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De-risking Innovation Through Design
Innovation is exciting- but it’s also risky. For both start-ups and established businesses, launching a new sustainable product can be costly, time-intensive, and fraught with uncertainty. The reality is that many of these risks can be mitigated early, if design is treated as a strategic driver, not an afterthought.
“Good design is one of the most vital catalysts for growth and return on investment.” (McKinsey). Yet too often, design teams are brought in at the end simply to “dress up” a product. This approach overlooks design’s real value: reducing technical risks, cutting unnecessary costs, saving energy and materials, and ensuring products are fit for manufacture, market, and end users from the outset.
By integrating design thinking at the earliest stages; asking what can be made, how it will be used, who will use it, and in what context, companies can de-risk innovation, accelerate time to market, and significantly lower the chance of product failure.
Will Mitchell, owner and Design Director of award- winning 4C Design will share real-world examples of how 4C has reshaped design briefs, reduced development risks, and helped organisations avoid costly mistakes - turning potential setbacks into streamlined, successful product launches.
