The purpose of the Design-driven Innovation Programme (DIP), a new initiative from the Norwegian government, is to increase the innovation rate in Norwegian enterprises. DIP focuses on improving skills-development and investments at the ideas stage based on user studies and design methodology.

DIP will consist of three specific projects in 2009:

• Design Pilot – financial support for pilot studies
• Design Diagnosis – a national business study
• Design Effect – a new award from the Norwegian Design Council

A low innovation rate in established enterprises

A report published by Statistics Norway in 2007 shows, among other things, that only 21 per cent of Norwegian enterprises have introduced products or services that are either new or significantly modified for the company. Far fewer, a mere 11 per cent, have introduced products or services that are also new for the market. At the same time, a survey conducted by the UK Design Council shows that 32 per cent of all British enterprises have introduced a new product or service over the last three years. Among enterprises that use design methods in their business development process, the corresponding figure is 67 per cent!

Design-driven innovation increases the innovation rate
The British survey shows the huge potential there is in innovation methods focusing on a methodical and user-focused approach to the ideas stage. Design-driven innovation employs such an approach, but only a small percentage of Norwegian companies currently use this method in their innovation work.