek (5/04/07), 66 percent of executives counted innovation among their top-three priorities. Businesses are actively seeking creative individuals who can drive differentiation and innovation. Designers who want to fill that role in the new economy will hone their skills and broaden their perspectives, learning how to design experiences as well as products and respond to global needs and unseen expectations. They will be adept at using advanced technology and research techniques to pursue innovation and connect with users in an immediate, compelling way.