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Policy, innovation and design are the three key words for the SEE project. The partners have been working to understand how these topics can be interlinked for the benefit of their regions’ economy and society.

The EU, Member States and regions are committed to exploiting innovation to help companies perform better and therefore contribute to wider social objectives such as growth, employment and sustainability. The principle EU innovation policy is the ‘broad-based innovation strategy for the EU’, which provides the framework for national and regional innovation policy and identifies industry-led and society-driven innovation as key components of competitiveness. This strategy was launched in 2006. Over the last ten years, the European Union has been expanding the scope of its innovation policy in order for Europe to remain competitive in dynamic global markets. The Commission is currently assessing the EU innovation strategy in order to draft a new European innovation plan by 2010.

 

Broadening the scope of innovation policy will require new policy measures based on new complimentary tools for innovation; tools that are capable of addressing broader societal needs as well as competitiveness, such as environmental and social concerns. Design is one of these innovation tools which deserves greater political attention at the European level as well as in most EU member states [1]. In Europe, design is increasingly recognised as an activity that drives innovation and competitiveness by allowing companies to bring to the market innovative products and services that better correspond to user needs. In other words: Innovation is a key driver of growth, prosperity and well-being. Creativity is innovation’s prime source. Design bridges the two. 

Even though the understanding of design is improving, there are still challenges to be overcome. While innovation policies enjoy a relatively high profile amongst policy makers across the EU, design has so far attracted little attention. As design is integral in the future competitiveness of the EU economy, it is essential to integrate design into innovation policy.

 

In order to drive changes in innovation policy at the European level, the Commission has recently taken a number of measures. These include, the development of the staff working document ‘Design as a driver of user-centred innovation’, which analyses the contribution of design to innovation. This document was the starting point for the public consultation on design and innovation, which took place between April and June 2009. The staff working document suggests that barriers exist for the effective use of design in European innovation but that the use of design has untapped potential in many companies, particularly SMEs.

 

‘Government policy for design’ is still a relatively new subject. Although there is increasing interest around the world, very few countries have actually developed national design policies. And even fewer have got the policy ratified and implemented.  

 

Despite few national policies at government level, countries have been implementing design programmes for more than a century. Today, practically all developed countries have some national initiatives in support of design, although with varying levels of maturity [2].

 

Programmes are concerned with delivery and implementation. They can be industry-led, society-driven or even an individual’s initiative aiming to strengthen a specific sector, generate business advantage or social improvement.

 

Policy is concerned with the process of turning strategies into output. It is government-led with the ultimate objective of securing a non-transferable competitive advantage for a country or region.  

 

All over the world, programmes have been proving, at a micro-level, the value of design for business advantage, and at a macro-level, the value of design for economic and social benefits. Where results have been proved at project level, there is an opportunity for multiplying the effects. This is the motivation for integrating design at policy level.

 

Although the EU, Member States and regions recognise that design plays a key role in the development of new products and services, it has not, as yet, been incorporated into legislation. The SEE project aims to draft recommendations that will raise the salience of design amongst policy makers, increase the use of design services in industry and improve understanding of how design can be used to tackle social and economic challenges in Europe. By sharing expertise, setting targets, developing support mechanisms and devising four policy recommendation booklets, we hope to be able to influence policy at regional and national levels in Europe, fostering the integration of design into innovation policy and also the development and implementation of new dedicated design policies.