“Nagoya City Small-and Medium-sized Businesses Innovation Creation Project” is a project to promote innovation, such as development of new products, creation of new service, or launching of new businesses by motivated small and medium enterprises, which provides general guidance (workshops etc) and individual design advice by experts, and supports part of expenses such as prototype development and exhibiting in business show as well.
There are three study groups; design utilization, IoT and new technology application, and women’s business. In principle, participation is limited to any one group, and participants are about 90 companies in total (free).

At the “Design Utilization Study Group” organized and operated by the International Design Center NAGOYA, last year’s workshop received a high evaluation, and some products have already been commercialized through individual advice.
Continuing in fiscal 2018, we will hold a 6-day workshop on product development based on corporate branding with practical contents useful for business, and experts will provide advice according to individual needs.

This year’s workshop, “Design Thinking: Product Planning and Sales Promotion based on Corporate Branding” is not on transient product development or sales PR, but on corporate value (technology, materials, human resources, etc). Participants will experience comprehensive design thinking by experiencing a series of processes ranging from product planning to sales PR based on corporate branding (construction of corporate brand) derived from rethinking the company.

Design Utilization Study Group Workshop
“Design Thinking: Product Planning and Sales Promotion based on Corporate Branding”

Corporate Branding
Day1 June 20, 2018: Seminar, Workshop 1
Day2 Luly 19, 2018: Workshop 2
Day3 August 29, 2018: Workshop 3, Presentation, Communication Party

Product Planning Based on Corporate Branding
Day4 October 11, 2018: Seminar, Workshop 4
Day5 November 13, 2018: Workshop 5
Day6 December 4, 2018: Workshop 6, Presentation, Communication Party

Venue: Creative Business Space Chord (4th Fl., Design Center Bldg.)
Organizer: City of Nagoya
Planning and Management: International Design Center NAGOYA Inc.

Participants Voice
（Design Utilization Study Group 2017）

“Discussing on various ideas brought me a lot of awareness, and I enjoyed it.”
“Participants idea (presentation) was very pleasant, and it has stimulated me in a good meaning.”
“I understood the flow necessary for ideas and concept decisions.”
“The idea varies from person to person, and I was able to learn the power of idea.”
“I reflected on having not done any way of communicating to designers until now.”
“It was easy to understand how to plan the project. I feel like I could replace it with my company.”
“I noticed that the development of design is linked to the development of marketing.”
“Persona analysis (target analysis). I know it is necessary, but I have not thought much about it finely, so it gave me a chance to think and the method was clear.”