DGPS 2014 - International Workshop on How to Design Great Products and Services

Effective innovation leads to products and services that make people's lives better and which are profitable for those who make or provide them. In this workshop we will look how to design excellent products and services  ones that meet people's practical and emotional needs, make a healthy profit and which make a positive contribution to quality of life.
The key to successful user-centred innovation is to have a deep understanding of people: to understand their circumstances; their personalities and abilities; their needs and desires; their hopes, fears and aspirations.
As well as creating products that are great for individuals we also need to understand what is good for society as a whole and the role that products and services play in creating the conditions under which people can flourish and live together harmoniously. We will address all of these issues in the workshop. The workshop will be structured using the Good Society Framework - a nine dimensional model of quality of life.
Participants will learn tools and techniques for:
Understanding users holistically and deeply
Understanding quality of life
Specifying user benefits in terms of functionality, usability and pleasure
Using various elements of design to deliver these benefits
Identifying key trends and issues that will affect people and society both now and in the future
These techniques are very effective and simple to understand. Participants will be able to apply them to their work immediately.