FEATURE INTERVIEW
James Woudhuysen
Professor of Forecasting and Innovation, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK

James Woudhuysen is Professor of Forecasting and Innovation at De Montfort University, Leicester. Back in 1968, he helped install Britain's first computer-controlled car park, before graduating in physics. He was editor of Design magazine, 1979-82, and a co-founder of Blueprint. He wrote an Instruction manual for word processing in1983 and in 1988 he led a multi-client study on e-commerce for the designers Fitch. At the Henley Centre, 1993, he proposed that the Internet be delivered over TV.

He was Head of Worldwide Market Intelligence, Philips Consumer Electronics, 1995-7, and a director at product designers Seymour Powell, 1997-2001. His 320pp attack on outdated techniques in building, Why is construction so backward? was published by Wiley in 2004. James sits on the editorial boards of New Design and the Journal of Consumer Behavior and he is a director of www.audacity.org.

In this segment of the program, James speaks about how to translate social trends into new products. He believes in design, and indeed in problem-solving generally, it’s vital not simply to respond to the ‘problem as given’, but also to question the brief. So while China has much to learn about taking advantage of social trends so as to develop new products, it should also know that the West is far too keen to base innovation on social trends, rather than ‘technology push’. Tune in to find out more about his 10 case studies of new technologies and emerging patterns of use.

Conference
Insight Shanghai
The present economic downturn impacts the world of the global consumers. In China, purchasing patterns and social values quickly evolve. “Innovation is imperative", says Edmund Phelps, 2006 Economy Nobel Prize Winnerfor adaptation to the changing environment, and “the number of innovators around the planet dedicated to solve problems and invent solutions is an unprecedented phenomenon". No doubt that the crisis will provide new opportunities for creative brains and innovative companies operating in China. Chinese consumers are entering a different stage of consumption. Navigating between two worlds, a new generation of consumers awakes! They abandon former behaviours and adopt new attitudes. Ecology is becoming the norm while the design factor is gaining importance. They combine past and future references as well as Chinese and global influences.