This month’s newsletter addresses the results of a survey conducted by the Ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation du Québec (MDEIE) on how Quebec-based manufacturing firms perceive and use industrial design. The results were published in April, 2008, and we have summarized the information in a few pages to make your reading easier. You will also find the hyperlink leading to the complete document in PDF format.
Make it a point to check out our September newsletter. It will cover a current business affairs issue making the rounds everywhere: innovation.
Quebec Manufacturing Firms’ Perception and Use of Industrial Design
As part of this survey that targeted a sample of 1,002 Quebec-based manufacturing firms, industrial design and its practitioner, the industrial designer, were defined as follows:
Industrial design: discipline combining artistic, scientific, technological, marketing and management elements. Its purpose consists in developing an innovative product to be fabricated industrially.
Industrial designer: person holding a diploma and/or professional certification in industrial design who carries out this discipline’s related activities. She or he analyzes competitive products; identifies market needs, trends and standards; develops specifications; and creates drawings, mock-ups and prototypes while taking manufacturing processes and materials into account. She or he contributes to developing an innovative product for its function, aesthetics and ability to meet user requirements.
As part of this survey’s results, the 131 firms that have used industrial design since 2003 attributed 10 favourable changes in their businesses to this discipline.
Favourable Changes Attributed to the Use of Industrial Design
To access the complete document (original text in French only), click on the enclosed link:
www.mdeie.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/sites/internet/documents/publications/pdf/etudes/sondage_design_industriel.pdf
Recent Publication
Last February, the Montreal daily newspaper La Presse published an article on Skerpa Design under the column L’affaire est dans le sac, by Marc Tison (section A vos Affaires-Consommation).
To access the complete document (original text in French only), click on the enclosed link:
La Presse Fevrier 2008
As We Go to Press…
Skerpa Design has added a new partner to its team of multidisciplinary collaborators: a footwear design and development specialist with over 20 years’ experience in the development of footwear patterns and innovative solutions for orthopedic footwear design and comfort. In fact, he has managed and supervised footwear development for the Cirque du Soleil’s artists. With this partner, Skerpa Design will very soon launch development of an orthopedic footwear program that will transform both the human foot as well as the idea that people entertain of orthopedic footwear!
Are you nurturing ideas? Tinkering with projects? Searching for solutions? Contact us ASAP. We will make it a pleasure to meet with you!
Skerpa Design, your source of innovation.
Daniel Thibault
Président
Skerpa Design inc.