I’m so proud of the PolyU International Design & Business Management (ID&BM) students. They have just delivered some very inspiring innovation proposals for our commercial “client” today.
Multidisciplinary Innovation Challenge
3 months ago, 5 multidisciplinary teams set-off their journey to analysis a selected FMCG market with fresh perspectives. We challenge the students to uncovered new business innovation opportunities beyond standard business practice.
It was my real pleasure in guiding the ID&BM students through the unknown waters; from consumer research, user journey analysis, business model formulation, technology strategy, to new product and brand experience creation processes etc..
Integrate Creativity with Business and Technology
I encourage the ID&BM students to leverage their multidisciplinary backgrounds to analysis and solve problems with open minds. Ask them to breaks the typical functional barriers and status quote to develop new ideas. By combined design thinking together with critical business analysis and technology understanding, the teams come up with 5 totally different innovation proposals for our “client”.
The final innovation proposals ranging from ready-for-commercialisation product and brand ideas, to new category innovation, as well as bold technology system that could potentially disrupt the industry!
Multidisciplinary Innovation as Competitive Advantage
In this intensive 90-day journey, the students learnt a lot about the FMCG industry and customer needs through their own researches as well as sharing from the “client”. Students also received guidances & challenges from a team of experienced tutors and consultants to improve their problem framing and solution development.
When apply the strategy to business context, it is like organizing a cross-functional innovation team and challenge them to solve tough business challenges without set boundaries. Then to have innovation consultants to provide them with necessary support and guidance to come up with innovative ideas.
In this rapid moving digital world, staying agile and innovative is a key to stay ahead of the game. Now the ID&BM students are ready to take this experience further to influence multidisciplinary innovation practise in their next journey.
Good luck to you all!
