- Question
- How can the JPO become a flag bearer for "design management" so that it can be extended to SMEs and at the same time be integrated into its own culture?
- Outcome
-
Presented an entry point for "design management" to SMEs through events and booklets. Also, by reviewing the Agency's mission, vision, and values, it provides an opportunity to discuss the value it provides across the board.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Patent Office are responsible for examining intellectual property rights such as patents, designs, and trademarks, as well as utilizing them. In 2018, they promoted the “Design Management Declaration” and have been promoting its adoption ever since. In 2020, KESIKI supported the Patent Office as a partner to promote design management and developed initiatives in two directions.
The first was designing the culture within the ministry to embody design management at the Patent Office itself. The second was the planning of measures to promote design management for small and medium-sized enterprises.
A team of more than 50 members including members from the Patent Office and regional offices of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was formed, divided into three teams. They promoted the project while sharing the essence of design thinking, such as design research and synthesis.
The proposed change in the Patent Office’s culture was a review of its mission. The mission of “examining quickly and accurately” and “contributing to industrial promotion” was considered, but it was thought that only a part of the value that the Patent Office could provide was being expressed.
What is the essence of intellectual property? We had many discussions with stakeholders, and as a result, we came to the conclusion that the role of the patent office is not simply to support the acquisition of intellectual property. Rather, it is to create a society where individuals and companies can demonstrate creativity by not only acquiring intellectual property, but also making it easy to use. We declared this as our mission and executed on it while working closely with companies and individuals, and also established guidelines for action to embody this mission. We also worked to transform the way the ministry staff work and carry out their jobs, including conducting design thinking workshops for them.
On the other hand, we also considered measures to encourage small and medium-sized enterprise owners, who are not familiar with “design management,” to take their first steps. First, we picked 15 leading companies in design management in cooperation with the regional office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as research subjects, and conducted interviews and online talk sessions titled “The DESIGN-DRIVEN MANAGEMENT SEMINAR.”
On the other hand, we also considered measures to encourage small and medium-sized enterprise owners, who are not familiar with “design management,” to take their first steps. First, we picked 15 leading companies in design management in cooperation with the regional office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as research subjects, and conducted interviews and online talk sessions titled “The DESIGN-DRIVEN MANAGEMENT SEMINAR.”
Over a period of approximately six months, the talk sessions, held six times in total, featured discussions between entrepreneurs who put design management into practice, members of the Patent Office, and members of KESIKI. Entrepreneurs from various regions and industries, from Kyushu to Hokkaido, talked about their real failures, values, and organizations on diverse themes.
About 100 to 200 people attended each event, and the event reports on Note (a blogging platform) were shared widely, generating a significant response. We also created a guidebook on how to start design management as part of our outreach efforts. We broke down the essence of the interviews and talk events into elements and edited them into a single booklet.
Throughout this process, we were conscious about linking familiar management issues for entrepreneurs with measures suitable for taking the first step. We provided a signpost for entrepreneurs who are interested in design management but do not know where to start, presenting a path that starts with solving the problems right in front of them in order. This booklet is introduced as a handbook titled “Everyone’s Design Management” on the Patent Office’s website and pamphlets.
Learning
No matter how impressive the theory or method may be, it does not become a reason to adopt it if it is not connected to solving real-world problems. We realized this through listening to the real voices of business owners as we drove this project forward.