Creative Strategy and the Business of Design now available in Mandarin

Visiting Professor, Beijing Normal University Fall 2019

The I-School at Beijing Normal University specializes in interaction design and user experience. It was an honor to be selected to develop and facilitate the Business model course (62 students) within their graduate program and partner with the university publisher to translate my book Creative Strategy and the Business of Design. This intensive week of strategy and mentoring culminated in team presentations to Lenovo, the client partner I requested. During this week, the client briefed the student teams on their business challenge and from there, I utilized the tools from my book and methodology to arrive at six strategic recommendations with campaign executions. Faculty observed my mythology so as to understand how to bring the concepts in my research to life. This invitation to teach, translate my book, observe industry collaboration in practice was part faculty professional development and curriculum development. Download here >

Douglas Davis breaks down the 4 columns and 3 steps to his Creative Strategy Framework

In the 9th episode of On Branding Podcast, I interview Douglas Davis to talk about the creative strategy framework. Learn how you can apply it to your client work, use it to focus and inspire your creative concepts and defend your work without being defensive. Listen Here >

[Podcast & YouTube] The Future of Design Education & The Business of Design with Douglas Davis

In this bonus episode, we have Douglas Davis join us, Jacob Cass & Matt Davies, to discuss the current state of design education and what it takes to remain relevant as we evolve as creatives in these disruptive and turbulent times. We explore his book, Creative Strategy & The Business of Design as well as the future of design. There has never been a more timely episode. Douglas Davis is a strategist, author and professor at the New York City College of Technology, a part of the The City University of New York. He holds the chair for the BFA in Communication Design and has a through background in marketing, creative strategy and art direction. This is a deep dive into the changing dynamics and how they will affect how we teach learn and develop talent. Listen or watch here >

How to find a common language for creative feedback

Break down the language barrier.

Too much frustration can arise from a language disconnect between creatives and business leaders. But both the creative and business sides of a company must learn to speak each other’s language if they want to succeed.

Tune in to our next Real Creative Leadership episode to join Adam Morgan and Douglas Davis as they discuss how designers can become fluent in the language of business and strategy — and how it will transform your company.

In this conversation with Douglas, you’ll learn:

• Why creatives struggle in business environments

• The value of putting yourself in the shoes of non-creative peers

• Tips for learning the language of business

• How strategy-fluent creatives can help transform businesses

Listen to the full interview here >

Douglas Davis Peers Into the Future of Design Ed

The recent Covid-19 crisis has hit educational practice like a ton o’ bricks—an unimaginable disruption. Most art and design schools have taken to ZOOM, Canvas and other learning online learning programs to continue some semblance of normalcy. One of the articulate voices on how the current situation will impact the future is Brooklyn-based Douglas Davis, an expert in the concept, marketing plans and digital strategies of education. As author of Creative Strategy and the Business of Design, Davis regularly contributes to the design discourse. Currently, he is Chair of the BFA in Communication Design (COMD) program at New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn, and serves on the advisory boards of the University of Oregon’s Masters in Advertising and Brand Responsibility and City College’s Masters in Branding and Integrated Communications. Here are his pre-COVID-19 thoughts on TBWA/CHIAT/DAY NY's podcast The Disrupter Series. I asked him to chime in, offer some crystal ball predictions, and otherwise foretell the problems facing design education once Covid19 subsides and a new normal begins. Read the full Interview >