Matt Barthelemy, Vice President at Smart Design, will join others from IDEO, Philips Design, and Design Connect in a spirited conversation about the concept of design thinking and its role in business today. The conference panel, titled, "Design Thinking: a new resource for meeting present and future challenges," is part of Barcelona Design Week (BDW) taking place at the Barcelona Design Center on October 26th at 9:30 AM.
Barthelemy explains Smart Design's position in the context of its 30-year history of creating success in the marketplace. "We agree with the concepts behind the term 'design thinking' -- it's what we do every day. But we also understand the real-world constraints on companies and how what we do must also include elements of 'business thinking' - without it, ideas cannot become the solutions that make a positive difference for people, and the bottom line."
"Ideally, we help take the risk out of the innovation process by uncovering design-actionable insights and smart choices that will lead to market successes. Understanding people and their essential needs and desires is the key to that reduction in risk. We also investigate underlying issues that can lead to even more success in the market, like uncovering the brand and economic benefits of sustainable solutions, or exposing accidental gender bias that alienates half of potential audiences."
In addition to being a featured panelist at the BCN Design Week Conference, Smart Design's European office in Barcelona will be part of the festival's "Design Circuit" by hosting an Open Studio on Wednesday, Oct 28th from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. People are encouraged to stop by their studio at Passatge Sert 10, 3rd floor, suite 6 for drinks, tapas, and a sneak peek into the creative environment of one of the world's leading design firms.
On display will be concept work done recently for the KIA Soul and Antenna Magazine for their fall issue. See how the design team re-conceived the driving experience of the new KIA Soul from a Smart perspective. And, a few lucky visitors will win a copy of the new DVD of Objectified, the popular documentary film that explores the manufactured world around us-featuring Smart Design.