http://www.designmba.org/blog/ en Copyright 2011 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:17:44 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss

Just finishing Roger Martin's new book, Fixing the Game, about how the gal and expectations markets need to be separated in order for businesses to run healthily. It's not only a great critique of modern economics and business but describes some of the core principles and actions for fixing the mess.]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/12/fixing_the_game_by_roger_marti.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/12/fixing_the_game_by_roger_marti.php Book Business Economics Expectations Market Real Market Roger Martin Rotman Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:17:44 -0800

We're excited to announce a new book written by our faculty that represents the core thinking within our curriculum, why it's different, and why it's important in business education. Each chapter represents the approach behind one of our courses, often including examples of projects, required reading, and exercises. This 80 page, 9"x6" book is available for free both in print, as a PDF, and as an ePub. You can download the PDF and ePub versions yourself and contact us if you would like a printed copy (which we'll send to you).

Download:
• PDF
• ePub
• Request a printed copy (please include a mailing address)

]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/11/design_strategy_in_action_book.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/11/design_strategy_in_action_book.php Book Curriculum Design Strategy Publication Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:53:15 -0800

We've begun to publish annuals of our program, including student work, descriptions of courses, work and profiles of our graduates. The 2010 Annual, documenting our first class of graduates, is now available. This 80 page, 9"x6" book is available for free both in print, as a PDF, and as an ePub. You can download the PDF and ePub versions yourself and contact us if you would like a printed copy (which we'll send to you).

Download:
• PDF
• ePub
• Request a printed copy (please include a mailing address)

]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/11/2010_dmba_annual.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/11/2010_dmba_annual.php 2010 Annual Courses Curriculum Graduates Projects Student Work Students Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:33:16 -0800

Some of our students have begun to post videos of their presentations in our program's Teach us Something in 7 Minutes. This is one of the projects in our Live Exchange course that teaches communications and collaboration skills--not to mention public speaking skills. These presentations require the students to take a concept from their accounting or economics course and communicate them in a creative way to the audience--in only 7 minutes.

]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/11/teach_us_something_in_7_minute_2.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/11/teach_us_something_in_7_minute_2.php Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:29:11 -0800

Information Night Tuesday, November 2, 2010
7 - 9pm
Timken Lecture Hall at CCA San Francisco Campus



Please join us for an in-depth look at our MBA in Design Strategy. Meet MBA Chair Nathan Shedroff as he introduces faculty and current students in an evening dedicated to public awareness of the design strategy program at CCA. Learn more about new trends in business education and why CCA 's innovative MBA program will give our graduates an edge in the new emerging global economy.

RSVP for this event »

Directions to 1111 8th Street San Francisco, CA 94107 » San Francisco campus map (PDF) ]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/mba_in_design_strategy_informa_3.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/mba_in_design_strategy_informa_3.php Admissions DMBA Events Information Night Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:57:56 -0800

Tonight, Adam Lowry, one of the founders of Method spoke in CCA's Graduate Lecture Series. He shared insights into not only the history of the company and it's innovative products but how to they've created and maintained a culture of innovation and weirdness.

]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/adam_lowry_speaks_at_cca.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/adam_lowry_speaks_at_cca.php Adam Lowry Innovation Method Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:45:09 -0800 Occupy Wall Street last week in New York City. She taught market economics to protestors--not so different than teaching economics (market and otherwise) to our students.

]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/cca_faculty_co-occupying_wall.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/cca_faculty_co-occupying_wall.php Amy Whitaker Economics Markets Occupy Wall Street Protests Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:59:05 -0800 Sara Beckman's interview in Innovation Management is a great discussion of Design Thinking and it's role in organizations. It's near and dear to how we approach Design Thinking within our program.
]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/a_guide_to_design_thinking.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/a_guide_to_design_thinking.php Design Thinking Organizations Sara Beckman Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:08:14 -0800

Today, two noted perfumiers came to class to expose out students to the structure and process of scents and train their noses just a bit. Yosh Han and Ineke Rühland, shared not only their experience and their own creative perfumes, but taught our students, through samples of raw ingredients, how scents are constructed.

This is part of our third semester course, Experiences Studio, in which we not only teach the process and dimensions of experience design but we try to deepen our students' own experiences in, and understanding of, their own senses.]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/learning_to_smell.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/10/learning_to_smell.php Experience Design Experiences Ineke Rühland Perfume Perfumier Scent Yosh Han Sun, 16 Oct 2011 15:33:47 -0800

Today, as part of our Experiences Studio, our students were fortunate to be part of a fantastic experience. Mattson, the USA's top food innovation firm (think of them as the IDEO of food), created an elaborate challenge for our students to meet. In just about an hour, there were to conceive of a new platform for frozen prepared meals, build prototypes of at least one variety, and present with any packaging or business model. We all worked furiously but it was one of the most interesting and fun prototyping experiences I've ever been a part of.



13 teams (all but one were pairs) created a variety of different easy-to-prepare frozen meals for a variety of eaters, from weight-consious families to first chef experiences for children to fast meals for busy professionals. They prototyped both kit parts and the final meals, many with several varieties of flavors.



We can't thank Mattson enough for the opportunity to innovate in, for us, a new domain.]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/09/food_innovation_workshop.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/09/food_innovation_workshop.php Experiences Studio Food innovation Mattson prototyping Sun, 25 Sep 2011 19:04:40 -0800

This year, we're also implementing a buddy system as well as a mentoring program. All of our new students are matched with "buddies" in the second year of the program so they have someone to turn to for a student's perspective--especially for advice about homework, the best tools to use, etc.
Our new mentor program pairs our second year students with professionals within our larger community for career and professional advice. Some amazing people have volunteered an hour a month to mentor our students. If you're interested in becoming a mentor next year, please email us.
]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/08/buddies_and_mentors.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/08/buddies_and_mentors.php Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:17:06 -0800

Today is the last day of orientation (we had one last week as well). Our 118 students are all off on their journey for the new year. As part of our orientation, and thanks to the advice from our students who completed last year, we've welcomed our students with an orientation kit of survival items:

• first sketchbook (we have them keep design journals for every studio)
• first (of many!) pads of Post-It™ notes
• highlighter
• two white board markers (the other must-have accessory in the program)
• a spork--even with a knife attached (we all have to eat)
• a pair of chopsticks (it is San Francisco, after all)
• a (dematerialized) thumbdrive with a PDF survival guide
• a great little book on the variety of design craft (since we're not a design program)
• quick reference card with the entire schedule for the year and important URLs
• welcome card with map and schedule

They returning students didn't get the orientation kit but we've got surprises for them tomorrow ; )
]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/08/welcome_back.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/08/welcome_back.php Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:56:41 -0800

The past president of Presidio Graduate School when I graduated from there, Ron Nasher, was fond of saying "begin again" when people confronted a challenge that was insurmountable. Often, it's the only possible course in business or life, anyway.

Yesterday, we started the new year. While we're not at a point of insurmountable challenge, the term is still appropriate as the cycle for the year starts again. For the 62 new students entering the program, they start the journey others have made before but with a few modifications.

We have 118 students this year (our most ever), split between to different tracks. They come from 15 different countries (including Canada, Brazil, Mexico, India, Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Germany, and Nepal) and 22 of them commute from all over North America.

They're off to a great start already and we look forward to their innovative ideas and energy this year.
]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/08/begin_again.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/08/begin_again.php Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:58:06 -0800 We've used the book, Natural Capitalism, in our Sustainability Studio for several years, now. It's a fantastic, if shockingly illuminating, account of the business responsibility and opportunity related to all aspects of sustainability. The one complaint we receive from our students is that it seems "old," having been written and first published in 1999. Though the examples seem old, today, the points and learnings are just as relevant.

However, Hunter Lovins, one of the original authors of Natural Capitalism, and a friend of the DMBA program, now has a new book that serves as an updated version of her old book, both in terms of examples as well as points. Climate Capitalism still has the business-centric, sane, and optimistic call-to-action that Natural Capitalism had but with newer examples, figures, and metrics.

Any course on sustainability would be wise to include it and any businessperson or business student interested in improved economic performance, reduced risk, and emerging opportunities should read it regardless of whether or not you believe in climate change. In fact, one of the central messages of the book is that these strategies make sense--and money--because they are good business.

Climate Capitalism, by Hunter Lovins and Boyd Cohen

]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/07/climate_capitalism_is_an_impor.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/07/climate_capitalism_is_an_impor.php Boyd Cohen Business Climate Capitalism Climate Change Economics Hunter Lovins Natural Capitalism Opportunity Sustainability Sustainability Studio Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:19:34 -0800 www.core77designawards.com/awards/design-for-social-impact

Spark Project Award Winner

Besides the DMBA team who an award in Core77's Strategy/Research category, another team placed as a finalist in the Design for Social Change category. Developed in our Sustainability Studio, SPARK is a way to connect people in defined geographic areas and create sustainable community by engaging human potential. People have lots of skills to share and need help learning new ones. Using this information to bring people together, it doesn't go wasted and, in addition, helps people better know their neighbors.

The SPARK system starts with neighborhood leaders or visionaries who introduce their community because communities work best when they are self-governing. SPARK matches skills and needs and rewards connections and sharing.

The student team consists of: Amy Gustincic, Shira Kates, Paula Kuhn, Alex Scott, and Arash Shirinbab.]]> http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/07/spark_project_team_a_finalist.php http://www.designmba.org/blog/archives/2011/07/spark_project_team_a_finalist.php Alex Scott Amy Gustincic Arash Shirinbab Core77 Design Awards Paula Kuhn Shira Kates Sustainability Studio Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:25:39 -0800