Unleash Innovation Through Design Thinking

Innovation has become increasingly important because of the rapid evolution of products, services, technologies and business models and the ever more complicated world in which businesses and organisations operate.

Innovation is about seeing the world not as it is, but as it could be. Therefore, the ability to innovate rests upon the exploration of problems whose solutions cannot be found in experience and proven by data.

Design Thinking is a human-centered process aimed at solving these complex and ambiguous problems (the so-called “wicked problems”), and at identifying opportunities for innovation. It can be used both for developing new business ideas and for unlocking hidden value in existing products, services and technologies, and it can reap benefits like significant economic value creation for stakeholders, meaningful differentiation of products and services, and improved customer experience. As such, Design Thinking not only represents a powerful way to unleash the creative potential of managers and leaders in organisations, but it is also rapidly becoming a new management paradigm for value creation.

We invite you to join a live master class led by Dr. Ileana Stigliani, Assistant Professor of Design and Innovation at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Department at Imperial College Business School, to learn the art of Design Thinking and apply it to your practices.

Dr Ileana Stigliani is Assistant Professor of Design and Innovation at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Department. She received her PhD in Management from Bocconi University, Milan. Ileana’s research focuses on how material artefacts and practices influence cognitive processes – including sensemaking and sense giving, categorisation and perceptions of organisational and professional identities – within organisations.

Ileana investigates these themes in design-based companies – e.g. Alessi, Kartell, Alfa Romeo, Piaggio and Ducati – and in Product and Service Design consulting firms – Continuum Innovation, IDEO, Live Work, Engine Service Design, etc. At Imperial, Ileana teaches ‘Management of Design’ and ‘Design Thinking’ to MSc and MBA students.