A Critical Role for DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

A phenomenon very apparent to the American businessman, as well as to any lay observer, is the wave of "restructuring" passing through the country. It is a fact of life for seemingly all large companies, and through ripple effects, it affects all but those companies most finely tuned to the new realities of the marketplace. Less apparent, but of greater portent, is the implicit recognition that new rules are taking form for how the games of business will be played. As the recession abates, and revitalized industries emerge, they will not return to the ways of the past; they will seek a development philosophy for their products and services in tune with the times. Of the factors involved in this product/service philosophy, design will be one of the most important, as the growing interest of the business press makes that very clear. There is little question that design will play a major role in the kind of economic world on the horizon. The question is, What role will that be?