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Design: A building block in our economy
7/21/2008
By Mike Dunlap
Principal
Michael A. Dunlap & Associates LLC
mike@mdunlap-associates.com
When filling out certain forms, such as your income tax return or medical history, the word "occupation" is followed by a blank space so that you may describe what you do for a living. These forms rarely, if ever, ask for your "skill." The words "occupation" and "skill" could be interchangeable when referring to what an individual does to earn an income. But what’s the difference?
Is being a doctor and able to perform open-heart surgery an occupation, or a skill? Then there are the nurses and technicians who assist in the surgical process. What about an electrician, carpenter or plumber? Are accountants, architects, or lawyers, skilled professionals, or just words of occupations? Does it require skill to be a teacher in today’s school system? Did you think about the skills to be a public safety worker in the fields of police, fire or ambulance?
How might you describe a designer? "Well, it depends upon what kind of designer you are talking about!" may be your response.
Let’s identify some facts. First, all of these methods of earning income – plus far too many more to list here – are skills. Second, each makes a valuable contribution to our economy. Third, we don’t often think about the role that design plays in the West Michigan economy and business world.
On the evening of June 23, Design West Michigan held its first open forum, inviting designers of multiple disciplines, to learn its background, evolution and plans for the future.
John Berry of Greystone Global, described it this way.
"Design West Michigan was formed to explore how design (and all that that means) can function as an economic building block for the region. It builds on the legacy of renowned West Michigan companies that have made their international reputations through design innovation in areas such as furniture and automotive design, to name only two regional specialties. Design may be West Michigan’s best kept secret today. We need to change that both within and outside the region.
"Design shapes our environment, our products and the way we live and work through architecture, interior design, industrial design, packaging and graphic design, landscape, fashion, exhibit, interactive and digital media design."
The start-up is led by two regional economic development organizations, Lakeshore Advantage in partnership with The Right Place, and initial funding from the U.S. Department of Labor W.I.R.E.D. (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) initiative through the West Michigan Strategic Alliance.
To those who may be skeptical, this is not just some locals trying to create something new. Look who the National Advisory group includes:
• Paola Antonelli, curator of Architecture and Design, Museum of Modern Art
• Nate Young, a former head of design for JCI and department chair at Art Center College of Art & Design
• Julie Lasky, editor-in chief, I.D. Magazine
• John Hoke, VP of global design, Nike (now leading Converse)
• Peter Lawrence, chairman of the Corporate Design Foundation
Daniel Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind" complimented this group with, "West Michigan is doing what other regions no doubt will be doing soon: developing design education for business people who aren’t designers. The piloting of a Business Academy is a wise and savvy move to support economic development."
U. S. Congressman Peter Hoekstra applauded with, "Creativity and sustainability represent the new movement in every aspect of design, and it is exciting that West Michigan is playing an advanced role…"
Design West Michigan’s primary goal is to define, create and build content to nationally brand West Michigan as a design centric region, attracting designers to locate here and attracting businesses to consider West Michigan as a source of good design.
Even before Richard Florida wrote The Rise of the Creative Class and others began using the term "Cool Cities," many in the West Michigan design community already understood the potential economic power we had to build on the foundation that was already here.
A design centric region will be also a creative region. Creative regions are growing regions. More importantly, growing regions are more often economically prosperous regions! They attract new businesses, new people, new talent and new investment.
We cannot develop high tech manufacturing centers of excellence with highly skilled work forces without well-designed products. Products designed in West Michigan have a far better chance of being made in West Michigan. We can design and create the products the world wants with skills we have — and will continue to create — right here!
Mr. Berry’s "economic building block" metaphor is very intuitive. Design West Michigan is neither a cap-stone nor a curb-stone, but rather an integral part of an increasingly solid economic development structure that includes many other blocks, windows, doors, and even walls, that will help shape an even stronger economic future for our region.
That’s how I see it, From Where I Sit!
Mike Dunlap is principal of Michael A. Dunlap & Associates LLC, a business consulting services firm that focuses on office furniture industry issues. He has more than 25 years experience in the industry. Contact him at 616-786-3524, mike@mdunlap-associates.com, or visit www.mdunlap-associates.com.
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