Furniture industry innovation workshop series – first workshop
Place: University of Sopron Building B (Sopron, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky u. 11.)
Date: 23rd April 2018
Program:
9:00 – 9:15 Arrival, registration
9:15 – 9:30 Greeting
9:30 – 10:15 The need for innovation, the innovation process, different models
10:15 – 11:00 New directions in product design
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 – 12:30 Furniture supply consumer trends
12:30 – 13:15 Lunch
13:15 – 15:00 Brainstorming about the problems to be solved, the range of potentially relevant products along the lines of development defined in previous workshops
15:00 – 15:15 Coffee break
15:15 – 17:00 Brainstorming about the problems to be solved, the range of potentially relevant products along the lines of development defined in previous workshops
17:00 – 17:15 Summary
The aim of the first workshop of the Furniture Industry Innovation Workshop was to jointly define the furniture industry problems to be solved and that the participating students, lecturers and entrepreneurs involved in the design get to know the results of the previous workshops. In the workshop, the participants examine issues related to the products to be developed, such as the problem of furniture industry idea, functionality, design, vision.
Szabolcs Németh from PANFA welcomed the participants and briefly presented the project. He then handed over the word to Dr. Balázs Lenkei, who moderated the morning activities of the workshop.
First of all, the focus was on innovation, Dr. György Horváth held a thought-provoking lecture on different innovation models. This was complemented by a presentation by Dr. Lenkei Balázs on new directions in product design. The participants of the lectures discussed their experiences of innovation so far. Participants shared the general process of their own innovation activities within their businesses.
A lively exchange of views emerged on the first performance block. Entrepreneurs have recognized the paramount importance of wood and furniture innovation, as it is a follow-up industry across Europe. They also said that, in addition to the opportunities, difficulties might arise (financing, technology, legal, etc.). Special emphasis was placed on the importance of cooperation and the need for cross-border businesses to converge.
After the coffee break, more emphasis was placed on furniture industry aspects of innovation. The morning block ended with the introduction of some furniture industry case studies.
After lunch, Dr. Éva Bednarik took the floor and presented the results of previous workshops. The biggest interest and activity at the workshop on April 16 was the development directions defined for: fitness furniture, children's furniture, space saving furniture, furniture for the disadvantaged, smart furniture, multifunctional furniture, outdoor public furniture (mainly acacia), eco furniture, home office . Several entrepreneurs also expressed their views, almost all of them took part in the debate. During the coffee break, the discussion continued in smaller groups, so the participants started with the momentum about the problems to be solved, the block of potentially relevant products. The majority of the problems outlined were the bottlenecks in the technological conditions and the availability of human resources in the market and in the availability of sufficient quantity and quality. With respect to the range of possible products, there is a broad consensus on smart, multifunctional, or variable. Concrete product ideas have emerged in connection with children's furniture and outdoor furniture, which have been studied by participants in design trends.
At the end of the extremely good-hearted and creative-minded workshop, Balázs Lenkei again took the floor, who summed up the statements in a few sentences, and invited the participants to an innovation camp in Sopron in early May.
At the workshop we provided care for the participants: 2 coffee breaks (snack buffet with mineral water, coffee, tea) and two-course menu lunch.