A proven tool for fighting poverty on a large scale, microfinance provides very small loans to people, mostly women, to start or expand small, self-sufficient businesses. In fact, 155 million of the world’s poorest people have received a microfinance loan—giving them the opportunity to transform their lives. But as these organizations face meteoric growth, managerial operations needed to effectively scale these institutions are suffering. Industry leaders claim that finding a solution to this “talent gap” is critical to the future of the field.

Continuum, in collaboration with a remarkable team, has just begun work on a project to solve this social challenge. The project’s goal is to create an innovative leadership development solution for middle managers, and, in essence, groom the next generation of leaders in these crucial organizations. The team includes Continuum Social Innovation Principal Anna Muoio; Peg Ross, director of the Human Capital Center at The Grameen Foundation; Lynn Pikholz, President of the microfinance development company ShoreCap Exchange; and Lyndon Rego, Director of Innovation at The Center for Creative Leadership, an international leadership education and research firm. “This is a burly problem,” says Muoio, “and we need the power of all these different disciplines and expertise—from microfinance to leadership development to organizational effectiveness and innovation—to solve it.”

Over the last decade, microfinance has experienced explosive growth, with local banks expanding anywhere from 50 to 100 percent year-over-year to serve the needs of their clients. “But because of this enormous growth,” says Pikholz, “resources are stretched, staff isn’t adequately trained, and there’s no methodology in place for managing, grooming, and attracting talent.” For example, one microfinance bank in India has hired close to 1,000 loan officers and branch managers this year alone. The branch mangers, for instance, are largely in their mid-twenties with little experience in managing hundreds of employees, significant loan portfolios, and “non-textbook” situations, such as a local government officials urging people to default on their loan repayments or the death of a loan officer in the field. To put things in context: A comparable job in a city at a traditional bank would require seven to eight years of experience. “Microfinance institutions can’t reach their mission without help,” says Rego.

During the discussion, the team opened up the conversation to guests, who included individuals from the microfinance and financial service sector as well as graduate students from Harvard, Tufts, and Boston College. They helped to imagine what the solution would look like. All agreed that a trail-blazing mentality is needed to get the job done.

Although the project is still in its infancy, Grameen’s Peg Ross has already felt that working with Continuum has been eye opening. “This company has introduced me to a whole new way of finding a solution,” says Ross. “And with the work that the team will do on this project, they will effectively train the next generation of leaders.”

Click here to read “No Footsteps to Follow: The talent gap in the development finance sector in India,” field notes from the team’s initial trip to India in the fall of 2009.

Our LA team hooked up a dual quad-core CPU Mac tower to enable Professor Tim Kasser to present and participate remotely. Supported by a great deal of analytical data supported by psychologists, Professor Kasser predicted a future focused less on extrinsic values (materialism) and more on intrinsic values (spiritualism). This is important, he explained, because when people focus on extrinsic values, their level of happiness and gratification goes down, and vice versa. To further explain the difference, he compared people who focus on the material against those who focus on the spiritual the day before and after Christmas. 

Nathan Shedroff presented a thought-provoking piece around meaning and how to find it. He said that traditionally, when people say “Less is More,” it generally makes people nervous, as they believe things are being taken away from them. He proposed re-phrasing it as “getting more for less.” With a strong focus on meaning, he also spoke about how any two people can have their own definition of values such as freedom and security, but the expression of those values can be very different. One example of this is that while NRA folks believe possessing firearms is an expression of security, others may think the exact opposite. 

Sean Brennan’s presentation looked at a shift occurring in Gen Y; the first generation that will not be as economically successful as its predecessors. Since they can’t afford more, their aspirations and spending behaviors will be different (and incomparable to previous generations). He looked at how this generation is using the internet as a way to rapidly prototype new identities, form relationships, and use their creativity and experiences as currency (Flickr travel photos, twitter updates). They spend their money on tools and services that allow them to do these things. Sean also echoed Professor Kasser’s points by sharing some of the thinking that’s happening in Continuum’s NEXT community, particularly around how sharing plays an important role for members of this new generation and how technology and services allow this generation to be green and thrifty by default. 

The crowd was very engaged in the panel discussion and raised some very good questions. Since half of the audience was design professionals, the conversation focused around what the implications would be for the future of design. The event lasted well into the evening hours, and everyone walked away with new insights in the future of consumerism.

This year, to support the show, we are again the host studio for a Design Squad related segment. Max Wallack, a 12 year old inventor and “whiz kid” won an online contest with his Home Dome idea, a shelter made from discarded and reused materials. Max will be here next month, building a prototype for his design in our shop.

Some recent articles on Max, the contest, PBS and us….

Boston.com
Christian Science Monitor
Telegram

Roger Martin, Dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, visited our studio and talked with Chris Flanagan of the Business Innovation Factory. Roger is a renowned expert on the marriage of innovation and business, an author of several books on the topic, and the mind behind Rotman’s pioneering business and design curriculum.

Listen to the podcast.

Continuum and Elephant share a belief in the value of design. Both firms believe that design can help drive business success and that it is an essential contributor to the creation of value for economies, businesses, citizens and society.

Continuum and Elephant will use this partnership to: educate, share a cross cultural understanding of ideas and processes, assess emerging opportunities together and provide thought leadership on design’s ability to enact economic and social change.

Over the past five years, Continuum’s business has shifted dramatically toward a diverse project portfolio with global emphasis.  This partnership will help further strengthen this reality.

“Elephant is a respected and inspiring member of the global design community. Working with them thus far has provided a wealth of opportunity and learning. By formalizing this partnership we can continue the great work we have started and put our heads together toenvision bigger and better possibilities,” noted Dan Buchner, vice president of organizational innovation.

About Elephant Strategy +  Design

Since its start in 1989, Elephant Strategy + Design has helped create confidence in Industry to use design as a tool for change. Elephant has created some of the best-known Indian Brands and is a preferred partner for global companies such as Unilever, P&G, Nissan, Henkel, Britannia, Bajaj Auto, Kirloskar Group, Commonwealth Games Federation, Titan, Symphony, Nirlep, Bilcare and Panacea Biotec. With a combination of specialized skills, knowledge, innovation and passion, Elephant¹s segment expertise spans healthcare, information technology, banking, FMCG, house wares, consumer & industrial products and transportation. Elephant also devotes considerable time and energy towards not-for-profit projects that support community, development and environment conservation efforts.

Contact: Sudhir Sharma, Director

+91 98903 66644

About Continuum

Continuum is a design and innovation consultancy that helps turn ideas into realities. Through exhaustive investigation and user research, Continuum undertakes a deeply immersive role in a client’s businesses to formulate design and brand strategies that are both fiscally sound and consumer relevant. Since 1983, Continuum has created meaningful design for companies worldwide including American Express, Andersen Windows, Procter and Gamble, BMW, Master Lock, Moen, Samsung, Johnson & Johnson. Continuum has offices in Boston, Milan and Seoul.

Contact: Kerry Emberley, Communications Director

617-928-9582

Targus recently launched their first-ever line of Mac accessories. I bet you are thinking, “Wait…Targus…I know them, don’t I? Laptop bags right?” Well, you’d be correct in this thinking and as it turns out, they have expanded their business into several other areas.

Targus is a major global supplier of mobile computing cases and accessories (Targus’ own words – from their website). When I first checked out their website I was amazed by the number of different computer peripherals they offer. The next time I was in Best Buy (I seem to often find myself aimlessly wandering their aisles); I couldn’t help but notice that Targus was getting great placement alongside some impressive names like Kensington, Microsoft and Logitech. Who knew this relatively quiet “laptop bag” company had such a significant presence in this category?
Now I’ll admit that although I have a secret lust for consumer electronics, I didn’t just happen to begin researching Targus out of personal curiosity. Targus approached us in mid 2007 to help design their new line of Mac-specific accessories. This was a challenge our design team was really excited about.

We were faced with some interesting questions: We knew we wanted the line to feel Mac-appropriate but how literally should we play off of the strong Mac design language? Also, because Targus doesn’t have a very strong exiting family design language or tone, how can we work with their existing brand heritage? In the end, we decided to develop a line of products that leverage some of the core values of Mac products (simplicity, honesty and sophistication) without directly knocking off their signature design elements. Concurrently, we wanted to infuse a bit of Targus ingenuity into the products by incorporating new technologies like the optical scroll wheel on the mouse. We think the result is a successful blend of the two brand identities that would satisfy even the most design conscience Mac user.

So far the early reviews sound very promising:

http://technologizer.com/2008/10/01/new-targus-accessories-cater-to-mac-users/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10054058-1.html
http://www.slashgear.com/targus-announced-new-mac-accessories-0117831/
http://www.gadgets-weblog.com/50226711/new_targus_mac_accessories_available_today.php

We were really pleased to hear that our friends over at Design Squad were the recipients of a Peabody Award for last year’s season. We had a great time hosting the finale in our studio last Summer. Great job guys!

Here’s the press release.

Also check out this time lapse video of our shop crew deconstructing the enormous grass hill we built in our lobby for the kids to test their designs on.

In order to bring the complete vision for the Sprint Studio to life, Sprint and Continuum partnered with their photographer Ron Eshel and German light artists from Lichtfaktor. Working collaboratively in two adjacent photography studios, the team captured both lifestyle photography as well as time lapse imagery of actual light in motion. The resulting images help to elevate the Sprint Studio above the status quo and engage the consumer in a truly amazing retail experience.

Check out this light art. Really amazing stuff.

Roger Martin, dean of the Rotman School of Management and Continuum partner, talks with BusinessWeek about the potential pitfalls and rewards of trying to “buy” innovation

Read it here.

Also check out Continuum’s recent interview with Roger on his new book The Opposable Mind.

We think what Roger and the Rotman School is doing for design education is inspiring for the future of design and business. Other universities should follow suit.