Design Council Project Humanises Technology

A project to help UK emerging technology companies significantly boost their chances of developing commercially successful products was launched this week at the Design Council in London.

The initiative, called Humanising Technology, will demonstrate how the timely use of design can help small and medium sized companies translate science into solutions that connect with users needs and succeed in the marketplace. The work with several innovative companies around the country will lead to the production of tools and resources which the 77,000 firms in the UK emerging technology sector can then use to help them avoid creating products which don't take off commercially.

The first phase of Humanising Technology sees the Design Council working directly with nine early-stage, cutting-edge technology firms. The companies are involved in the development of display technology, artificial intelligence, fuel cells, software, medical devices and diagnostics and nanotechnology. Teams of design, business and technology experts will visit the firms to help identify areas where design could be used at an early stage to drive their business forward. The Design Council will continue to support and mentor the companies over a three-year period as they develop and implement design-led initiatives.

Findings and lessons from the project will be shared with other firms throughout the sector and new, practical tools will be evolved to allow emerging technology businesses to themselves identify when and how to use design for maximum effectiveness.

Ellie Runcie, project manager of Humanising Technology, described what the project is intending to accomplish: 'Emerging technologies are a vital component of the UK economy, but unfortunately the businesses behind them too often fail to link their science to the latent needs of end users. By emphasising technology rather than user need, solutions frequently fail to connect with the people they are intended for and so fail commercially.

'Products like WAP phones and the Sinclair C5 are classic examples of technology turkeys: products that fail to take off in the marketplace because their usability and the needs of consumers haven't been taken into account properly. Humanising Technology will help UK companies use design in order to avoid repeating such mistakes.'

Experts working with companies involved in the first phase of Humanising Technology will help firms to:
* Build a more holistic vision of their business,
* Identify possible applications of emerging technology,
* Connect these applications to user needs,
* Demonstrate the credibility of new technology for investors, customers, suppliers and other partners,
* Anticipate future market opportunities and trends.

Associated Link: The Design Council

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