Innovation in R&D: Using design thinking to develop new models of inventiveness, productivity and collaboration

Tad Simons; Arvind Gupta; Mary Buchanan

doi:10.5912/jcb486

Authors

Tad Simons Tad Simons, Pyxera, 155 Walter Hays Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94303, United States
Arvind Gupta
Mary Buchanan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5912/jcb486

Keywords:

innovation, collaboration, productivity, research and development, design thinking

Abstract

By adapting insights and methodologies from design thinking, a modern scientific R&D organization may have the potential to increase the speed, inventiveness and vitality of their output and become an explosive engine of growth. Modern design consultancies face the challenge of producing original, creative work for their clients on project after project, and have thus developed several strategies and behaviors to produce innovative content repeatedly at a fast pace. The innovation strategies of design firms are different than traditional models of academic and scientific scholarship and rely on new models of radical collaboration by teams, knowledge sharing, wide-reaching cross-pollination and the habit of gaining early insights through tangible expressions of ideas in order to foster continual and rapid innovation.

Author Biographies

Tad Simons, Tad Simons, Pyxera, 155 Walter Hays Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94303, United States

has designed products for health care and life sciences for 30 years and is co-founder of Pyxera. Previously at IDEO, Simons helped guide a worldwide design practice, supporting a culture where a wide range of human and technical disciplines inform great health-care solutions and systems. With experience in physiological measurements, he has worked as a technical designer and leader on many medical projects, resulting in 17 US patents. Current project work examines challenges across functions in multiple health industries: pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, biotech, health-care systems. Simons received BS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and an MS degree from the California Institute of Technology.

Arvind Gupta

is an international award winning designer who specializes in the translation of human behavior and technology into systemic design solutions that are deeply human. His work has spanned from characterizing the mating type locus of the Tetrahymena thermophila cell to the design of consumer electronics to organizational and innovation process design. His work has been featured in a range of publications including Time, Innovation and various technical journals. He also holds several US patents and has spoken at numerous conferences including the SFMOMA. Currently, he is interested in how Design and Science may learn from each other to become better tools to humanity. Gupta earned his BS in Molecular Biology with and emphasis in Genetic Engineering from University of California Santa Barbara and studied his Masters in Industrial Design at San Francisco State University.

Mary Buchanan

is passionate about creating products that help scientists accelerate their discoveries. She has lead business and product development teams in DNA microarrays, quantitative PCR, DNA cloning and protein expression products and platforms. She currently is leading the user-centered innovation program at Life Technologies. Buchanan received her BS degree in Cell Biology and Biochemistry from the University of California San Diego and an MS degree with an emphasis in Molecular Biology from San Diego State University.

References

Brown, T. (2008) Design thinking. Harvard Business Review June.

Kelley, T. (2001) The Art of Innovation. New York, USA: Doubleday.

Catmull, E. (2008) How Pixar Fosters collective creativity. Harvard Business Review September.

Pink, D. (2009) Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, New York: Riverhead Books.