Innovation Management

WHAT IS DESIGN INTEGRATION?

Design integration brings the best of “best practices” together in a cohesive team approach with all members working for a common goal – to produce the best product, in the best possible way. Today’s practices include terms like parallel efficiencies – much like in the computing world of processors; it is a much more efficient approach than serial work processes. Things happen faster because component development or team members are working together to accomplish tasks more efficiently and work together to produce a better product, faster and with a better overall outcome.

As people are working together in a parallel fashion there are many other benefits that are derived when applied to product development. Not only does the integrated team approach bring discussion, unique discovery and innovation; it also uncovers new ways to produce ideas for saving money and an overall unique approach to things in a way that isn’t possible with fragmented design. It is the old age, ‘two heads are better than one’, although, in this case, ‘a team of heads are better than one’. 

The team approach also lends itself to asynchronous work styles bringing more fluidity and less rigidity in the work setting or work group, which leads to open discussions and discovery. Traditional project hand offs, without parallel work styles, lends itself to synchronized work style, which is less desirable in a creative process. Disjointed outsourcing and fragmented development teams lend themselves to synchronization and make for even more rigid work styles and communication.