Design can be managed and applied at three organisational levels: operative, tactical and strategic (Joziasse, 2000; Borja de Mozota, 2003). For lasting connections to be created between design management and corporate strategy, design should have an influence at each of these levels (Joziasse, 2000). Below is a brief description of the role of design at the three levels. At the strategic level, design brings competitive advantages and determines the direction of business operations (Joziasse, 2000). The design strategy helps to integrate design into all functions of the company. The duties of design management include visualising the business strategy, collecting market data and comparing design performance with the company’s performance. (Borja de Mozota, 2003) At the tactical level, design can be used for identifying new business opportunities and generating unique product concepts (Joziasse, 2000). Design management acts as a link between functions and coordinates the design strategy in line with marketing, innovation and communication functions. Other duties of design managers are to evaluate and improve the design process and to estimate the return on design investments. (Borja de Mozota, 2003) If the company also makes use of design at other organisational levels, the duty of operative design management is to implement the design strategy at the project level. Design management should also coordinate outsourced design projects and assess the functioning of design, marketing and branding. (Borja de Mozota, 2003) If the company only uses design at the operative level, it is only applied in product development at the later stages of the process and collaboration with other business processes, such as marketing, is limited or non-existent. Coordination of design activities is then also minimal. (Koostra, 2009)
64
THEORY