Design conference takes on international texture

The annual Success by Design conference will provide an international forum for creative professionals, small-business owners and manufacturers and business strategists and educators, with two days of workshops and seminars.

British industrial designer James Dyson, award-winning creator of the Dyson vacuum cleaner, will be headlining this year’s conference and will give the luncheon keynote address on the importance of design in business.

The conference, presented by the Center for Design & Business, will be held on May 5 at the Rhode Island Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Workshops and seminars throughout the day will focus on (environmental) sustainability, globalization, research and development, manufacturing and marketing. On May 6, participants may attend the post-conference sessions from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that will focus on the critique process as a method for improving ideas and motivating a business. The second day’s events will be hosted by Bryant University and the Rhode Island School of Design. The center, established in 1997, is a joint venture between Bryant and RISD.

“This year we’re focusing on three major things; we’re addressing manufacturing issues today, the importance of branding and product design,” said Cheryl Faria, director of the center. “Design and innovation is so important to manufacturing’s success and we wanted to give examples of things that are working.” According to Faria, the topic was added as a result of “concerns we hear from the local business community – how do they thrive and survive and then how do they deal with China?”

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This year is also the first year the conference will offer an hour of hands-on workshops on building private label brands; seven steps to selling your design or innovation; and getting real results from your PR and marketing efforts.

“We’re trying to appeal to the more entrepreneurial members of the audience,” she said. “We see the same mix of attendees every year. It’s one-third manufacturers and business owners; one-third designers and one-third business strategists.”

For Alec Dawson, president of Central Tools in Cranston, a maker of measurement tools for the automotive industry, the conference offers interesting current topics that affect his company, as well as a networking tool. Dawson has attended the conference seven times.

“I strongly believe in what the center does, and the center has helped us on a number of our projects, and it’s a great way to meet people,” he said. “The speakers and the breakout groups are interesting, and I’m very interested in China. One of our weapons against China’s low cost is design.”

Each year, soon after the conference, an advisory board reviews the previous event in preparation for the next year, according to Diana Johnson, city executive in the private bank for Bank of America, a member of the advisory board for the center and member of the conference committee.

A panel will look at the reverse impact of outsourcing, focusing on innovation. Speakers will discuss how they became a household name, Johnson said, and
the workshops and seminars will also serve as recognition of up-and-coming companies, which closer matches the profile of the people who attend the conference.

For more information, call the Center for Design & Business at (401) 454-6108 or see www.centerdesign business.org.

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