Strategic design thinking is a business concept that is varied in definition
Topic:
Presented by:
Submitted to:
Name of Institution:
Introduction
Strategic design thinking is a business concept that is varied in definition. A holistic view of strategic design thinking is a human centered thinking that enhances life by way creating experiences that are pro its beneficiaries. These experiences vary from products, software, processes, policies and also performances. For one to create an emotional and meaningful experience to the stakeholders, one needs to be empathetic and creative to the idea of enriching life.
Through the years, the idea of strategic design has advanced in order to embrace the concepts of development and innovation that are strategic in form. That is, the design and the methods that are applied are creative and encourage a sense of innovativeness. Though the thinking is user centered, it does not come as a right away solution but in essence, the end results are not predetermined.
Strategic thinking views the end result as one that is user oriented, technologically feasible and audience reach ability, without forgetting the aspect of having a design that is economically sound.
Formula one which is also referred to as Formula 1 or F1 is a sport of auto racing which consists of a series of races called the Grand Prix which are specifically built circuits and also other races in public city streets. The Grand Prix races are in many cities of the America and Europe. Formula one race attracts a great global audience of more than five hundred million and therefore provides a platform for investments of different merchandise.
This paper seeks to analyze the use of strategic design thinking in creating a human centered design that will introduce emotion and a meaningful experience to the viewers of the Formula One races. In view of Formula one as an entertainment industry, I shall consider three concepts namely, audience, business and technology in the innovation of a strategic design.
Background Information
Formula One sports series came into being in 1920s and 1930s. Over the years the auto racing series have undergone tremendous changes in the rules of the game, the technological make up of the racing cars, qualification criteria for the drivers and the audience pull.
Currently, the cars race at a very high speed of up to 360km per hour with an engine of 18000 rpm. This has been made possible by the electronics, aerodynamics, suspension and tyres put in place specifically for the race.
Many stakeholders are involved in the Formula One race ranging from manufacturers, constructors, drivers and the entertainment industry.
Innovation Strategy
My strategy is based on a five year plan that is designed to enhance productivity in the Formula One Series. The introduction of an efficient motor sport company is my business strategy. The first strategy in the improvement of the service at F1 is the buying of patent and rights to be in a position to improve the race through technological competence. The performance indicator on this plan will be winning the races. The funding of this model will be dependent on the management of the motor sport company’s brand and the revenue it shall generate from advertisements. The company will deal mainly with development and production. The efficiency, the company will co- develop race car with other companies to enhance design and marketability. The advertisement of their products will bear the name F1 to pull a wider audience.
The centre of this strategy shall be the use of carbon fiber in these race cars. This inevitably has value creation by the fact that it reduces costs. More funds will be used in the experimentation but the result will be cost effectiveness in the technological expenditure. The idea of lateral thinking is a driving force that will challenge the engineers to venture into a relationship between motor sporting and aerospace to discover hidden avenues of production.
In other words, the company will engage in other innovations apart from their own to increase their expertise. The identification of the advantages offered by a combination of the already existing technology with the application of material such as carbon fiber will be significant in development of higher speed race cars which are also safe for the user. The partnering with other companies in sponsorship to enhance business and codevelopment of current technology is deemed to be factor that we cannot do without. Lateral thinking is a sure way of networking with others in the same field.
Sponsorship of great essence and this company will have to prove through the ultimate winning of races that indeed other big company can join in the sponsorship of the F1 games. An effective communication channel shall be put in place to ensure that feedback from drivers and electronic systems is adhered to and improvements made from the same. Innovation of an enhanced virtual prototyping technology will ensure that it is not only the type of material, the design and the production of a part of the car that are essential but the technological speed and safety of the driver. Personnel for this company shall be both on full-time and on consulting basis to make use of disruptive innovation.
The new innovation strategy will be able to improve other models already put up in place. It is important to note that the three strategies that follow will be ways of improving already laid out strategies in business development. Many television channels and other media have big profits on the race broadcasts. The teams also benefit from these profits by the fact that they sell broadcasting rights. The logos on their cars also earn them money. The creation of a television channel specifically for the race and run by Formula one stake holders can go a long way in enhancing the profits of these teams. It will also go a long way in ensuring that the fans of Formula One can be able to follow up the performance of their teams even when the race is out of season. This will bring out an identity among the fans just as in other sports such as football.
The development of such a television station will also bring more profit by advertisement of products to consumers from interested companies. The incorporation of different products that range from women and children wear to mechanical and electrical tools will further interest a wider audience.
The cost of building a circuit for a Grand prix is quite expensive because estimating from previous project, will cost millions of dollars. The conversion of a public road into a temporary circuit will be a great idea to the race series. In fact, it serves two purposes, one is that it saves cost and two it goes closer to the audience to heighten their emotion towards the game and a feeling of identity due to the personal experience they will have. Although permanent circuits generate more revenue, the creation of more temporary circuit is ideal in that other revenue would be generated by the Formula One Television Channel.
Discussion
Design thinking has to very synthetic. That is, by creating human entities that bring out a unification of varied demands and requirements, there is an alignment and understanding of interdependences. My innovation plan for the Formula one sport seeks to unify different brands in the race to cater for the various audience represented. The introduction of advertisement of products ranging from female wear to technological advances in the motor industry will be a great start to ensure no audience is left out. Companies interested in investing in such advertisements are chosen through balloting.
The strategic plan must also be abductive in the sense that it not only focuses on the present, but also what might be in the future. Inventive is the word that describes the designated group of members elected from stakeholders whose main job will be focusing on how to make the job more exciting in the future. Their innovative ideas are to be embraced to the sport in order to gain an even wider audience.
My design is also creative and critical in the fact that through the whole process of design there is a hypothesis developed and tested for that matter and a more sophisticated hypothesis emerges. The innovation is guided by questions such as “what if” and “if then” that are helpful in strategizing.
The design thinking is opportunistic in nature in that it looks at new possibilities generated from the hypothesis. There is a possibility of gaining an even wider audience by creation of a televised series that not only runs in Europe and America but to other parts of the world, where we get new opportunities of investors advertising their products. Television earns a lot for the stakeholders in this entertainment industry.
By the design taking a dialectical form, it means that new realities that are to satisfying the demands of the customer have to be put in place. Since Formula One is not a cheap event, the design has to be cost efficient and to view other innovative ways of generating income. The balance between constraint, contingency and possibility has to be found.
The value driven concept is fundamental in order to create an efficient design strategy. The design must reflect the values of the audience rather than of the company, in this case, Formula One. The invention of the children race would be a good idea of incorporating the audience in a feeling of identity with the Formula One series.
Conclusion
Strategic design thinking is a human centered thinking that enhances life by way creating experiences that are pro its beneficiaries. These experiences vary from products, software, processes, policies and also performances. For one to create an emotional and meaningful experience to the stakeholders, one needs to be empathetic and creative to the idea of enriching life.
In every aspect of business, innovation comes about when we believe that our present path will ultimately lead us to a better tomorrow. We need a concept of thinking that is strategic in designing a better future that is more productive.
References
Barney, J. (1991) Firm Resources and Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Journal of Management 17(1)
Davidow, w. & Uttal, B. (1989) Total Customer Service New York: Harper Perennial Books
David, F. (2009) Strategic Management Concepts and Cases (15th ed.) New Jersey: Prentice Hall
David, F. (1989) Strategic Management Columbus: Merril Publishing
Dobson, P. , Starkey, K. & Richards J (2004). Strategic Management: Issues and Cases. (3rd ed.) London: Blackwell
Hitt, M.A, (2002) Strategic Entrepreneurship London: Blackwell
Hitt M.A, Freeman R.D & Harrison J.S (2002) The Blackwell Handbook of Strategic Management (2nd ed.)London: Blackwell
Juran, J.M. (1992) Juran on Quality, New York: Free Press
Kelly, L. , Booth C.A (2004) Dictionary of Strategy: Strategic Management A-Z London: Sage
Peters, T. and Waterman, R. (1982) In Search of Excellence, New York: HarperCollins
“Discovering What Makes Formula One, Formula One – For Dummies”. Retrieved on July 6 2007 from HYPERLINK “http://www/dummies.com.html”http://www/dummies.com.html
