Extraordinary Design Lessons From 4 Companies That Changed the World
These companies have made billions through great
design. What lessons can we learn?
Mankind
has valued design for as long as we can remember. Just think about the Seven Wonders of the World or the creative
genius of Michelangelo.
Great
form, which refuses to sacrifice great function, is hotter than ever. Last
year, the Design Management Institute and Motiv published a study claiming that
design-driven companies outperformed the S&P by 228 percent over a
period of ten years.
"The
basic premise," the study explains, "is that using design methods to
understand customer needs better...is leading to insights that constitute
strategic competitive advantages."
The
study also suggests that margins can be driven higher by generating an I
gotta have it at any cost mentality on the part of customers.
So
what can you learn from the top design-centric companies in the world? Consider
the following four examples:
1. Nike: The power of
a logo.
The
Nike "swoosh." It's one of the most recognized logos in the world,
and has helped sell billions of dollars of merchandise through the years.
Carolyn Davidson designed the icon in 1971 as a college
student, and was originally paid only $35 for her work. (She
later received 500 shares of stock as a thank you.)
Davidson
says she wanted a symbol that conveyed motion, looked good on a shoe, and would
be liked by the rest of the team.
Almost
45 years later, that $35 logo has evolved into a brand that Forbes recently estimated to be worth over $15 billion.
How's
that for ROI?
Lesson: Don't underestimate the value of a
great logo. It may cost you more than $35, but if successful, it'll be worth
its weight in gold.
2. Ikea: Broaden your
horizons.
When
I got married, my wife left her home country of Germany and joined me in New
York. For anyone who's ever moved away, you know how difficult the first few
years can be.
So
whenever my wife got homesick, where did she want to go?
Ikea.
In
her words, it was the one place she could visit that felt "just like back
home."
As
I've shared that story through the years, I've found it resonates with others.
How can Ikea feel like home to so many people from so many different
countries?
According
to its website, Ikea representatives
visit thousands of homes around the world every year. The purpose?
"To find out what people want, need, and (if we're really lucky) some of
their wildest dreams. We then turn these insights into new ideas and solutions
to make everyday life a little better."
It
works. Millions around the world feel "at home" in Ikea, no
matter which country they're from...or currently in. Including my wife.
Lesson: Learn from your customers. Don't just
ask. Watch, scrutinize, analyze. Observe how they use
your products or services. See what works and what doesn't.
Then,
commit to making things better.
3. Starbucks: Design
an experience.
The
king of the five dollar coffee.
Why
are so many people willing to spend so much money on one of the most ubiquitous
beverages in the world?
"People
around the world, they want the authentic Starbucks experience."
Ah
yes, "the Starbucks experience." You're not paying for coffee; you're
paying for that soft leather sofa, the Norah Jones in the background, and the
most valuable and sought-after resource in the world:
Unlimited
Wi-Fi.
Demand
for "the experience" has only increased in today's culture of freelancersand coffee-meeting schedulers.
Lesson: Don't provide customers simply a
product, or even a service.
Give
them an experience.
4. Apple: Think
different.
It's
more than the company slogan. As Steve Jobs once said: "It's really hard
to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they
want until you show it to them."
Jobs
wasn't implying that market research is useless. He was simply stating that
good design can solve problems that people don't yet know they have.
Apple
struggled for years in Microsoft's shadow. But along the way, it built one of
the most loyal customer bases in the world. It succeeded because once consumers
tasted good design, they refused to go back.
And
as the company started "jumping curves," the masses followed.
Lesson: Resist the fear to be different. It
might take time for everything to click, but do you really want to be like
everyone else?
I
didn't think so.
So...what
are you waiting for? Start implementing these design lessons in your company today,
if you're not already.
BY JUSTIN BARISO
http://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/extraordinary-design-lessons-from-4-companies-who-changed-the-world.html?cid=em01020week17a
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