Design Innovation Centers: Space for Creative Thought

This month a long time Launch Institute client, Printpack Inc., a $1.3 billion packaging technology company (www.printpack.com), moves into a new office building in the prestigious Vinings business district of Atlanta, Georgia. For two years, Printpack has refined its design innovation process and organization and upon moving into the new building there will be a specific space for the conduct of design innovation work at Printpack; the Printpack Innovation Center.

Printpack’s Innovation Center (architected by DFab Design Fabrications) will be on the ground level of the new high tech five story headquarters (some details below). In fact, upon entering the main lobby of the new building, visitors will be “seduced” by a curved hallway and graphics to enter the Innovation Center. The Innovation Center is set up to represent Printpack’s value chain, its history of innovation, and the emphasis Printpack is placing on design innovation.

While Launch Institute advised Printpack during the design of their Innovation Center we used our experience working on other design innovation centers, such as the work we did with BorgWarner designing their Tech Center in Detroit, establishing NCB’s “Alternative Work Environment” and BMW’s innovation center in Munich. We have also worked in other innovation centers at 3M, Apple, Nike, Sony, P&G, McDonalds and Royal Dutch Shell.

One thing we have learned is that as a company’s design innovation process matures, it becomes important that an associated physical location is established for several reasons. The first reason is to create a physical identity for design innovation work. When entering a design innovation center it signals a difference in work orientation, expectations and gives “permission” for participants to play with ideas.

Second, a design innovation center is highly visual and as such conveys what is strategic and important to the company. In the center are representations of company needs, current creative efforts to meet those company needs, and sources of insight from which ideas can be generated. By being highly visual (pictures, graphs, multimedia, etc.) it makes important information accessible in a rapid timeframe. Visual information also conveys content at a more emotional level which is important to stimulate higher levels of creativity.

Third, a design innovation center displays the important work being conducted by the company to maintain a robust portfolio of projects that are the basis for the company’s future growth. Certainly the confidentiality of certain projects must be maintained, but the “IP teasers” delight not only employees using the center but visiting shareholders, customers and suppliers as well.

Finally, a design innovation center is a source of assistance and facilitation to employees looking for unique team work processes and problem solving techniques. The center is staffed by individuals who understand creative processes and techniques and often provides space and support technology for teams to use in their creative work.

The Printpack Innovation Center
Several key elements of Printpack’s Innovation Center stand out. First of all, the layout ensures a sense of freedom and movement. The curved walls, use of natural light and access to “interaction space” invites individuals to think openly and collaboratively (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Printpack Innovation Center

Access to the latest in multi-media technology encourages individuals to share and build upon each others’ ideas.

The Innovation Center will also convey the historic timeline of Printpack’s innovations. The use of a graphic timeline leads visitors into the central courtyard of the Center. This ensures individuals are grounded in the fact that Printpack has a history of innovation and this is a foundation to build upon. In the heart of the Innovation Center are packaging displays (displayed to emulate retail environments), supplier and customer displays and specific technology displays, all on a rotational basis to ensure timeliness (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Printpack Innovation Timeline and Product Center

The presence of a design innovation center says “We are serious about design innovation.” Some of our clients have utilized more temporary “Design Innovation Studios” to focus their creative work rather than outlay the capital necessary to build a more permanent center but, either way, establishing space to conduct creative work will have significant results for companies.