Design Thinking

What viewers want to see?

2010-09-08T09:38:00.007+03:00

I´m excited to experience how widely Design Thinking processes and methods can be used! Provoke and Velvet defined a new television program for one of the biggest channels in Estonia. Viewer-centric approach was used to understand the needs of selected segments. Based on that insight we defined the concept, format, content, the key-people to run the show, visual identity for the studio and animation.

Workshop was carried out in an Open Innovation format to co-create the program together with all stakeholders - viewers, non-viewers, CEO, editors, marketing director, creative director and designers. Case study coming on January 2011!

Hannes.

Future foresight.

2010-09-03T15:44:00.015+03:00

During the spring 2010 Hannes Seeberg from Provoke Tallinn was a core team member at creating four future scenarios for Estonian Growth Vision 2018. This future foresight project of Estonian Development Fund seeks to create a shared vision about the possible sources of economic growth for Estonia in the rapidly-changing world.

The "outside-in" scenarios were created together with 35 mapped experts and opinion leaders. Three workshops were hold by Global Business Network, who provided us valuable information about the key global driving forces, critical uncertainties and systemtic tools to create stories of four possible futures of Estonia. The results were presented to 150 deciders from the government and busienssisses on 6th of May at the Future Forums 3.

The scenarios were needed to understand, how external environment affects Estonia and where we choose to play. The vision for 2018, which acts as a strategic intent for socio-economic development, will be built on that insight and co-created together with Estonian citizens. Project is still on-going and will be ready by the end of this year.

Provoke will use these scenarios as a tool in creating future-oriented strategies and new values for Estonian organizations.

Design for behavior change.

2010-06-30T11:20:00.003+03:00

Now this is interesting - I just read articles by IDEO and Frog Design where both of them are discussing about Design for Behavior Change as the new direction for design. I´ve been thinking about this too since Spring, but with one major difference. When IDEO´s stance is to create tools to help users solve their own problems via design, I am thinking how to create tools and methods to help users to understand the origin of their problems. This is why my question is set before the creation of new: what if there is no problem? What if users can realize that their real need is totally different? And what if solution is just a change in their own behavior?

The future is going to be different, since we will be challenged by many global and local forces that have an affect on the quality of our life. I see the advanced version of Design for Behavior Change to be an excellent mindset for healthcare, aging population and use of energy.

Read the articles here:
IDEO's Tim Brown on Using Design to Change Behavior

Frog Design: New Ideals for Design Research

Hannes.

Fast thinker.

2010-06-22T22:55:00.007+03:00

Sometimes we have time for the extra fun and help out our friends. See the picture above - that´s Antti Rammo. He is a Formula Renault 2.0 driver from Estonia. And pretty fast one! :)

Provoke Tallinn shared design thinking tools to help Antti to differentiate from other professional drivers and define his own future. Based on that work, a person brand for himself and a business model for his racing company was born.

Season 2010 has already begun and there are 4 race weekends left. You will see him in Estonia on 9-10th July (Pärnu), in Finland on 13-14th August (Botniaring) and on 10-11th September (Ahvenisto), and the final battle will take place in Sweden on 1-2nd October (Mantorp).

Read more about Antti Rammo: www.anttirammo.com
Follow him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/anttirammo

Formula design by Velvet
Picture by Racefoto, Bengt-Åce Gustavsson

Design Thinking - again

2010-06-08T10:02:00.000+03:00

I was interviewed for a magazine this month. I tried to open up ideas about service innovation instead of service design, about thinking outside the box, about end user value instead of solution/product/service-centric mindsets.

The article in Finnish.

New people joining the Provoke Strategic team

2010-05-26T09:36:00.003+03:00

I am thrilled to announce that new professionals are joining our multi-disciplinary Strategic team. The team has been busy with helping companies and the public sector in creating user-driven innovation models.
The core idea behind the projects is applying Design Thinking into building communities. We have already built several innovation communities for leading companies in co-operation with our network.

For many, it is not about service design - it is about new open service innovation models. I see these projects as a positive sign - maybe even the end of inside-out innovation.

Services become products, products become services and it all becomes solutions. To build solutions, one must understand the usage and the needs. This requires new ways to innovate.

Mikko

Friends working together.

2010-05-25T16:26:00.010+03:00

Since beginning of the Spring, Provoke Tallinn is located inside of the creative house of Niine 11 (see the map) - our partner Velvet is sharing their work space with us.

Velvet (www.velvet.ee) is an award-winning Estonian design, branding and advertising agency who´s clients are public organizations and the biggest companies. Velvet Creative Alliance containes 8 companies varying from graphic design,animation, internet marketing to IT solutions, professional photography and production.

We have been good partners since 2008 and soon we are about to start offering joint service products to our customers. More info coming soon!

Provoke Tallinn´s contact information stays same:

Tel. +372 53 333 588

New address:

Provoke Tallinn OÜ

Niine 11

10414 Tallinn

Estonia

Design Thinking in Finland.

2010-04-07T00:35:00.008+03:00

Video of the presentation by Mikko Kämäräinen, CEO of Provoke, about the changing role of design and Design Thinking in Finland. Presentation was held at the Estonian Development Fund in Tallinn, on 19th March 2010.

The Estonian Development Fund was created by the Estonian Parliament with the purpose of initiating and supporting changes in the Estonian economy and society that would accelerate modernisation of Estonian economic structure, lead to growth in exports and contribute to creating new jobs requiring high qualifications.

See the video here:
http://www.arengufond.ee/videocasts/videocast1622/

Interested to know about Design Thinking in Business?

2010-03-23T19:19:00.002+02:00

Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland - May 5th and 6th, 2010.

Anyone interested in how Design Thinking in business context should join.

http://taydennyskoulutus.taik.fi/taik/koulutukset/530027.html

Seeking a multidisciplined group of participants who want to familiarize themselves with the notion of Design Thinking and want to find a new approach to generating and developing new ideas by learning to apply design thinking in their business.

The training program consists of a 2,5 day intensive workshop with lectures and group work. Through this training you will gain an insight into what Design Thinking can signify and have in it for you and your organization. This you can apply directly to your work with your team and co-workers.

The program is run by professor Peter McGrory and Provoke CEO Mikko Kämäräinen.

The Changing Role of Design

2010-02-10T17:54:00.001+02:00

Design has become an important strategic instrument in user-driven innovation policy.

The Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE) has published a study of how the role of design is changing in Finland. The study was created by Provoke's strategics team during the second half of 2009.

The study can be downloaded from www.tem.fi:
http://www.tem.fi/?s=3372
Right side: TEMin tilaama selvitys; Muotoilun muuttunut rooli (helmikuu 2010)

(In Finnish).

TeollisuusSuomi 1/2010

2010-02-10T13:28:00.000+02:00

TeollisuusSuomi 1/2010 has an article about creative thinking and design thinking.

Read the PDF-version online. (in Finnish)

Design is acting?

2009-11-24T22:45:00.005+02:00

By Hannes Seeberg

As I am a great movie maniac, I have compared a designer with an actor many times. In a way these two professions are very close to each other. They are like a trained chameleons – to get the optimal result, they change their colours according to situation and environment. They are versatile, sensitive and open for changes.

To start with the project, designer gets the design brief, and an actor a script. The first task for the designer would be diving under a target group’s surface, to understand their current life and sense the future changes. Also actor collects information about their role’s life and character, and reacts to it by replacing one´s “skin” with the matching “colour”. A great devotion to the role is born; information is being collected, analysed and translated into suitable media. All the work is rewarded only, when the goal is achieved – products, that the designer created, matches with the target group’s values, and the public was blown away by actor’s believable interpretation of one´s role. The result of their work guaranteed a great experience and satisfaction, the client got the equivalent value to his/her money or even exceeded expectations.

This can be thought forward and ask, how much is design acting? Both acting and designing require a lot of empathy - ability to see yourself in another’s position. If the designer is not able to understand others, one can not create a satisfying product. The product would be like a play in the theatre – it is not interesting for the public, when the roles and the story doesn’t work. The play is like one of the present design philosophies – form and function follows fantasy – it takes people into an emotional state, that leads them away from real world. A designed product would be like a story in a play – the value-attribute, that user needs or expects, flows out from it.

When design is a language, that everyone understands, but no-one talks, the importance of empathic skills in a designer is very high. So to achieve understanding, the story is being expressed to a target group without using any words. A great product does not need any justification – the user group understands it at first sight. This is what empathy in products is all about.

Insight worth spreading?

2009-11-22T02:03:00.004+02:00

On 20th November first and long-waited TEDx event was held in Tallinn. Professionals from very different fields gave to public inspiring speech on what are they doing. One presentation from the TED.com matched well with our interest - insight on how brain works (and not).

Link to TEDx Tallinn

Tim Brown urges designers to think big

2009-11-19T01:36:00.000+02:00

More excellent talks from TED. Tim Brown talks about Design Thinking and pushes designers to think big. He claims that most designers are preoccupied with creating nifty, fashionable objects - even as pressing questions like clean water access show it has a bigger role to play.

Could not agree more.

What do you think?

Provoke on Finnish TV: Creative Industries?

2009-10-16T18:54:00.011+03:00

CEO Mikko Kamarainen was interviewed on Finnish TV1 news about creative industries. According to the news, Provoke is a model student among creative industries - and without doubt, the creative industries have a huge potential. But there are challenges, too - as Kamarainen stated in the interview:
"The category is loosely defined. Also, within the category, most of the companies are too small." Both make it more difficult for the industry to gain credibility among potential corporate users. At the same time, in hard economic times, creating new solutions should be the first priority for corporations - to prepare for the next upturn. And to innovate new business before the old disappears.

Read the full story in Finnish at yle.fi.

Provoke Tallinn - new address

2009-09-09T16:31:00.005+03:00

Provoke Tallinn´s office is now closer to our friends - Jõe 9 (map)

Contact information stays same:
Tel. +372 53 333 588

Full address:
Provoke Tallinn OÜ
Jõe 9
10151 Tallinn
Estonia

Value up, costs down.

2009-05-06T16:24:00.002+03:00

On 6th May Provoke Tallinn together with CadON held a product development seminar on how to create high added value with low manufacturing costs. Seminar was featured on Estonian Year of Innovation´s blog (in Estonian).

See also article (PDF, in Estonian) by Estonian magazine on creative engineering.

Provoke Helsinki - new address

2009-05-05T13:14:00.003+03:00

Provoke Helsinki is now located at Keilasatama 3 (map).

Contact information:
Tel. +358 (0)9 2510 7654
Address: Keilasatama 3, 02150 Espoo, Finland

World will be different after the recession?

2009-02-20T23:03:00.002+02:00

A lot will have changed; more regulations, old respected companies disappearing, fresh business models booming, marketing and branding changing through co-creation, viral marketing, community/consumer power?

Agile virtual networks of companies and individuals will boom: why buy an office/factory and hire 1,000 people when you can do the same - or more in a flexible network?

Could be that one common nominator will be adaptability? Building new businesses that have a minimum of fixed costs, yet the capability to scale up rapidly. Moving brands instead of fixed ideas? Integrator-role might become dominant, pursuing solution-driven offerings that can be rapidly adjusted to user needs on the fly.

Sustainability will grow in importance; not only ecology, but social and financial aspects as well.

And people will once again try and build models that would never be hit by another recession again. The next recession will eventually hit people by surprise after some years. But in between, there is going to be an interesting phase of growth; will it focus on financial growth alone - or growth of meaning as well?

Product Development Day.

2009-02-18T17:51:00.018+02:00

By Hannes Seeberg

Product Development Days are organized by InnoEstonia - a part of InnoEurope innovation centre which offers ideas for product developers to inspire and support them in creating new value. Fourth event took place on February 12th in Tallinn. Theme for the day was "What products and services are expedient to developed in the year 2009?"

We were there to understand what is being told about product development in Estonia. Participants came from food industry, IT, branding, universities and trade unions - manufacturing industry was missing in the list. As the organizer pointed out, the amount of participants for the event had decreased 2-3 times due to bad economical situation of Estonian companies.

The topics:
■ "Strategics and product development" by Priit Karjus
■ "What is needed to know about competitors and the market in order to make the right decisions for product development?" by Margus Žuravljov
■ "How to effectively remove risks in product development?" by Toomas Danneberg
■ "How to involve users to company´s product development process?" by Alar Kolk

To note, all of the speakers based their presentations to a question "How to do it?", however did not answer to the theme of the day. See their slides (in Estonian).

Previous speakers for InnoEstonia´s Product Development Days include also Steve Chazin, who directed Apple´s comeback-marketing during the end of 90´s. See his videocast (in English).

More info: hannes.seeberg@provoke.ee & InnoEurope

Industry engines.

2008-12-05T21:44:00.017+02:00

by Hannes Seeberg

What are the development opportunities for Estonian manufacturing industries? What are the upcoming global manufacturing trends for the year 2018? What should the industries concentrate at?

These were the main questions discussed at The Manufacturing Forum, a high-level public culmination event of Estonian Development Fund´s foresight project "Industry Engines 2018", held on December 2nd in Tallinn. Hannes Seeberg, Managing Director of Provoke Tallinn, was one of the 150 invited industry quests, together creating a preliminary vision of Estonian manufacturing industry with a 10 year perspective.

The outcome: there are two potential areas for global market, where Estonian manufacturing has opportunities:
■ energy-saving and environmentally friendly products;
■ products for healthcare and well-being sectors.

As we in Provoke see it - there is a future need for products, that are produced using less energy and materials, are energy- and cost-effective during their life-cycle - yet add great value for their users.

Speakers for the event were prof. Richard K. Lester (MIT Industrial Performance Center, USA), Antti Herlin (KONE Corporation, Finland), Siim Sikkut (Estonian Development Fund), Mr Joe Harford (Chairman of High Level Group of Manufacturing, Ireland). Day-long event ended with a reception by Mr Juhan Parts (minister of economic affairs and communications in Estonia).

See videocasts and presentation materials (both available in English and Estonian).

More info: hannes.seeberg@provoke.ee & Estonian Development Fund

Design Thinking helps when the economy poses new challenges

2008-12-03T17:05:00.028+02:00

by Mikko Kämäräinen

Design Thinking is gaining more popularity among companies wanting to refocus their strategies around end-customers. Cutting costs is obvious - but to keep innovating cost-effectively at the same time is the key to turn the challenges into new opportunities. Understanding real user needs and being able to innovate end-customer value, then test it before going too far in development is crucial as companies face an economically demanding era.
Move On! magazine by Fintra featured a case story about Design Thinking in issue 04/2008. You can download the article (in Finnish).

More info: mikko.kamarainen@provoke.fi

New site

2008-12-02T14:05:00.006+02:00

We've updated our site at www.provoke.fi.

Comments are welcome. You can post anonymously your comments here - or send an email to info@provoke.fi.

Provoke Tallinn in Estonian media.

2008-09-25T21:07:00.001+03:00

by Hannes Seeberg

„Think how much companies spend on commercials. Take half of million from there and invest it on product development instead! Create a product, that everone wants to buy. If you are not able to do that, advertisements would not help you.“
■ Hannes Seeberg in Saldo, Estonian business magazine, November 2008.

Ask for a scanned article (in Estonian): hannes.seeberg@provoke.ee

by Hannes Seeberg

„We need a product development union, which gathers skills of different occupations. This way Estonian companies could get a advice for their product development from one place.“
■ Hannes Seeberg in Äripäev, Estonian business newspaper, September 2008.

Full article: Aripaev.ee (in Estonian)
More info: hannes.seeberg@provoke.ee

New people

2008-09-05T17:09:00.003+03:00

Saikat Biswas has joined Provoke Turku as the newest Senior Industrial Designer. Saikat will work for the Creatives team. He worked previously for Kyocera in India.

Prototype early

2008-05-15T13:42:00.007+03:00

by Pasi Mattila

Pasi Mattila talks about fuzzy frot end prototyping in Prosessori Magazine. (In Finnish)
Prorotyping early means you get to test your concepts before investing too much on development. This is the key to iterate ideas cost-effectively. Do not ask users what they want, but DO ask them what they think of your ideas.
A prototype is worth a thousand pictures. Being able to prototype early enables more iteration and more opportunities to create winning ideas.

LiveProto is a tool for creating working proof-of-concept prototypes before HW/SW design.

More info: pasi.mattila@provoke.fi

PRESS RELEASE: Future of mobile phone design unveiled at New York Design Week 2008

2008-05-13T19:27:00.027+03:00

by Janne Loiske

HARDCORE New Finnish Design will showcase 20 individual design projects and concepts from Finland presented in collaboration with major Finnish design companies. The exhibition will be the centerpiece of Meatpacking District Design Week May 17-19, 2008.
The HARDCORE exhibition is organized by Design Forum Finland, the Consulate General of Finland in New York and the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York, and presented in collaboration with the Meatpacking District Initiative and Abe NYC, Inc.

Provoke is presenting mobile phone concepts in the curated section of the exhibition.

Mobile concepts 2012

In 2007, Provoke made a conceptual study showing where mobile phone trends are heading in 2012. Mobile concepts 2007 is a collection of clearly differentiated devices for focused end-user segments. Provoke presents three of these concepts: Express, Feel and Share as prototypes at New York Design Week.

A design team focused on the end-users' actual needs innovated differentiating benefits for them. What do users really want to do with their communication devices in the year 2012? Upcoming technologies will enable robotics, sensors and illumination which will transform radically user experiences. The user interface will eventually step out of the display and blur to its surroundings.

The concepts are presented as Live Proto™ devices - fully functional prototypes demonstrating the core innovation of each concept.

Express your mood with illumination

Some people prefer to express their emotions through unique symbols carried with them in everyday life. Could future devices enable new ways to support this behavior and help them gain the social status they crave for?

The Express concept enables the user to enhance his/her current mindset instantly by totally transforming the habitués of the device - changing the color will be possible electronically. The pace and intensity of visual contrast between the different states can be customized to suit personal liking.

Feel the touch of your loved one

Touching is a very intense and personal form of communication. People share their deepest feelings by touching. Feel is a phoneset concept for couples. Tactile sharing trough simulated touch. Real physical communication - what if you could touch your loved one via your mobile phone?

In the future, the user interface will eventually step out of the display. Feel has a specialized user interface and touch simulation to enable deep communication.

Share urban extreme sport challenge

Technology will enable new forms of intellectual networking and augmented reality. The Share concept enables communication and sharing of information through personalized codes formed in subgroups of likeminded individuals.

By tagging content to locations, group members can challenge each other. Actual and virtual worlds will blur. In this example, the Share concept is customized for skateboarders.

Provoke background

Provoke is an award-winning international strategic design house that has doubled its business twice in the last 5 years. Provoke is focused on creating strategies for portfolio management and innovating new concepts. The basis is always the end-customer insight gained by working for the highest valued international brands.

Background for the future concepts

Product development is facing new challenges as end-user lifetime value is replacing the device-centric mindset in progressive companies. Most companies are still creating products without really understanding the needs and values of the end-users. Often the design, the user interface, the linked services and even the marketing message seem to be conflicting, thus blurring the usability and desirability of any new concept.

In many fields of business, companies are focused on overlapping user segments and fighting fiercely over the same customers. Only a few companies are differentiating their products and innovating products with diversity in mind. Choosing among multiple options is always based on differences - but are there too little differences in the offerings?

Also cultural issues are finally emerging rapidly in global markets. Most of the products being sold today are developed by western people for western people, using the outdated way of feature-based product specification. New kinds of products will be created to serve the growing needs of the emerging markets.

For more information, visit www.hardcoredesign.net and www.provoke.fi.

Hi-resolution images and more information are also available from:
Janne Loiske +358 (0)440 - 333 803, janne.loiske@provoke.fi

Provoke Tallinn in Estonian media

2008-03-08T13:01:00.005+02:00

by Hannes Seeberg

Hannes Seeberg discusses design and Provoke Tallinn in Eesti Päevaleht article (in Estonian language).

PRESS RELEASE: PROVOKE GROWS AND EXPANDS TO TALLINN

2008-02-19T21:19:00.002+02:00

ONE OF THE LARGEST INDUSTRIAL DESIGN COMPANIES IN SCANDINAVIA, PROVOKE EXPANDS AND OPENS AN OFFICE IN TALLINN. PROVOKE ALSO STARTS COOPERATION WITH VELVET, ESTONIAN CREATIVE GRAPHIC DESIGN COMPANY. PROVOKE ITSELF IS FOCUSING ON STRATEGIC CONSULTATION, CONCEPT INNOVATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN.

PROVOKE TALLINN WILL BE LEAD BY MANAGING DIRECTOR HANNES SEEBERG. LAST YEAR SEEBERG RECEIVED THE SECOND AWARD IN THE ESTONIAN SÄSI YOUNG DESIGNERS' AWARDS. TOMMI SILVAN HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE LEAD DESIGNER IN PROVOKE TALLINN. THE COOPERATION WITH VELVET CREATIVE ALLIANCE ENABLES PROVOKE TO OFFER MORE SERVICES - ALSO OUTSIDE ESTONIA.
NEW EXTENDED SERVICES INCLUDE INNOVATIVE PACKAGE DESIGN BY VELVET FOR THE PRODUCTS PROVOKE DESIGNS. VELVET HAS 22 PEOPLE IN TALLINN.

"ESTONIA AND EAST-EUROPE ARE GROWING RAPIDLY. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ALONE HAS A HIGH DEMAND", SAYS MIKKO KÄMÄRÄINEN, PROVOKE CEO. "PROVOKE HAS A LONG EXPERIENCE OF STRATEGIC CONSULTATION AND WE BELIEVE WE CAN HELP THE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONALLY EXPANDING BALTIC COMPANIES ACCELERATE THEIR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND UNDERSTAND THE END CUSTOMERS BETTER."

"INDUSTRIAL DESIGN IS AN ACTIVE TOPIC IN ESTONIA. HOWEVER, THE POSSIBILITIES TO USE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN TO EXPAND BUSINESSES OR AS A STRATEGIC COMPETITIVE ASSET, HAVE NOT YET REACHED MOST COMPANIES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT", SAYS HANNES SEEBERG. "IN ESTONIA, MANY COMPANIES SEE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AS JUST A WAY OF MAKING PRODUCTS PRETTY. IN SUCH CASES, THE COMPANIES FAIL TO SEE THE OTHER, BIGGER POTENTIALS. SUCCESSFUL DESIGN AND PRODUCT BRANDING BOOST THE PROFITS BY ACCELERATING THE PROCESS AND THROUGH PRODUCTS THAT MATCH THE END-CUSTOMER NEEDS BETTER."

"SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES SEE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AS A PART OF THEIR CORE STRATEGIES. DEVELOPING PRODUCT FAMILIES, PRODUCT BRANDING AND END-CUSTOMER INSIGHT ARE OUR CORE COMPETENCIES", SAYS MIKKO KÄMÄRÄINEN.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Mikko Kämäräinen, CEO, Provoke
+358 440 333 801, mikko.kamarainen@provoke.fi

Hannes Seeberg , Managing Director, Provoke Tallinn
+372 53 333 588, hannes.seeberg@provoke.ee

New Organization

2007-12-03T07:54:00.001+02:00

We've doubled our business twice during the last 4 years. To better serve the different needs of different projects, we have now split the organization into two: Strategics and Creatives.

BMW

2007-04-23T20:11:00.002+03:00

Provoke has a new client: BMW motorcycles in Munich, Germany.