Grant: College and Community Innovation Program
George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology
$500,000.00
The design centre for the smart economy
FY 2018-19
Summary
Toronto is Canada's largest technology hub and the third largest in North America. It is home to 15,000*technology companies employing 168,000 people generating $52 billion in annual revenue. Digital*technologies are revolutionizing how these companies develop products and serve customers. Across all*sectors, there is a shift from engineering-driven to design-driven products, from product-centric to*customer-centric development models, and from marketing-focused to user experience-focused business*models. Many companies face technical and business model challenges in embracing this shift. Overcoming*these challenges is the focus of the George Brown College (GBC) Design Centre for the Smart Economy*(DCSE). NSERC and CFI investment will establish the DCSE as a leading-edge, applied research and industry*interaction facility to support industry innovation. The DCSE will assist Toronto's technology sector SMEs to adopt new approaches to designing and developing customer experiences, digital service design ecosystems, computing platforms and alternative user interfaces that are shaped by technology. GBC faculty and student expertise in gaming and interactive digital media, interaction design and development, user experience and user interface design, usability testing and validation of technology, virtual effects, graphic design/branding and information technology will catalyze innovation in SME partners. The DCSE research vision aligns with key stages of the design process that are essential to fostering innovation and outputs that lead to successful commercialization. By being involved in research projects, GBC students will develop skills in service and product development and design, laboratory experimentation, field research, project management, communications, ethics, entrepreneurship, leadership and teamwork. Although GBC has been successful in supporting projects in this area, the launch of the DCSE represents an opportunity to engage in larger-scale, multi-year projects with industry partners.
Program
College and Community Innovation ProgramCollege and Community Innovation Program (linked with high confidence)
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
499192-2016
Name nom
Kierinkiewicz, Morgan
Department département
Office of Research and Innovation
Organization id
10366
Institution établissement
George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2018
Competition year année de concours
2016
Award amount
500000
Program id
CCIP
Program name en
College and Community Innovation Program
Program name fr
Programme d'innovation dans les collèges et la communauté
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1564
Committee name en
Innovation Enhancement Grants
Committee name fr
Subventions de renforcement de l'innovation
Area of application code
1207
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Information, computer and communication technologies
Area of application fr
Technologie de l'information, des ordinateurs et des réseaux de communications
Research subject code
2700
Research subject group en
Information technology
Research subject group fr
Technologie de l'information
Research subject en
Information technology
Research subject fr
Technologie de l'information
Partie
2
Nb partie
2
Application title
The design centre for the smart economy
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Toronto is Canada's largest technology hub and the third largest in North America. It is home to 15,000*technology companies employing 168,000 people generating $52 billion in annual revenue. Digital*technologies are revolutionizing how these companies develop products and serve customers. Across all*sectors, there is a shift from engineering-driven to design-driven products, from product-centric to*customer-centric development models, and from marketing-focused to user experience-focused business*models. Many companies face technical and business model challenges in embracing this shift. Overcoming*these challenges is the focus of the George Brown College (GBC) Design Centre for the Smart Economy*(DCSE). NSERC and CFI investment will establish the DCSE as a leading-edge, applied research and industry*interaction facility to support industry innovation. The DCSE will assist Toronto's technology sector SMEs to adopt new approaches to designing and developing customer experiences, digital service design ecosystems, computing platforms and alternative user interfaces that are shaped by technology. GBC faculty and student expertise in gaming and interactive digital media, interaction design and development, user experience and user interface design, usability testing and validation of technology, virtual effects, graphic design/branding and information technology will catalyze innovation in SME partners. The DCSE research vision aligns with key stages of the design process that are essential to fostering innovation and outputs that lead to successful commercialization. By being involved in research projects, GBC students will develop skills in service and product development and design, laboratory experimentation, field research, project management, communications, ethics, entrepreneurship, leadership and teamwork. Although GBC has been successful in supporting projects in this area, the launch of the DCSE represents an opportunity to engage in larger-scale, multi-year projects with industry partners.
