Design as the Linking Force April 15, 2008

Design is an integrating activity and process, a way of thinking, an increasingly significant contributor to organizational success. The role of design is evolving beyond just the physical process of creating beautiful objects, desirable packaging or unique branding. Design can be a linking force, a unifying element across the enterprise, a connection between business, culture, and environment.



This year, DMI’s European conference will explore the evolution of design thinking and strategy to the next level. An international roster of forward-thinking experts will provoke, educate, and share. Come to Paris for three days of immersion in cultural exchange, and knowledge-building. Learn to make more holistic and meaningful contributions to the organization.



For more than a decade, this conference has explored the best in design and management thinking, through structured presentations, focused discussion groups, receptions, and networking opportunities. As a capital of culture, Paris forms a dynamic and enticing location for Design/Management Europe 12.



Link up in Paris, April 2008. Explore design as the linking force. Don’t miss the next evolution of design!



Speakers Confirmed Thus Far:

Totally Designed

Patrick Le Quément, Senior Vice President, Corporate Design, Renault(France)

Envisioning the Future through Design Leadership

Miquel-Angel Munar, Managing Director, Roca (Spain)

Innovation through Design: The Creative Synthesis

Marc Giget, Professor and Chair of Technology and Innovation, CNAM-Conservatoire National Des Arts et Metiérs (France)

Beauty and the Corporate Beast: How Design can Bridge the Gap between Products and the Decision Makers

Pierre-Yves Panis, Design Manager, Legrand (France)

At the Nexus of a New Design Dialectic: How Designers are Uniquely Skilled to be the Definitive Link between Innovation and Management Transformation

Maureen Thurston, Design Leverage Consultant, Second Road, Pty. Ltd. (Australia)

Design and the Art of Storytelling

Chris Bedford, President, Karo Group Inc. (Canada)

Designing a Sense of the Immaterial in the Future

Anne Stenros, Vice President, Design, KONE Corporation (Finland)

The Evolution of Design

Surya Vanka, Senior Manager, User Experience, Microsoft Corporation (US)



Session TBA
Isabelle Capron, CEO, Fauchon (France)

Breakout Session Leaders:

Philippe Picaud, Design Director, Decathlon (France)

Tim Selders, Director, PARK (The Netherlands)

Darragh Murphy, Research Fellow, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (United Kingdom)

Official Website: http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/conference/europe08/conference.htm