Printed Electronics Exploitation Programme – a design perspective

What, you may ask, has industrial design to do with printed electronics? Not a lot, judging from the initial reaction of scientists and technologists to a presentation on the topic at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) on 10 February. But most soon changed their minds.

Leading strategic design professionals Phil Gray of Quadro Design Associates and Joss Newberry of OpiusDesign presented a design and innovation lecture, Designed to Provoke, to an audience of scientists, technologists and companies working in the printed electronics sector to demonstrate how innovations in printed electronics could affect the future of packaging, display and signage. Both presenters are also directors of British Design Innovation (BDI), the trade organisation for leading industrial designers, service designers and innovation professionals.

For some delegates the Designed to Provoke seminar, which was organised by IPI (Europe), was their first exposure to design thinking and structured innovation, a sector which still has to confront the prejudices of those who pigeonhole ‘design’ as a task to be placed at the end of the technology development process. This myth was addressed and largely overcome during the lecture by presenting a number of powerful case studies.

A keen interest in the creative process was shown by the audience, with a number of delegates wishing to learn how strategic designers gather consumer insights, how this is used to create ideas and how these ideas are then evaluated. Consumer insight and experience research is still somewhat intangible to those outside the design profession and often met with incomprehension and some scepticism, although those who have experienced its power need no convincing of its worth. Similarly, those who have already experienced strategic design and worked with designers are much quicker to engage early and see its value.

“It seems that Quadro and Opius may have [demonstrated] a way around the 15/03/2010 Mexican stand-off that currently exists between end users being unclear on what their customers want or really care about, and the technology providers who are not clear what products they should be developing,” said Brian Weeks, managing director of IPI (Europe). “[While] not appropriate everywhere and every time, [their approach] is a breath of fresh air for those wishing to create innovative applications.Page 2of 3 British Design Innovation ”

Something of a contradiction remains in the fact that printed electronics, a self- professedly forward-looking new industry, retains a rather traditional viewpoint by thinking only in terms of current business models and appearing unwilling or unable to change its views on defining profit and the market. Uncertainty, fear of failure and a lack of understanding of the need for a pipeline of innovative ideas are key barriers the industry needs to overcome.

The Designed to Provoke presentation resulted in successful links being forged with a significant technical community who welcomed Phil and Joss with open arms, and alongside whom they hope to establish a pivotal role in its future success.

See pdf for full details >