Peter Ford
Reader in Design Innovation
Research Group: Design and New Product Development
Subject Area: Product Design
Telephone: 0116 250 6238
Email: PBFord@dmu.ac.uk
Website: Design and New Product Development
Current Research
My work is being drawn more and more toward the ‘effective’ knowledge transfer of the latest Product design methods, techniques and thinking between the University and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within Leicestershire and the East Midlands.
This work has led to a number of key RDA (Regional Development Agency) and HEIF-funded DMU initiatives. These include the DMU Regional Design Unit (Design Unit), Improving Business by Design (IBD), the Resource Efficient Design (RED) Initiative and the New Product Development Centre (NPDC). The work is forming the focus of a current DMU bid to establish a regional design centre, in addition to providing contextual support for a regional retail research facility bid and a product evaluation resource bid. An AHRC bid is also being formulated to analyse the impact of Improving Business by Design and the nature of its effective knowledge transfer.
This work is starting to have a significant impact on Leicestershire’s design and manufacturing economy. The local design community has benefited from the direct investment of funding in design projects and to date IBD alone is set to increase annual business turnover of the region by over £ 1.3 million and in so doing, the creation/retention of over 20 jobs.
These activities are helping establish De Montfort University as a key player in how to effectively undertake business engagements and knowledge transfer in the context of design.
Qualifications
BA (Hons) Industrial Design (Engineering) 1st Class.
Externally Won Grants and Consultancy, 2001 – Present
2009-2012: European Regional Development Grant, Regional Design, £350,000
2008-2009: Regional Development Grant, MAS Design Pilot, £320,000
2006-2008: Regional Development Grant, New Product Development Centre, £650,000
2006-2008: Regional Development Grant, Resource Efficient Design, £220,000
2004-2007: Regional Development Grant Improving Business by Design, £850,000
2001-2008: General Product Design Consultancy, £500,000.
Awards, Honours and Commissions, 2001 – Present
2008: Da Vinci Award Highly Commended, Biopsy Tool
2008: Short Listed for Times Higher Award
2007: Short Listed for Times Higher Award
2007: Walkodile, winner of British invention of the year
2007: Walkodile, winner of European product of the year
2007: RED staff invited to present at House of Lords select committee
Commissioned to undertake Innovation Nation work for the BBC November/December 2003.
External Teaching and Examinations
2002-2007: External Examiner BA/BSc (Hons) Product Design, Bournemouth University.
Citations and Reviews
Quoted in The Big and Easy Guideto Take a Bright Idea from Drawing Board to Successful Revenue, ISBN 978-0-9557677-1-5
Lord Sainsbury of Turville, 22nd November 2005, UK research Base Funders’ Forum Plenary Conference quoted in Improving Business by design as an exemplar of a University working with industry.
Memberships
2006-2007: Member of Carbonate student design awards.
Current Research Students
Nigel Mills: Henry Lawson and his role in the British motor industry
Philippe Radlovic: Resource Efficiency Tools
Patents and Conferences
