Design is by its nature innovative.
Design is a process of doing or making something better. The designer asks: How can I solve the problem at hand better? How do I do what I have to do better?
Every design process I have seen so far – be it from industrial, graphic, service or process design professionals – are variations on the same framework:
Of course, not all designers consciously or formally use a process. There are some designers who insist that they get their inspirations out of the blue, and where the visual manifestation outweighs all other concerns like reality, usability and ethics.
Which brings us to this thought: To teach innovation is to teach design; or more specifically, the design process.
(Thought at Innovation and Service Design conference, 29 Jan 2010, Malmö, Sweden.)