Custom Innovation Workshop in Japan exploring design thinking for an ageing society
Overview
The RCA delivered a two-day innovation workshop for the international advertising company Dentsu Inc. exploring how design thinking can be applied to innovation for an ageing society. Working in collaboration with Dentsu Inc. the workshop was led by Professor Jeremy Myerson from the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design (HHCD). Companies like Dentsu value the RCA’s practical approach to problem solving, using techniques usually taught to design and engineering students.
Course structure
Through talks and group activities, participants explored what design thinking is, how it can be applied to the challenges of an ageing society and its benefits as a creative framework for innovation in business.
Alongside Professor Myerson, the workshop was led by RCA staff Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad (Tutor, Design Products MA), Professor Julia Cassim (KYOTO Design Lab and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the HHCD) and Peter Christian (Head, Executive Education), as well as RCA graduates from MA Information Experience Design.
Outcomes
Over 300 of Dentsu’s major clients attended the keynote lecture by Professor Myerson at Kyoto University of Art and Design, which was followed by a panel discussion with guest speakers Mr Shu Yamaguchi (researcher and author), Mr Osamu Ogasawara (CEO of nomad and FGN ABBA Lab) and Mr Yoshiki Ishikawa (public health researcher, entrepreneur and science journalist). Professor Myerson’s presentation introduced the concept of inclusive design and the need for human centred innovation, and discussed the relationships between creativity, innovation and design.
The innovation workshop was designed for 60 participants working in 10 teams on themed challenges: identity, home, connectivity, mobility and working. The participants came from diverse backgrounds including business, government, start-up founders, traditional craftspeople, Buddhist monks and design-major university students. Drawing from experience and expertise across these diverse backgrounds, participants considered ways to apply design thinking to the particular challenges and opportunities offered by an ageing society within their industry.
“As a result of the workshop, the Japanese companies used the design thinking framework to add a new dimension to the process of solving problems by negotiating the relationship between the real world (concrete) and the world of ideas (abstract), thus freeing up innovation potential”
Dentsu Inc., Kansai Japan
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Custom Executive Education
Custom Executive Education Masterclasses and Workshops
Through our portfolio of innovation masterclasses and workshops, the RCA provides senior-level professionals and business leaders with critical business skills. We deliver courses for businesses, organisations and universities on design thinking, service design, creative leadership, disruptive innovation, entrepreneurship, human-centred design, artificial Intelligence and healthcare design.
We can tailor the curriculum for a day, a week, or several weeks over the course of a year with interrelated projects. Courses can be delivered online, on-campus, hybrid or at partner organisations. Previous courses have been delivered in Dubai, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Germany and Mexico.
Find out more here.
Please get in contact with us if you would like to discuss developing a custom programme:
- Peter Christian, Head of Executive Education
- Hattie Allen, Executive Education Manager
