Industrial design and innovation

Regina Célia de Souza Pereira Ricardo Manfredi Naveiro

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
reginacelia@[Link] rnaveiro@[Link]

Abstract: An evaluation of industrial design education in Brazil as seen by industrialists is presented.

This evaluation is part of a survey conducted among industrial design teachers, industrialists, and
design professionals who are independent or employed in government research organisations. The
performance of newly graduated industrial designers (NGD) working for companies concerning
development of projects and processes which innovate and differentiate these industries from their
competitors was studied. The relationship between industrial design and innovation, characterizing
the activity, the required skills and abilities of professionals, and its possible contribution to bring
Brazil into an innovative economy is discussed. The objective is to gather information that might
contribute to improving the quality of design education and come closer to those who order and
make designs. The results suggest that design education must be reviewed and analyzed in more
depth and that industrial concerns are not always aware of design.
Keywords: industrial design, innovation, design education, designer.

1. Introduction 2. Design
The objective of this article is to compare industrial
2.1. Design and the designer
design education, as provided by university courses, with
the needs of industrial enterprises. The aim is to find what According to the ICSID - International Council of
happens when a designer is called to work in the development Societies of Industrial Design Definition (2004), “design is a
of a product or service, difficulties faced and the deficiencies creative activity whose aim is to establish the multi-faceted
in his education. This should lead to a broader knowledge on qualities of objects, processes, services and their systems in
the subject and allow actions to be implemented. A survey whole life-cycles”. ICSID considers design as the “central
was made, in which some industrial concerns representatives factor of the innovative humanization of technologies and
were consulted. The approach adopted was reading and the crucial factor of cultural and economic exchange.”
interpreting of the reality presented. Accordingly, it is the role of the designer to seek, discover
The work of the industrial designer was considered, and assess structural, organizational, functional, expressive
specifically that of the product designer who works in/for and economic relationships that propitiate global, social,
industries, in the development of products/processes that and cultural ethics. These involve the concern with global
lead to innovation and differentiation from competitors. sustainability and environment protection; with benefits and
Thus, Section 2 of this paper approaches the area of design, freedom for all human beings indistinctively; with cultural
characterizes the activity and the professional, describes the diversity, despite of the globalization.
industrial designers’ education and establishes the relation Designers find opportunities in creative industries, which
between design and innovation. Section 3 describes the include adverting, architecture, arts, crafts, design, film and
Brazilian and international industrial contexts on what refers video, interactive leisure, software, music, performing arts,
to innovation. Section 4 presents the survey made in firms publishing, software and computer services, TV and radio
and compares some of the information obtained with the (DESIGN, 2006).
theoretical support to the survey. Section 5, finally, presents There are various possibilities for work in design
the conclusions and considerations. consulting firms (external design) or in firms (internal

Vol. 5 nº 1 June 2007 Product: Management & Development 

design). Designers can be hired with a contract, receive for WALSH (1996) acknowledges in the life cycle of an
projects, work for a monthly fee, receive royalties for the industry or technology three phases that involve design, from
projects they develop or, even, establish mixed forms of an early period primarily of designing for experimentation
payment for their work. They can work by themselves, be part and technological innovation, to one where designing for
of a design team, or associate or head of a design office. technical improvement, lower costs and ease of manufacture
becomes more important, and finally a mature phase where
2.2. Education
a multiplicity of design variations, fashions, styles and
Bachelors’ degree in industrial design has been re‑designs within product ranges aimed at different market
available in Brazil, at the Escola Superior de Desenho segments predominates.
Industrial ‑ ESDI, since 1962, in Rio de Janeiro. Graduate In the second phase design goes from a basic idea to an
courses, lato and stricto sensu, leading to masters and original technological innovation. In the third phase design
doctors degrees are also available in a few schools. can, eventually, result in additional product innovation, in
Several specializations and possibilities are offered the emergence of a dominant design and families of design
by many schools: product industrial/design, product variant. Thus, design is crucial to innovation, but it is also
development, product project, visual programming, important in competitivity (price, efficient use of materials,
visual communication, interface design, fashion/clothes simplification of manufacture), in the differentiation and
design, interior design, landscaping, design management. safety of products.
Some of them have emphasis on tourism and hotel WALSH (1996) points out that, outside the firms, the
management, ceramic design, textile design, digital design, designer deals with trends in consumers’ behavior and
new technologies in publishing design, package design, patterns of demand, among other subjects while, inside the
electronic media, equipment design, ergonomics, shoes and firms, he deals with technical possibilities, market demand
accessories design, style and design (fashion), ecodesign, and opportunities and accesses other areas such as R&D
surface design, furniture design ministry of education (research and development), marketing, production, finance
internet site (BRASIL, 2006). and materials testing.
Design education is regulated by the law 9394,
3. The industrial context
December 1996 - LDBEN - Lei de diretrizes e bases da
educação nacional (BRASIL, 1996a); and by the resolution Product development and management association
CNE/CES (Conselho Nacional de Educação/Câmara de (PDMA, 2006) - acts mainly in the United States and
Educação Superior) 5/2004, march 2004, which approves Canada and for 30 years has been offering resources for the
the national curricular rules (BRASIL, 2004a). development, information, collaboration and professional
promotion for the management of new products. The reports
2.3. Technological innovation and design
on their researches best practices allow an understanding of
WALSH (1996) analyses the role of design from different the industry situation in developed countries and how the
perspectives - economic, sociological and management - and questions relating to innovation are dealt with.
reaches the conclusion that what the firms expectations from Two studies provide an economic and social profile of
design varies very much, in the same way that varies the Brazilian production as a whole. RESENDE & TAFNER
place of design in the manufacturing companies’ hierarchy (2005) deal with development and social inclusion in Brazil,
as well as the attitudes and strategies towards design. Thus, now and in the future. Chapter 2 discusses innovation and
different people within and outside the firm - the designers competition, and brings enough information to define
themselves, marketing managers, consumers - all have the position of brazilian industry in relation to other
different views on design. It is a common fact that firms do countries. IBGE’s industrial research of technological
not hire designers, even when their products by their nature innovation ‑ pesquisa industrial de inovação tecnológica ‑
require the work of a designer. PINTEC (2005), published with the support of the financiadora
The author associates design to innovation, as it aims to de estudos e projetos - FINEP and of the Ministério de
relate the hardware to the dimensions, instinctive responses Ciência e Tecnologia, aims to establish national and regional
and emotional needs of the user, but notes that some new indicators of technological innovation in the brazilian
products are designed but involve no technological change. industrial companies employing ten or more people.
Strategic management may see the function of design as
3.1. Situation in developed countries
adding value, increasing production efficiency in use of
materials and energy, and generating increased profits. GRIFFIN (1997) presents the results found in different
Industrial design, therefore, is important both in developing surveys about the best practices in the development of new
the form of an innovative product, and in designing products products new product development (NPD) from the first
that are new but do not involve new technology. one, in 1968 until 1995, the most recent one. Following

 Industrial design and innovation Pereira & Naveiro

these, it can be noticed the changes in practices along the • more than 84% of the most innovative projects used
time, the complexity of the aspects involved and the amount multifunctional teams;
of knowledge needed. This author observes that the firms • in 1968 the products development mortality curve
work in dynamic competitive environments that make the showed that, on average, 58 ideas were considered
processes of management also dynamic, preserving the for every new product successfully commercialized;
efficacy and the profits. NPD can be affected by some in 1995 it takes 6.6 ideas to generate one success.
changes in businesses, noticed until the mid 90s such as Firms are more efficient in weeding out less probable
growth at the level of competition (more firms competing projects earlier in the NPD process; and
for the same markets), quick changes in the market • NPD cycle times, which in 1990 was an average
environment, higher rates of technical obsolescence and of 23.8 months for more innovative projects, down
shorter product life cycle. ­approximately 1/3 in 1995.
The first survey on NPD practices made by Booz, Allen
3.2. Situation in Brazil
and Hamilton (BAH) dates for 1968. In 1982 they made a
new survey. In 1990 PDMA made, among its members, its In RESENDE & TAFNER (2005) study, the favorable
first study of product development practices. situation to technological innovation is well defined.
Other surveys about best practices were made in different Innovative economies create new products and/or processes
firms, in the first half of the 90s. The results vary a lot, for the world market, while imitative economies absorb and
and the findings, interesting. One of the surveys notices improve innovations created in other economies. The higher
the geographic question - japanese firms developing new the technological intensity, the larger the growth in exports
products in completely different ways from the USA firms. while, the lower the technological intensity, the more mature
In another survey, the subject of success was the focus - the is the product, more consolidated are the technologies and
more successful firms using NPD to obtain or maintain lower are the opportunities for new developments. Brazil
competitive advantages, to fill in a growing gap, to stop needs a technological active learning strategy, which
erosion of the profit margin, to use a new technology; consists of absorbing and mastering advanced technologies,
and the less successful firms using NPD to keep or attract overcoming imitation, decreasing the technological gaps
clients. Still in another survey, the practices of products and increasing productivity. Japan is an example of this
development are associated to NPD performance, which is strategic implementation which led the country into a really
defined as a combination of self-assessments of cycle time, innovative economy.
innovativeness, success rate and revenue contribution. In what concerns scientific production it happens that
In 1995 PDMA made its second survey of best practices patents and brands granted to brazilians in the United States
in product development. This research combined items of are still few. The number of scientific papers published by
several former researches and had as objective to determine Brazilians in international scientific journals, as well as the
the present stage of performance and practices of product number of brazilian [Link]. and Ph.D. and [Link]. has been
development, to understand how product development increasing; however, the majority of this highly prepared
changed along the time; to determine if there were group works in universities. It is a potential not yet much
differences in practices or performance of NPD among exploited in the brazilian innovation process.
the industrial segments and search of tools that make the The innovation law - Lei de inovação - nº 10.973
difference in product development. (BRASIL, 2004b) intends to approximate firms, universities
The research was sent to more than 14,500 potential and research organizations in order to promote innovation
respondents (only North-Americans) and had a total amount and technological learning. It aims at extending research
of answers low for this kind of research: 2.7%. It allowed the into the firms. This law foresees and favors, among other
conclusion that there is not a sole and best way to organize things, the establishment of alliances, strategies, cooperation
NPD, and brought to light the following main data: projects, technological entrepreneurial actions, sharing of
• the implementation of the processes distinguishes laboratories, equipments etc.
‘best practices’ firms and ‘the rest of the firms’, and Innovation in products brings the firms larger gains.
makes the distinction between service and production Innovation in processes must be meaningful to the utility
of manufactured goods; and quality of the product.
• best practice firms correspond to only 22% of the Some indicators of the brazilian industry:
total, and their success comes from the extended • the innovation rate in brazilian firms with more
or better use of several effective and simultaneous than ten employees is 31.5%, which is considered
NPD practices. These companies expect almost half low. The quality of the innovation is also low. Only
of their sales to come from products commercialized 4.1% innovate in products and 2.8% innovate in
in the last three years; processes;

Vol. 5 nº 1 June 2007 Product: Management & Development 

 • from the 72 thousand brazilian firms with more than do they present themselves to potential employers? Are they
ten employees, only 1.7% innovates and differenti- aware of their competence? Do they know how to formulate
ates products (1224 companies). The great majority concepts? Are they able to solve problems? Are their actions
do not differentiate their products and have lower effective? Do they communicate in an adequate manner?
productivity, and therefore do not get significant Do they know how to learn, listen, and consider? Do they
benefits from innovation; they are scattered all over have adequate technical knowledge?
the national territory and are relevant only in job The working hypothesis in this study is that the training
offering; and currently offered to the future designers is not adequate:
• 70.6% of the brazilian firms that innovated and it does not provide them with appropriate conditions for
differentiated their products also innovated in the professional life; the newly graduated designers (NGD)
production process. Of those, 35.7% innovated pro- work, as a whole, is not considered very satisfactory by
cesses. That indicates that, in this case, the creation those who hire their services; and does not contribute to
of new products implies in innovation in processes improve people’s lives.
(RESENDE & TAFNER, 2005).
Firms that innovate and differentiate products have 4.1. Description
average higher revenues. On the average export much more The theoretical referential basis to this work has provided
than others and their insertion in the international commerce a map of the main aspects to be pursued in the interviews
is differentiated: they are more competitive. The average and guided the selection of the questions, particularly those
wages of the people employed is higher, their average related to the designers education, to the design activity and
educational level is much higher, and stay longer in the firm. to design professionals.
Summing up, the strategy based on product innovation and
Interviews were made with representatives of industrial
differentiation proves to be socially inclusive.
firms in the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Paraná,
In geographic terms, brazilian industry as a whole,
and the answers were analyzed. On the whole there were
and also those that innovate and differentiate products,
10 interviews in transformation industries - section D of the
concentrate mainly in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto
classificação nacional de atividades econômicas (CNAE) - all
Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Salvador, Vitória,
medium or large firms with at least 150 employees. The
Fortaleza and Recife (always at a main municipal districts
and its neighborhoods). In terms of obstacles to the universe of these firms includes from the most simple to
innovation efforts mentioned in the survey, all include the multinational leaders in their segments (Table 1). The
“economic risk”, “high costs”, and “lack of adequate number of interviews is compatible with the number used
financial support”. It is important to notice that, in Brazil, in other kinds of research, such a delphi technique, for
government financial support is directed more towards example.
acquisition of equipment and to innovation of process than In selecting the interviewees the relation of the firm and
to product innovation. its products with the activity of design, the adequacy of the
function of the interviewees (knowledge of production and
4. Survey at the companies market roles, direct relation with in-house or consultant
The main driver of the survey was the absence (or designers and economic view of the process), their personal
insufficiency) of answers to many crucial questions, such competence, knowledge and perception for the verification
as: Where/how students look for jobs after graduation? How of the hypothesis of this study was considered.

Table 1. General overview of the interviewed firms.

CNAE group Local (city, state) Main products In charge of design
29 Rio de Janeiro, RJ Bathroom and kitchen metals Board + engineer + employees
29 Rio de Janeiro, RJ bathroom and kitchen metals Board + technician
28 Nova Friburgo, RJ Hardware, locks External design
28 Nova Friburgo, RJ Hardware, locks Board + technician
31 São José dos Pinhais, PR House appliances In-house design
31 São Paulo, SP House appliances In-house design
31 São Paulo, SP Lighting In-house design
35 Queimados, RJ Boats Board + hired firm
36 Rio de Janeiro, RJ Furniture In-house design
32 Rio de Janeiro, RJ Electronic appliances In-house design

 Industrial design and innovation Pereira & Naveiro

 Among the industrial interviewees only one had in which they were encouraged to elaborate. 70% of
technical level education and the other nine, university level. the interviewees recognized that they had little strategic
From these, 1 was a manager, 1 system analyst, 3 engineers planning; 60% thought that they recognized the necessity
and 4 industrial designers. From those of university level, of design and that they knew the consumers well; 90%
5 were nearer to the design activity, either by education thought they knew very well the clients and competitors;
(3 designers), or by teaching experience in design courses 80% thought that they knew the suppliers (Figure 3). It
(1 designer/ex-professor and 1 engineer/professor). Four seems a contradictory that companies that admit to have,
of the interviewees had graduate courses (lato sensu or M. in their majority, little strategic planning, on the one hand,
Sc.). All studied in Brazil (Figure 1). to be capable of recognizing the needs for design, on the
The professional experience of the interviewees ranged other hand; or even consider that they knew very well
from 9 to 30 years. 7 of the interviewees had experience their consumers, their clients, their suppliers and their
in supervision, management or even company presidency, competitors.
ranging from 2 to 9 years; one of them has owned his Still evaluating the production, 90% of the interviewees
company for 20 years (Figure 2). declared that the processes in their companies are clearly
It is assumed, consequently, that the answers given by defined, but only 60% of them stated that there is a “quality
the interviewees are adequate to bring to light the discussion manual” - and here it seems to lay another inconsistency.
about industrial designers’ education and their possibility In regard to industrial property, 90% of the interviewees
of getting jobs. confirmed that they have patents and trademarks. Industrial
4.2. Characteristics of the firms property is one of the protection methods used by the firms
to guarantee the property of innovation results. PINTEC
Evaluating the production of the industries they
revealed that the most used competitive tool in the dispute
represented the interviewees answered to a list of questions
and protection of markets is the brand that emphasizes
registration of trademarks. Secondly, comes industrial
secret. Patents and industrial designs, altogether, come
Technical as the third type of mechanism of protection most used
level 1 in medium and small enterprises, but firms with 100 or
Design 4
more workers patents and registers are the second most
used practice, or the industrial secret is equally important.
It can be inferred, therefore, from PINTEC data, that
Engineering 3
Management 1
the interviewees refer in their answers more probably to
University
System analysis 1
trademarks - with the exception of the firms leaders in their
course 9 segments, multinationals, which have patents.
Figure 1. Level of education and area of instruction of the interviewees. As to R&D, 90% declare that they have in-house
research and development. Internal R&D activities include
creative and systematic activities, which aim at increasing
knowledge and permitting their use in new applications,
36
33
30 Aspect appraised Quantity of interviewees
30 28
27 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
27
Years of experience

24 Strategic planning
20
21 Recognition of the need for design
18
18 16 16 Knowledge of the consumers
14
15
Knowledge of the clients
12 10
9 Knowledge of the suppliers
9
Knowledge of the competitors
6
3
Very much Little
0
Interviewees
Figure 3. Opinion/perception of the interviewees about  some questions
Figure 2. Professional experience of the interviewees. related to production

Vol. 5 nº 1 June 2007 Product: Management & Development 

such as new or technically improved products and processes; according to the interviewee. One of the interviewees did
PINTEC revealed that the number of firms that have internal not know what to answer (Figure 5).
R&D activities is decreasing, although some firms have As to how design is hired or negotiated, only 4 of the
been spending more with internal R&D. interviewees answered. Two of the firms hire by project;
When discussing how they differ in relation from the other two firms, by royalties. One of them, leader in its
competitors, two interviewees mentioned design explicitly, segment, has a contest in global scale.
while other three mentioned the characteristics of a From all the interviewees, 90% declared that products
good design: “finishing touch and durability”, “product launched or reformulated in the last two years were
innovation”, “the product more rational/practical/usable/ internally developed.
with better cost benefit (…) we offer more for what the The innovative activities related to launching or
consumer pays”. Therefore, half of the interviewees consider reformulating products in the last two years (Figure 6)
design as a differential in relation to competitors. happened in 6 of the firms, according to the interviewees that
Characterizing their sources of design information, pointed out design - including safety, usability, interaction
18% of the answers pointed to visits to fairs, 15%, journals, with the consumer (45% of the answers). The other
13%, internet research, 10% research on other segments answers mentioned: new market segments, new system,
not their own, 8% study of the competitors (Figure 4). The new component, new line in the processes, in technology,
remaining answers (others) pointed to consulting catalogues, in production (8% of the answers each).
consumers, the market (2% each), workshops, books and
clients (1% each). Only one of the interviewees did not
know what to answer.
According to the PINTEC report, the most mentioned
and valued sources of information remain the internal area Others: 25
Internal designer or
of the firms (their own experience), suppliers, fairs and Conjoint department: 43
exhibitions, clients or competitors, and what is learned development: 13
and researched in the internet, in lectures, meetings and
specialized publications.
In the ways of acquisition of design the following External firm: 19
modalities stand out: on the one hand development by
in‑house designer or team, and the corporative development Figure 5. Acquisition of design (%).
in the leader firms in their segments (44% of the answers);
the development by a consultant designer or consultant
design firms (19% of the answers), on the other hand. A
third possibility is the joint development with firms of other
In production: 8
segments - for example, of electronics (13% of the answers). In technology: 8
The other forms of acquisition of design (others) point out In the processes: 8 Design: 45
contests, partnerships to enhance and stimulate creativity, New line: 8
the firm owner making the design himself, or the owner with
the team of technicians and engineers (6% of the answers New component: 8
New system: 8 New market segments: 7
each). In one of the firms where the design is developed
by the board of directors out two experiences of hiring
external designers were mentioned and evaluated as good: Figure 6. Innovative activities in the last 2 years (%).
“the directors of the firm left behind certain bad habits”

In revenues: 14
Did not know Fairs
Re-dimensioning of In quality: 14
what to answer: 10% Journals production: 14
In profits: 14
Leveling with
Others Internet the competitors: 14

In the trademark: 29
Competitors Other segments

Figure 4. Sources of information. Figure 7. Impact of innovative activities (%).

10 Industrial design and innovation Pereira & Naveiro

 The impact of the innovative activities (Figure 7) was due to the long period in which they were helped by the
mentioned by 6 of the interviewees on the trademark governmental protectionism. When investing in design these
(28% of the answers in the leading companies in their firms do not know how to act and face difficulties of several
segments). The other answers were leveling with the kinds; they take design for style, do not understand what
competitors, re‑dimensioning of production revenues, contribution design can bring to products and to the firm,
quality, profit (14% of the answers each). and leave concerns with quality, among other mistakes, to
PINTEC tries to identify the impacts associated to the end of the production process.
product, market, process, aspects related to environment, The interviewees’ answers confirm that, even in the
health, and safety and conformity to rules and norms. industries in which the nature of the product demands
According to the PINTEC report, the impacts of the design, still a considerable part of the entrepreneurs do not
innovative activities are the improvement of the quality of understand the meaning of the activity, the real benefits it
the products, the factors associated to the position of the can bring and ignore the whole potential of a designer’s
company in the market, and the factors associated to the contribution.
process and the flexibility of production.
4.4. Newly graduated designers (NGD)
4.3. Knowledge of the interviewees
Figure 8 shows selected interviewees’ perception of the
The interviewees were asked their view about the quality of design education. Twenty nine types of design
meaning of design was and what a designer is - open
knowledge or abilities were presented, organized in six
questions, allowing the interviewee freedom to answer as
areas - communication and expression, management,
he thought best. The answers can be organized into two
marketing, technical, production/distribution, others - stated
different groups. Five of the interviewees with education in
as excellent, good, fair, bad, extremely bad.
design or teaching activity in design courses, characterized
In Figure 8 it can be seen that to half of the industrials
by broad views, proximity or contextualization, and the
interviewed, the newly graduated designers (NGD)
group of the other 5 interviewees, characterized by partiality,
lack of knowledge, or lack of realism. have average knowledge of tendencies. WALSH (1996)
In the first group the interviewees considered design as
an activity related to the development of more humanized Aspects evaluated Quantity of interviewees
products that comply with the needs and improve people’s 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
lives; or a strategic tool for differentiation from competitors, Bi-tri-dimensional representation
Use of software
add value to the product and win a market share. They also Research methodology
mention articulation of different concepts such as use, Negotiation
production, manufacture, safety, etc., more to the designer’s Project management
point of view. Costs
Constraint management
This first group stressed, among others, the following Simultaneous engineering
attributes in the designer qualities: technical knowledge, Patterns of demand
aesthetic sensibility; the capacity to make good products Benchmarking
Visual methodology
possible, launch tendencies, add value to the trademark, Materials and processes
turn non-determined situations into determined situations; Ergonomics
ergonomic, functional and production aspects; ability to Standards/quality
Intellectual property
articulate the different professionals involved. Strange as it
Environment
may seem, one of the interviewees stated that the designer Product life cycle
does not need, necessarily, to have formal education in Social tendencies
design, but the attitude. Innovation
Professional practice
The second group of the interviewees expressed Ethics
their views on design exclusively as an attractor for the Ways of acting
consumers; or showed their lack of familiarity with the Professional entities
Information sources
concept of design; they even admitted the design potential
and virtues but hope that it does not give too much labor or
increase costs; or hope that it increases sales and promotes Excellent/good Good Fair Bad Don’t know
business. This second group sees the designer as capable of
analyzing the market and brings success to the company.
FERROLI et al. (2003) point to the lack of preparation of Figure 8. Opinion/perception of the interviewees  about the quality of
great part of brazilian firms to face international competition, designer’s education

Vol. 5 nº 1 June 2007 Product: Management & Development 11

describes the designer as an intermediary between the Half of these industrials ignore what knowledge NGD
sets of professionals inside and outside the firm. He have of: patterns of demand, benchmarking, ergonomics,
contributes to the innovation process outside R&D, through product life cycle, professional entities. 60% of the
the marketing of new product (via packaging, brochure, interviewees have no idea of how NGD are prepared to act
manual and advertising design and corporate identity) professionally and 40% of the interviewees do not know
and the design of the process, layout and sequencing of what are the abilities of NGD of research methodology,
tasks for the production of the new product. To this author, project management, visual methodology, intellectual
therefore, to increase innovation’s value implies in that the property, environment, innovation, possibilities/ways of
professional of design have the capacity to analyze reality acting and information sources (Figure 8).
and to articulate with several different instances, aiming at In a research made for his PhD thesis, BARBOSA (2003)
developing innovative projects. From this point of view the confirms the insufficiency of knowledge about environment
knowledge that the designer has of tendencies must be at in the designers’ education, placing the lack of ecological
least good, not just fair. knowledge of the product designers as one of the specific
Still in Figure 8 it can be seen that to 60% of the difficulties when thinking of sustainability.
interviewees, NGD do not have negotiation ability. The opinion/perception of the interviewees about the
To prepare traditional firm executives to deal with the quality of designers’ education, in synthesis, is restricted
design management seems to be a hard task, as suggests to the range of aspects they know, and at this level the
GORB (1987), especially when they are older people, who opinion/perception is strongly concentrated on the range of
must overcome educational and cultural barriers. On the degrees that goes from bad to fair. On the other hand, the
other hand, to prepare designers for management implies interviewees showed not to know well these professionals,
in giving them the instruments with the terminology, and at as almost half of the aspects evaluated received a ‘do not
least some basic norms and values of the business world in know” as an answer.
which they will have to work. This is something in which Some other questions, equally related to the quality
they are simply not interested. Besides, design constitutes of designer’s education, contribute to situate them in the
the process that relates the company to the consumer. political, public and economic context of their area of work.
Forty percent of the industrials placed as fair the NGD These questions are as important as those already presented
knowledge of bi and tri-dimensional representation; and as in Figure 8; therefore, designers are supposed to understand
bad their knowledge of materials and processes, costs, and them. Figure 9 presents the more significant results found
management of constraints (Figure 8). The DCN - diretrizes when the interviewees gave their opinion/perception of
curriculares nacionais (national curricula directives) of the understanding that NGD have of those questions.
graduation in design establishes that the course must develop Eleven questions were presented, and the interviewees’
the capacity to express concepts and solutions with different answers classify them between excellent, good, fair, bad
techniques of visual expression and reproduction, to provide and extremely bad. From these only 6 had answers with
knowledge of the production sector of the specialization the concentration of 4 or more interviewees at the same
chosen by the student and to provide a deep knowledge of level, and 2 had answers with concentration of 4 or more
production management, including quality, productivity,
factory physical layout, inventory, among other aspects
(art. 4th., II - VI - VII). Aspects evaluted Quantity of interviewees
Forty percent of these industrials stated as bad the 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
NGD knowledge of simultaneous engineering, and other Integration university/industries
40% did not know what to answer (Figure 8). Simultaneous National identity
engineering is made possible when the project is developed Technical standards for design
by multifunctional teams using software in integration and Design project profitability
decision making. Therefore, it is convenient that the NGD Value of the project/total cost
designer be aware of simultaneous engineering and familiar Final price product composition
with the resources needed to its implementation. Waste
To 40% of these industrials, NGD have bad knowledge Re-working
of standards/ quality (Figure 8). Product changes/cost evalution
NGD were seen as excellent and as good (together) by
an equal or larger number of the interviewed industrials, in Fair Bad Bad/extremely bad Do not know
the use of software. And were considered as good in ethics
by 40% of those industrials (Figure 8). Figure 9. Policies.

12 Industrial design and innovation Pereira & Naveiro

interviewees in the adding up of two degrees (bad/extremely Focusing the question of project and of technology,
bad). About 1 of the questions the interviewees were BARBOSA (2003) points out that designers have been
dichotomized. And about 2 of the questions presented the being educated, for decades, in a frame of mind guided by
interviewees were divided. objects that solve artificial or secondary problems and do
Figure 9 shows other selected interviewees’ perception not contribute to improve human life quality. The result
of the quality of design education. 11 policy, public and
economic questions were presented and stated as excellent,
good, fair, bad, extremely bad. Activity towards Others: 17
In Figure 9 it can be seen that, for 60% of the industrials innovation: 21 Express a concept: 21
interviewed, NGD are fair in their capacity to give the
products they conceive a national identity. The awareness
that NGD have of integration between university and Activity of interaction
between usuary and artifact: 14 Consider the usuary/consumer
industry was considered bad (50%), as well as their needs: 28
understanding of how product changes can increase costs
(50%). According to the interviewees, NGD are also bad Figure 10. Meanings of the design project (%).
in estimating the design project return, in the project value
(how much the project is worth) compared to the total cost
and in awareness of what can lead to re-working (40%). Seek solutions
Others: 15 for problems: 21
The Programa Brasileiro de Design (PBD) already Understand
recognized some weak points in design as practiced in problems: 14 Overcome
Brazil. Among others it stressed the “the inexistence of difficulties: 18
the culture of design at the potential of industrial products Communicate
consumer market, associated to an absence of identity of with effectiveness: 14
Make
the national products” and “the low university/industry conscious options: 18
integration and consequent professional education
Figure 11. Designer’s responsibility (%).
dissociated from technological knowledge of production
and economic viability” (BRASIL, 1996b).
NGD were considered as bad or extremely bad
Others: 23 Criativity: 20
(together), in their knowledge about final product costs
(60%) and about waste (40%). Capacity of Capacity of
In none of the studied aspects NGD were considered as synthesis: 10 observation: 17
excellent or good (together) by about half of the industrials
interviewed. Systemic vision: 13
The opinion/perception of the interviewees about the Disposition to interact: 17

quality of the designers’ education in policy, public and Figure 12. Designer’s most important qualities (%).
economic questions, therefore, concentrates in from extremely
bad to bad. It is a fact that some of the aspects evaluated are
not easily accessible to the knowledge of those who are Individual that practices an Others: 10
outside the industry (for example, the value of the project in intellectual profession: 10
relation to total costs, or the final product costs composition).
Subordinated to Part of
It is also a fact that some other aspects considered are not a coordinator: 10 a team: 70
easily accessible to those outside the university, or outside
the professional design area (for example, identity of
national products, or technical standards for design). But Figure 13. How the designer is seen (%).
these considerations do not invalidate the opinion/perception
evaluation of the interviewees about NGD.
Effectiveness: 20
4.5. The activity and the professionals
Life quality: 50
The interviewees expressed their opinion about
the activity and the professional performance of the
designers.
Simplicity: 30
Their choices resulted in the following profiles as in
Figures 10-14 shown below. Figure 14. Designer’s principal idea (%).

Vol. 5 nº 1 June 2007 Product: Management & Development 13

generates speculation and variety, but not much innovation sensitive to design, either by their own education, or
and real aggregated value. The analysis and revision of by their knowledge of the current designers’ educa-
this model would stimulate environmental responsibility tion. The second are those who have less knowledge
of the designers and, consequently, directing their creative in the area of design, either by their education or by
towards an innovative capacity of constructing the future their distance from the areas comprehended by de-
and preserving the species. sign, or even by dire matters related to the immediate
In this respect, BRASIL & AZEVEDO (2003) consider survival of the firm - and that ends showing up in the
that, in terms of design, comprehensive solutions demand results or in the quality of its products/services;
more than product projects or even of services; they demand • NGD are not well seen by the interviewees; they
system or net projects. feel that NGD arrive badly-prepared in professional
SENGE (1998) enumerated mastery, mental life. At the same time, the interviewees did not know
models, shared vision and team learning as the basic
how to answer half of the proposed items. Again, the
disciplines to innovate learning organizations, and a fifth
dichotomy appears: those who know design evaluate
discipline - systems thinking ‑ that gathers all that. However,
the designers badly; those with a scarce knowledge
as NEVES (2003) points out, these concepts were applied to
of design do not know how to evaluate them;
firms and to NGOs (non governmental organizations), but
• in public, economic or policy questions the interview-
few cases in the literature refer to educational institutions,
especially universities. He presents as example engineering ees did not have doubts or showed lack of knowledge,
education in which students are not stimulated to develop maybe because those questions link to the designer’s
competences in team work, systemic vision of the work level of maturity and their world view; here also the
environment and of personal relations involved in carrying NGD received a low evaluation; and
out tasks, express personal points of view in technical • about conceptual questions of design - the meaning
debates, be creative. of the activity, the inherent responsibilities, the skills
of the professional and the ethical question - the in-
5. Conclusions and final considerations
terviewees had no difficulty to state their opinions,
Back to the proposed object of the survey on the except for the natural difficulty to choose one or
adequacy of industrial design education to the industries some of the aspects proposed. One can conclude
needs one can consider that: that design and design professionals have their value
• the universe of interviewees is expressive. They recognized.
are mature, experienced professionals, working in These considerations allow two conclusions:
well‑known firms, responsible in part for their suc- • first, that when called to contribute with his knowl-
cess and with an interest for results; edge and experience for the development of a product
• the questions related to production bring to light some or service, the NGD find difficulties. His contribution
contradictions. While they admit not to have much may not be well dimensioned, the design activity may
strategic planning, the majority states to recognize not be correctly placed, the firm may not be prepared
the needs for design, the users/consumers, clients, to absorb design and its consequent changes; and
suppliers and competitors. At the same time that
• second, that the inadequacies in NGD education
they maintain in-house designers or hire consultant
may limit and impair the results of his intervention,
designers, in some firms there are no designers at
contributing to diminish the image of the activity.
all, or the design is the result of the initiative of the
The hypothesis formulated for this survey is thus
direction or of the technicians. Although the totality
confirmed: that the education currently offered to the
related the development of products in the last two
years, only 60% of them described the innovative future industrial designer is not satisfactory. It is suggested
activities in connection to this development and that education in design needs to be revised, broadened
were able to point out the impact consequent of these and deepened in the aspects considered the most critical
activities. Although almost all declared that the pro- especially at the level of management knowledge. As a result
cesses in their firms are clearly defined, only 60% of it is expected that the NGD acquire basic conditions to enter
them affirmed that there was a “quality manual”; into professional life, act in a positive and efficient way to
• the knowledge the interviewees have of design and help those who hire their services and improve people’s
of a designer’s job falls into two groups. The first are lives. As a consequence the designers themselves turn
those who are able to select and hire a professional, into agents of transformation, bringing more information
optimizing their experience in the product/service for about their activities and contributing to create in the firms
the benefit of the firm; this group consists of people favorable working environment.

14 Industrial design and innovation Pereira & Naveiro

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