Designers at the Forefront of New Innovation Strategy
Design is the focus of a new initiative launched on 4 July at the House of
Lords by Margaret Hodge, Minister for Industry and Regions at the DTI.
The aim of the new initiative is to bridge the gap between design and
materials innovation by providing an effective materials design interface to
pull through innovative ideas. Launching the initiative, Hodge said 'we
need to exploit our nation's creative skills coupled with its excellent
record of scientific invention'.
The group will raise awareness of design within the materials community as
well as providing resources for new initiatives. The activities planned for
the first year include workshops, lectures and design shows. The
continuation of the successful Materialise focus groups run by the Royal
College of Art will encourage communication between designers and materials
innovators.
'The design community recognises the importance of materials as a driver of
change, and there is a significant thirst for materials knowledge, but
limited signposting and access points are currently available', said Bernie
Rickinson of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
The design group will receive Government funding from the DTI to become one
of nine groups in the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN). The design
group will emphasise the role of design in the choice of materials, as well
as forging links with the various branches of the KTN concerned with metals,
plastics, composites, textiles etc.
The new group has been created in conjunction with the Design Council and
the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3), with industry
backing from the Institute of Engineering Designers (IED) and the
Engineering Employers Federation (EEF). The Royal College of Art provides
academic representation.
Notes to editors
- For more information, contact Zoe Chiverton, tel: 020 451 7395.
- Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTNs) are DTI Business Support Solutions which aim to stimulate innovation in the UK's key industry sectors.
- For more information on the Materials KTN visit www.materialsktn.net
- The design node is managed by a board of representatives from academia and industry. For more information, contact Bernie Rickinson, tel: 020 7451 7367, email bernie.rickinson@iom3.org
Date Posted: 6 July 2006
|