Design as a catalyst for innovation in Irish industry. Evolution of the Irish innovation voucher initiative within Design+ Technology Gateway

Abstract

Innovation has been identified as a key driver for rebuilding the Irish economy. Design has been recognised as a strategic tool in delivering innovation. The difficulty is in understanding how designers utilise this methodology in a business context. The research question is; how do the applied design research experts transfer knowledge to industry. The methodological approach has been a single case, case study of an Industry Gateway within an Institute of Technology, utilising Innovation Vouchers as the unit of analysis. The findings have highlighted that it is the combination of; time spent, environment and tacit knowledge of designers that enables the process. The Innovation Voucher initiative is identified as an opportunity to introduce Irish Industry to innovation and the human resource behind the value of design. This may now be of benefit to other innovation accelerator initiatives in communicating how design can be utilised as a catalyst for innovation.