Barrier between Corporate Decision Makers and Industrial Designers

Minds of the people - a hurdle in itself .

As Corporate hunts for new ideas in the market to maintain their monopoly, the pace of new product introduction increases in tandem. Sadly, the statistics suggest that 90% of the new products and the businesses fail. The failure is not because of a flaw in the product, or the incorrect timing; instead, it is to do with the ways the business keeps themselves in a shell/comfort zone away from risks.

When a company really needs to slingshot it's position to topmost tier, with the natural tendency of staying averse from risk it rejects the innovations it needs the most. Even on knowing that every business carries a risk, innovation is a gamble which they need to play where the success is dependent on the product acceptance and customer reaction. Companies should be willing to learn from the inventions which have become a commercial success so that they can distinguishably go for gambles that are likely to win.

How hard it is to get a hit innovation accepted commercially ?

One day in 1956 an unexpected squall drenched an artist, now an inventor while he was painting by the stream. He had no way to shelter his easel. In a desperate attempt to save his art piece he dug the handles of the fishing poles in the soil to form a rough circle, tying them together he spread his poncho over it to build an impromptu dome. It was then when it struck him that the improvised version of this impromptu shelter could help in transforming the all male activity of camping and hiking into a family one.

The QUESTION is that how could a Tent (Pop Tent) bring such a major change in the Public Attitude ?

In contrast to the heavy, clumsy and bulky canvas built tents which need a lot of muscular strength from a group of at least four people to put it in place, this one could be easily opened up by a single person even in the dark. The main advantage of the Pop Tent is that it had an integral flooring with screened windows so no mammals could intrude making it completely safe. It's streamlined body could also protect the inhabitants from wind and rain. The wonder could get easily and neatly packed with the weight just being less than half of the ugly traditional tents with no floor. Yet, the inventor failed to convince the tent retailer that the customers wanted it.

The Pop Tent didn't need any marketing or a research to sell. The product is right, the time is right and the design is such that it attracted many who would consider using it as a national pastime. Pop Tent was selling well at small shops but the inventor wanted to interest the world's largest tent retailer Sears, Roebuck and Company. On getting a ten minute appointment with them the inventor himself demonstrated opening up of the tent in less than a minute. The owner of the Tent Retailer criticized saying, " It's just an umbrella with a floor ! ". It dismayed and shocked the inventor leaving him puzzled with questions, " What could that guy be thinking? " , " Why was he so hostile to a product that would sell well? " .

The Thesis behind this hostile behaviour.

The buyer's comment revealed that he never wanted the introduction of a new product no matter what the advantages. His attitude exhibited the defensiveness towards the comfortable status quo of the company. Defensive and innovation rarely mix usefully. The retailer knew that he would need to hire a new group of people to take care of the campaigning, demonstration. Also, if the Pop Tent sells well it would make the entire range of tents look obsolete and would ultimately cause losses to the retailer.

It can be concluded that the people who usually hold the barricades against the inventions are likely to hold some kind of a financial/MBA degree. The industrial designers tend to regard these people as "bean counters" and as their most dangerous opponents instead of being a collaborator. For the Corporate Decision makers new equals risky and only a few have the gift for distinguishing between the right gambles and the insubstantial schemes. The solution to these problems require a new sort of interaction between the MBAs and the designers. On the Corporate side, the MBAs need to be aware of the potential of the real inventions so as to balance the current needs of the enterprise. They need to lose the knee - jerk temptation to downplay or ignore the power of the new idea. Designer's side, one needs to attune themselves to the strategic value of the ideas.

It is clear that the barrier between the Corporate Decision Makers and Industrial Designers must come down. Companies that are serious about reaching beyond their own walls must face their biggest obstacle: The minds of their own people.