(2004-09-22) Design Firms

I had no idea that IDEO is owned by Steel Case, or that Frog Design is now owned by Flextronics. They sound like they're running upstream... Companies that do not have their own design shops, or who want to redesign their Business Process-es in addition to their products, can call on an increasing array of Consultant-s... For all its advantages, Design as a business process poses one nagging problem: protecting your edge. "It is difficult to get an idea Patent-ed," West said. "That means when you make a decision to step on the design treadmill, you can't get off."