Sparking genius

Challenge

China Telecom, one of the leading telecom services provider in China, had started to move towards a more market and consumer-oriented focus. They had begun to see the value of innovation and design, however, the company culture needed to support this change in direction was just beginning.


They enlisted CBi’s help to empower their design department and educate the corporation on the importance of innovation and design.

Process

Together with CBi, China Telecom’s design department planned a whole week of innovation activities. Getting the teams out of the office and into different creative environments was a huge step in opening their eyes. Our excursions included visits to Tong Ji University’s design department and the Haworth-Shanghai Creative Center. Exposing the China Telecom staff to different creative environments and processes allowed them to imagine different ways of working.

We then organized a series of lectures for China Telecom staff on creativity in the marketplace, given by CBi’s expert partners. The lectures covered innovation management in modern business and customer research in experience design. These lectures gave the China Telecom designers a solid base from which to introduce innovation in a systematic and research-oriented way, naturally focused on business results.

Outcome

Even today, China Telecom continues growing its design processes, and is becoming more innovative as a result. Recently, it has even begun to win awards for innovative mobile phone design.

creasingly, customer experience and a service orientation are coming to the forefront of China Telecom’s culture and brand.