Over the past few decades, China has changed dramatically. Alongside mass urbanisation, phenomenal economic growth and radical technological advances, some of the most significant changes have happened in people’s homes.

In China, family and shared food experiences are an essential part of the culture, and higher household incomes and increased purchasing power continue to drive up demand for new kitchen and home products.
To capitalise on that opportunity, home appliance companies need to think beyond their existing product portfolios, embrace the uniqueness of China’s food culture and its distinctive national character.

We are proud to be featured in New Design Magazine Yearbook 2022.
From flexible working practices to the importance of Sustainability, this article dives into how we can better respond to the demands of this new society we’re living in, as we continue to deliver meaningful innovation in a post-pandemic world.

Today, consumer enthusiasm for packaging-free and refillable options continues to grow. Yet, despite the reassuring signs that the current pandemic has not hindered consumers’ appetite for sustainable practices, the wide adoption of refills and dispensing models continues to present significant challenges.

We are delighted to be featured in Medical + Healthcare Innovation, a special edition by New Design and Engineering magazines, supported by the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI).

In this article, Chris Vincent, Sector Lead – Healthcare; Jamie Buckley, Creative Director and Vassilios Kanellopoulos, Global Business Development Director at PDD, talk about our ground-breaking collaborations with hospitals, the importance of observational research and why, now more than ever, we must put medics at the heart of innovation.

PDD partners with The Youth Group to provide mentoring to young people.

We are delighted to announce our partnership with The Youth Group to mentor young people within their 1.7 million-strong community, helping them to build confidence and thrive in today’s world.

When was the last time you pulled when it said ‘push’?

Every day, we are surrounded by products and services that somehow, don’t work as we expect them to. Whether it is an ‘impossible-to-follow’ set of instructions or the ‘push’ sign on a handle that clearly invites you to pull, people are constantly forced to develop workarounds to compensate for poor design.

We were delighted to see the Philips Water Dispenser win at this year’s Red Dot Design Award 2021 in the category of Product Design, one of the world’s most recognised and sought-after seals of quality for good design.

We are delighted to announce that Quantex, the innovative pump technology company that started up at PDD, has been acquired by global pump solution expert, PSG, part of Dover Corporation.

PDD launches new initiative to put medics at the heart of innovation.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Jim Roberts, consultant anaesthetist and medical innovator at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), as an independent advisor in healthcare innovation. This initiative seeks to transform how medical technology is developed and used in hospital settings by putting medics at the heart of the process.

Over the last year, connected technologies have become even more prevalent in healthcare. At a time when visiting a hospital has become increasingly difficult for patients, apps and software-enabled devices have become useful tools to facilitate access to services and self-care.

In this article, Marlies Havenith – Senior Consultant – Human Factors & Usability at PDD – explains why, as connectivity continues to permeate healthcare environments, keeping users at the centre is now more imperative than ever. 

We are delighted to announce that Olav’s Chefmesser has won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award as an outstanding example of Product Design. Das Chefmesser, an innovative Chef Knife, is the latest in a series of collaborations between PDD and Olav – a visionary German startup that is transforming the market for cookware in Europe and beyond.

Over the past year, health has become the focal point of our lives in a way that few of us could have predicted, nor ignored. Just like consumer culture transformed our societies two centuries ago, health and health-related issues now shape our identity, our lifestyle, our perspectives and importantly  our aspirations for the future.

In this article, Emma Dickinson – Consultant, Research Recruitment at PDD, explores people’s evolving attitudes in healthcare and how healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers can make the most of that opportunity to deliver a compelling, engaging experience for all. 

Design can be a powerful driver for change – it can inspire new behaviours and drive us to think and act more responsibly. But to innovate ourselves to a better future, a puritanical focus on reducing impact will not do.

In this article, Marko Plevnik, Principal – Industrial Design at PDD, reflects on the importance of character in good design and the need to create meaningful experiences that are emotionally rewarding and encourage people to do the right thing. 

We are delighted to see the Zephyr Plus Ventilator recognised with the C2I award for COVID-19 Response by The Engineer magazine.
Led by Babcock International Group in response to the UK Government’s ventilator challenge in the early days of the pandemic, this was a highly collaborative project where PDD and over 50 partners and suppliers worked together to find the most appropriate solution.

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Oliver Breit, is taking the helm as Sector Leader Industrial – Commercial at PDD. Based in Hong Kong, Oliver has over 20 years experience leading design, innovation and product development programmes with global clients.

As medical innovators we all want to support the design of safe and usable medical devices. Yet, in a healthcare environment that is going through fast, unprecedented change, where standard tools and processes are harder to apply, that aim is not without challenge.

We are proud to announce that the Philips Water Dispenser ADD6910/90 has won a Merit at DFA Design for Asia Awards. The awards recognise designs that embody Asian aesthetics and culture, and influence design trends in the region.

In recent years, wearables have started to play a pivotal role in the lives of patients. From the management of chronic conditions to making sure that we drink enough water, wearable and mobile devices are revolutionising the way that healthcare occurs.

These are times of upheaval. From the collapse of supply chains to the new rules and regulations that shape our everyday lives, Covid-19 has forced us all to rethink our habits and embrace new behaviours.

Socio-technical systems design was originally conceived by Fred Emery and Eric Trist. It is an approach to understanding the system around technology which forms part of our focus on front end research – i.e. the process where we create solutions that will naturally resonate with people.