Design and Innovation: Insights from a Consumer's Perspective
Year: 2009
Editor: Norell Bergendahl, M.; Grimheden, M.; Leifer, L.; Skogstad, P.; Lindemann, U.
Author: Teichert, Thorsten; Donder, Karina; Wagenfuehrer, Daniel
Series: ICED
Section: Design Methods and Tools
Page(s): 325-334
Abstract
Design is able to emphasize a unique selling proposition for new products and thus constitutes a success factor for innovations. Yet it is recently incorporated as a major theme in marketing, especially in new product development literature. This paper examines relevant dimensions of industrial design from a consumer-behavior perspective, namely product form and how that influences a variety of perceived product qualities. A consumer typology regarding design attitudes is developed and the interactions between design and other product attributes are investigated. An experimental study reveals that consumers? perceptions of new products depend both on design by itself as well as on its interactions with technical functions and brand of the new product. The paper thus hints towards the existence of a "Golden Fit" for design and technical features as well as for design and brand. Conclusions are presented from the view of marketing and implications for the design process of new products are provided.
Keywords: Foresight and strategy, Design method and tools