Business needs designers.

Designers invent. When empowered with the tools and language of business, designers are uniquely qualified to innovate. Designing the Future of Business Innovation offers designers a holistic introduction to key business skills and analytical tools explored through the designer’s lens. The Bridge Program will apply design thinking and design process to complex challenges facing business today.

Building on the unique skills of designers.

This groundbreaking program builds on the designer’s unique critical-thinking skills. The program begins with a customer-centric overview and conceptual mapping of business with a focus on highly innovative companies such as: Apple, Proctor and Gamble, ZipCar, Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others. Utilizing these innovative business models as a framework, students will be introduced to analytical business tools including: financial modeling, marketing strategy, management and operations.

A summer of design and innovation.

The Bridge Program is divided into four modules:

• Value: Business Models;
• Customer: Marketing and Management;
• Decisions: Statistics and Operations; and
• Finance: What you need to know about numbers.

Each module runs daily, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., for two weeks.

Who is eligible?

Junior and senior design students with a 3.0 or better are eligible to participate. Participants in Designing the Future of Business Innovation will earn a specialized business certificate, as well as an opportunity to bridge design education into a unique MBA degree.

Email mcdonaldm@philau.edu for more information.