The Design Whisperer
Ralf has been so kind to ask me to write a guest-article about my approach to design management for his blog. My name is Jörg Walters; I am an independent Design Manager in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Before my move to Amsterdam, I have been working as a Design Manager in a creative design agency in Düsseldorf, Germany. Next to work, I did an MBA in Design Management at the University of Westminster, London. I graduated in 2003 and started my independent work in 12/2004.
Trust me, baby, I’ll make you famous
I consider my work as helping companies to make design a success factor of their business. And as many organizations haven’t used that before at all, my work doesn’t only mean high-fly strategies of the type “You should do it like Apple does”. Much more, I am trying to generate certainty at the client side that creativity is manageable and that design is a competitive advantage.
At the moment, I do that mainly by building trust. Trust into me of course, but also trust into design. So what I do is a mix of design project management and strategic design consulting: analyze customer needs and design opportunities, write briefs, organize design-pitches, introduce and manage design processes and evaluate the success of the projects eventually.
Once I have convinced my clients of the manageability of creativity, doors open for more sophisticated work: Just recently, I developed a strategy for a company how to extend their corporate design activities from graphics only to cover products as well. Next stop: Implementation.
Survival of the fittest
The issues of trust and risk are of course also very important in generating new business. I try to do that with a one-on-one marketing strategy. It takes a lot of patience, but it does pay off.
At the moment, I see my biggest competition in the works of the well-known agencies. Naturally, as soon as a client is ready to invest in design, he turns there: With their impressive references, breathtaking network and most sophisticated hierarchy of client services directors, design directors, designers, strategists, project and account managers (etc.), they have the opportunity to cherry pick the business.
Many do excellent work, but it shows that they are cooking with water only, as well. And - good for me - their hourly fees are so high, that I don’t have trouble competing on price.
But certainly, I wouldnt want the price to be the main reason for my clients to turn to me. What I find is that many agencies are very much on the communications side of the business. Fair enough, but I dont think that this fully exploits the opportunities design gives. Companies can bridge the gap between brand promise and delivery of that promise with design. Design is more than just making something look nice it delivers what the company stands for. In a very tangible way.
At the moment, I am helping a small IT startup make the step from being a group of freelancers to a company with a sharp profile, ready to compete.
By now I have built a network of excellent (mostly freelance) designers and specialists in their field. Flexibly combining the strengths of these people and tailoring the teams competences to the clients needs shows to be a good way of work. Its cheaper for the client, and it produces excellent quality results.
Bottom line: Being much more flexible than the big players, I decided not to compete with them for the Unilever and Philips accounts of this world, but rather find my niche and build long-term relationships with SME size clients.
The MBA in Design Management helps with that a great deal. Understanding business and the corresponding needs puts me much closer to the client than justunderstanding how design works. Tailoring design to a client is more than finding the right colors and corresponding style. It is crucial to understand and appreciate their business and find ways to take design to the next level: Business opportunities.
Chris Gee Says:
June 30th, 2005 at 1:17Visit Chris Gee
Jörg,
What you’ve chosen to write about is very interesting and exciting. I think more designers need to write about design management, strategy and the business aspects of design.
Too much of what we do is along the lines of the Wizard of Oz disappearing behind the curtain to do his magic. Just like in the case of the Wizard, once technology pulled the curtain down, it was revealed that we’re not actually wizards at all but just ordinary men (and women).
It’s great that people like Ralf and yourself are keeping this awareness alive and the discussion on-going. Designers have a unique opportunity using blog technology and perhaps even podcasts. We need to document case studies of projects showing what the problem was and how we solved it. Show them WHY the solution was appropriate from a business perspective. It’s not enough that the new site looks better than the old one. It’s not enough that the new product design looks better than the old one. WHAT makes it more effective aside from it’s superior looks?
Keep up the good work. I hope you’ll be writing more in the future!
Chris
Michael Says:
June 30th, 2005 at 19:13Visit Michael
I had the same sentiment as Chris. Your willingness to explain your thoughts and practices around design managment and business strategy are very helpful. It enlarges the conversation - and I think that is what we all need!
Side note: the same imagery and metaphor came to my mind as that of Chris - I kept thinking the curtain is being pulled back and I am being allowed to see what is hidden most of the time. Interesting to think about how metaphor unites people and shrinks differences.
Thank you for you post!
Keep creating, Mike
Ralf Beuker Says:
June 30th, 2005 at 21:29Visit Ralf Beuker
Hi Chris, Hi Michael,
thanks for your encouraging comments! See my latest posting from today, June 30.
Keep posting!
Cheers, Ralf.
johan bonner Says:
July 6th, 2005 at 21:24Visit johan bonner
Dear Jörg,
Nice short article about your first steps in design management. Wish you good luck with your business!
best regards,
johan bonner
Joris Says:
July 11th, 2005 at 21:47Visit Joris
Way to go, Jörg!
No easy job starting in the Netherlands but you’re pulling it off.
Cheers,
Joris
Otto Says:
November 2nd, 2005 at 9:17Visit Otto
Good to hear that there are still people around who want to bring forward design management thinking.
Ralf Beuker Says:
November 3rd, 2005 at 18:04Visit Ralf Beuker
Hi Otto,
good to see that you’re alive ;-) I hope everything is going fine?!
Jane Westbrook Says:
April 28th, 2006 at 16:43Visit Jane Westbrook
Hi, Jorg and Ralf…
As a veteran “designer” and 1978 ID graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, I have found myself in CONSTANT catch-up mode with software and feeling extremely deficit in formal design management skills. Working as an in-house corporate designer for over a decade, the focus was creative with parameters set by product planners and engineers. The business of design marketing,product development and/or running a design firm remain absent from most hands-on creative design programs.
Could you recommend MBA programs or reference books in Design Management that you feel are most current and available via online correspondence? Your perspective and thoughts would be most appreciated.
Thank you both for making this blog available. I wish you both continued success and prosperity.
Jane Westbrook
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July 28th, 2008 at 14:03Visit jyoti
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jyoti Says:
July 28th, 2008 at 14:03Visit jyoti
I also join this programm of mba design management but dont knoe the futer in this stream i have no idea of what kind of job we hve offers plas answer these query
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July 22nd, 2009 at 2:25Visit John
Well, design is important so as long as it able leave a powerful message, feeling intrigued and able to interact with the respective client. Yeah, definitely so true, design management in practice is a must for everyone who wants to leave good impression to their clients.
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March 17th, 2010 at 23:38Visit Lars Petter Aase
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Lars Petter
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