usually has a less central role because the novelty is provided by the new functionality. ThereTHEORY AND PRACTICE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
6 INNOREGIO project Angela Dumas
are, of course, occasions where the new technology needs to be made more palatable to
consumers and then the role of industrial design is more centre stage. An example of this is in
areas of medical technology, perhaps where patients need to be re-assured about new
machines and procedures.
If we return to the major contribution of industrial design, examples include the increasing
variety in lap top computers, the increasing number of small consumer electronics for the
home where colour and style are becoming the major differentiators. All increase market
range and therefore consumer choice; they don’t, however, create a really new market sector.
However, a product that did achieve this was the “My First Sony” product. This product was a
re-packaging of Sony products, for very young children. The Sony Walkman, was re-created
in bright colours with larger and more robust controls. Other products, followed, but this
created a new market niche in electronic personal products for very young children.. More of
a market innovation than a technology one, this is exactly the place where industrial design
can be profitably employed.
In these ways the use of industrial design does make a contribution to economic performance
and companies, investors and governments need to understand the importance of design
spending for the innovation process. Design expenditure ranks with R&D expenditure as a
strategic investment for companies, however, the lack of sophisticated techniques applied to
design spending often holds back design investment. Project appraisal techniques and issues
of finance and accounting methods need consideration.. For example, the finance techniques
for valuing options used routinely in financial markets are rarely applied in the broader