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May 25, 2011
Mass Made - Re-inventing manufacturing in Massachusetts

Data-driven analysis and case studies by industry leaders demonstrated the people, places, and things that are reinventing manufacturing in Massachusetts. Manufacturing and design feed each other; this symbiosis not only brings revenue and innovation, but it also fills employment gaps in the long term with a skilled, creative, and problem-solving workforce. Framed economically by experts from state government and the John Adams Institute, leaders from Gillette, Artaic, Nypro, Litecontrol, John Matouk, and Taza shared their transformational strategies for applying design in ways unique to each of the businesses. The event was held at Gillette headquarters in South Boston. Sponsored by The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Gillette, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Parntership, Reebok, Design Museum Boston and MassEcon. Link to Mass Made



November 7, 2010
Design Means Business

The role that design plays in leveraging the Commonwealth's innovation economy was the subject of a DIGMA event at Microsoft's New England Research and Developoment Center in early November. A morning panel showcased examples of MA design innovation in consumer products, architecture and universal design and explored the Patrick adminstration's efforts to support the state's design cluster. In the afternoon Group Think session, forum participants provided specific ideas on how Massachusetts can foster economic growth by making better use of local design talent and innovation capabilities.



November 6, 2009
Design Innovation and Economic Competitiveness

Back to the drawing board, not the board room. Now, more than ever, companies are seeking ways to rethink, restructure, and relaunch. In Massachusetts, some companies are catapulting miles ahead of the competition with game-changing products and services. How? Design.‘Design Means Business’ was a day-long gathering of celebrated business leaders sharing compelling stories and inside data on how design has strengthened their companies. CEO-level speakers ranging from ZipCar to Reebok, and Genzyme to Sonos explained, in detail, how design increases market share, profits, and productivity, in small and large-scale programs. Held at Reebok Headquarters in Canton, MA, Design Means Business was moderated by national media figures from Fast Company, the Boston Globe and Harvard Business Review, and the day included in-depth case studies and panel discussions. Sponsored by Reebok, Fast Company, Masschusetts Technology Collaborative, Massachusetts College of Art and Design and The Boston Foundation. . Link to photos

Read online Mass Technology Collaborative story
Download Mass Tech Collaborative PDF

Microsoft Design Innovation

April 26 – May 1, 2009
Presence Switzerland Study Tour of Design and Innovation

DIGMA's director was one of ten U.S. design professionals who participated in a weeklong study tour of design firms, universities and museums that are successfully spearheading contemporary design and innovation in Switzerland.

Design Innovation

February 3, 2009
Design Preis Schweiz/Swiss Design Prize: Design Talk

Organized by SwissNex Boston in conjunction with an exhibition of winners of the 2008 Swiss Design Prize, this DIGMA-moderated panel explored contemporary design in Switzerland and the U.S. with representatives from Design Preis Schweiz, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, the Art Institute of Boston and continuum. Link to photos

Design talk

November 18, 2008
Building a Massachusetts Design Economy

How can the MA design community think and act like the important economic sector that it is? How can the Commonwealth brand itself as a center of design? Panelists Frano Violich, KVA; Dan Buchner (continuum,) Beate Becker ( DIGMA), Representative Jeffrey Sanchez and MassArt President Kay Sloan discussed these and other economic issues from the viewpoints of design professionals, design educators and public policymakers.

Massachusetts Design Economy

November 6, 2008
Creative Industry Development in Scotland

The Director of Creative Industries from the Highlands and Islands Enterprises presented Scotland's successful strategy to promote local creative industries and engaged in discussion with Massachusetts' newly appointed Creative Economy Industries Director. Link to photos

Design talk

June 10, 2008
Design Business Roundtable with the Massachusetts Office of Business Development

This session kicked off the Commonwealth's month long listening tour of the Creative Economy with a meeting between the Undersecretary for Business Development, the Creative Economy Industry Director and thirty Massachusetts design companies. For the first time, designers met with government to discuss opportunities and challenges that they face as creative businesses. Link to continuum blog July 1 2008

Design talk

November 29, 2007
Incubating Design: An international symposium exploring design incubators in Buenos Aires, London, New York, Providence & Toronto

A daylong event showcasing global models of design incubators with representatives of design incubators from Buenos Aires, London, and Toronto, along with U.S. peers from the RISD Center for Design & Business, the Pratt Institute Incubator for Sustainable Innovation, and LaGuardia Community College's NYDesigns Incubator. Co-sponsored with the City of Boston's CreateBoston program. Link to photos

Design talk

October 9, 2007
Concept Design: How to Solve Complex Challenges of our Times

The Director of Denmark's FOR A presented their global research findings on the future of design as developed by the Danish Authority for Enterprise & Construction, with U.S. design responses by Design Continuum, Krent/Paffett/Carney Inc., and Brian Collins Design. Link to photos

Concept design

May 24, 2007
A Conversation Between Boston and Austrian Designers

This symposium examined Austrian design industry support programs modeled by the Austrian Trade Commission, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, and City of Vienna departure program and contrasted them with private business models of Kennedy/Violich Architects and vessel. Link to photos

Design talk

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