Principles and Techniques for Design and Innovation

This event is an evening of design and innovation thinking focused on the crucial first stage of any successful product, service, or process: Discovery. It explores how to deeply understand the people you are designing for, the environments they live and work in, and the real problems that need solving, so you can reduce waste, failed projects, and burnout.

Through stories, examples and interactive activities, the facilitators will show how effective discovery work can de-risk innovation, sharpen decision-making and help teams create solutions that are grounded in genuine user needs and capable of lasting impact.

Through stories, examples and interactive activities, the facilitators will show how effective discovery work can de-risk innovation, sharpen decision-making and help teams create solutions that are grounded in genuine user needs and capable of lasting impact.

Join us for an evening of design and innovation thinking that will help businesses, makers and innovators validate decision making, derisk investment and create sustainable impact. 

What to Expect

An engaging, talk-and-workshop style evening featuring three experienced innovation practitioners:

1. Rebecca Walsh, Design Partner at Big Motive shares stories from research on the frontline and reveals how discovery really works in practice - messy, human, and full of surprises.

2. Malcolm Beattie, an innovation pioneer in the public sector on the island of Ireland, shares his experience leading the public service's iLab, and the pitfalls that public sector innovation is prone to. 

3. Jack Glacken, an innovation consultant based in Berlin will talk about moving to an innovation mindset, with practical exercises to begin testing your product idea.

A mix of short talks, interactive discussions and practical exercises that help you:

• Build empathy with users and understand their environment.

• Clarify problems, needs and assumptions behind your ideas.

• Begin experimenting with an “innovation mindset” you can bring back to your team or organisation.

What You Will Gain

By the end of the event, participants will:

• Understand the Discovery phase of innovation and why it is essential for reducing risk, avoiding wasted investment and improving long-term outcomes.

• Learn practical tools, techniques and mindsets for:

  • Empathising with users and stakeholders;

  • Defining problems and needs clearly; &

  • Connecting research insights to better product, service or policy decisions.

• Gain confidence in asking better questions, validating ideas earlier, and designing solutions that are more sustainable, impactful and user-centred.

Who Should Attend? 

The event is designed for startup teams, public sector innovators, policymakers, non-profit leaders, business leaders, project owners and changemakers who:

• open to new methodologies, perspectives, and collaboration;

• eager to learn actionable design and innovation tools;

• motivated to better understand and connect with their users; &

• concerned about project sustainability, ROI, and meaningful impact.

Agenda

18:15 - 18:30  | Arrival, Networking

18:30 - 20:30 | Guest Speaker Presentations 

Registration

• Please register your interest below.

• Once registered, your e-ticket will be sent via email. Ticket will be required at check-in.

• For any queries, please contact the Creative Spark Team at 042 938 5720.