Claudia Bonifer looks at the evolving design culture in Australia, where design is increasingly promoted as a strategic tool. She demonstrates how, in the face of competing global markets, Tiller Design has combined design skills with design management to keep a competitive edge.

Dr. Henry Tirri, Senior Vice President, Head of Nokia Research Center, looks at why it's critical to invest in research in an economic downturn. Using industry examples, Dr. Tirri stresses the importance of conducting research to develop a long-term strategy, rather than making decisions based on short-term factors.

A presentation was made by Icsid President-Elect, Dr. Mark Breitenberg, before 900 guests at the 2009 BraunPrize awards ceremony.

Angélica M. Rodriguez Bencosme is a furniture designer and teacher at the School of Design of the Universidad Iberoamericana in the Dominican Republic. In this independent research on innovation in product design, she concludes that furniture production is all-inclusive and a possible country brand.

The long-standing chief designer at Braun, Dieter Rams, talks with Gerrit Terstiege about the development of the Kronberg-based company's design processes.

Based in Pune, India, Elephant Strategy + Design is a strategic design and innovation consultancy that creates unique brand experiences. To share the insights from this dynamic enterprise, Icsid spoke with one of the three Founder Directors and Principal Designers at Elephant Strategy and Design, Ashish Deshpande.

As Munich-based Professor Peter Naumann sees things, the current crisis in the automobile industry has to be seen as an opportunity for a new beginning. In this article he makes a case for a new type of automobile designer, one who is involved in the entire development process and adopts a problem-oriented approach to his work instead of merely specialising in styling.

Originally published in DESIGN> magazine's AFRIKA edition, this article looks at the current relationship between innovation and economy within Africa. Although government-thinking is significantly advanced in this area, certain steps are needed to improve the situation within the private and public sector. Roy and Deirdre Marcus emphasise education, leadership and knowledge-sharing as key factors in this process.

You might not have a robot in the kitchen, but you could soon surf the net from your sink. In this month's feature from Design Council Magazine, Trish Lorenz explores the unpredictable future of home appliances.

In a recent article on the Design Council website, materials expert Chris Lefteri explains how to make the right choices for your project, as this can impact the functionality, durability, longevity and success of your product. These two excerpts look at some key considerations when selecting materials and certain prominent issues around the choice and use of materials today.