www.apple.com
Apple is one of the most prominent and recognized companies using design to differentiate their offerings, improve their customer experiences at all touch points, and grow their business through truly innovative products, services, and experiences. Known for a long time for creating easy-to-use consumer-empowering interfaces, their industrial design and engineering creates some of the most notable examples of sustainable design principles (particularly dematerialization).

Apple's notoriety around design has lead companies to try to duplicate its processes and approaches. Most, however, are finding little success without leadership that understands, values, and promotes great design from within and from the top. Unlike most companies, Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, is involved in every aspect and detail of its product, service, and customer experience development. Without this involvement and asset, Apple's success wouldn't be duplicable.

Kaos Pilot
This is a truly innovative, unique program mixing design and business perspectives in an unusually energetic and risk-taking program.
www.kaospilot.dk

Northwestern University
Master of Product Development
Two-Year Masters
www.mpd.northwestern.edu

Parsons School of Design
Four-Year Bachelors
www.parsons.edu/departments/department.aspx?dID=78&sdID=103&pType=1

www.jumpassociates.com

Central St. Martins
One-Year Masters
courses.csm.arts.ac.uk/DisplayCourse.asp?CI=64&MA=4&CT=6

Pratt Institute
Two-Year Masters of Professional Studies (in Design Management)
www.pratt.edu/design_management

www.target.com
Target has made design the focus of its differentiation from more successful discount retailer WalMart. Walmart has proven the most formidable competitor a the level of Price and Value. Unable to compete at this level, Target has been successful at competing at a more meaningful level, emotion and lifestyle. Not only does this differentiate the company from value-based retailers, it serves to build deeper relationships with its customers based on more than just the lowest price.

Target's design approach permeates all aspects of the company's activities, including advertising, store design, and some of the most innovative retail experiments.

Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, and L. Hunter Lovins