The key to success is in the differences!

This week I have seen what happens when you mix different people with different backgrounds and expertise: you get too many good ideas! Somebody looking for business ideas? Come to us, we have plenty!

My work description with Design without Borders also involves teaching activities at Makerere University. I have decided to teach what I really believe in: that the key to successful products and successful businesses lays in combining knowledge and ideas from different people with different expertises.

Me as a teacher at Makerere University. From my lecture 14th of November.

Transforming the customers needs and dreams into a successful product requires many different skills.

A multi-disciplinary design project
I have initiated and started up a multi-disciplinary project at the university. The four graduate students in the project group have been hand picked with assistance from the university staff and are specializing in mechanical engineering, food science, agri business and advertising design. They are all doing this project as their graduation project.

A project team of experts in different fields is one of the keys to a successful project.

A food product for sale in the supermarket

This is the project objective the students have been given:
"Develop a food product (or a small range of products) for sale in the supermarket"
Tasks will include:

- market research to determine needs and opportunities in the market

- research for available raw materials and technology

- product development according to taste, nutrition, shelf life, food safety etc.

- design of production process and needed production equipment

- packaging development: functionality, materials, shape, recycling options

- business plan: cost analysis, marketing strategy etc

- design of brand, logo, graphic design for packaging, information/marketing material and campaigns

The 4 students will have to work closely together as many of the tasks needs a combination of expertise in different fields.

Lecture about the design process
Before I started up the multi-disciplinary project, I held a lecture at Makerere about the design process and user involvement. Some pictures:

The design process: user and customer involvement is an essential part.

About 100 students and staff came to the seminar.

Both staff and students asked questions and initiated discussions.

The lecture was followed by interesting discussions.

The research phase
The students have just started their design project and are in the research phase. After a very interesting creative process to identify product ideas, they are right now on the way to the supermarkets to see what is going on there and try to identify their customers and users.

First step in the design process: research!

So far, I am impressed by the students efforts, attitude and work. It will be very interesting to follow the project as it moves forward. Hope you also think so. I will keep you posted!