In 1963, Theodore Levitt wrote a prescient essay in the Harvard Business Review called “Creativity is Not Enough. In short, he outlines the real conditions for successful innovation within organizations. With the increased demand for innovation to address the challenges of our new economy, Levitt’s thinking may be more meaningful today than it was then. It’s worth a read. Click on the link.

Among my favorite quotes of his is a very simple one:

“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.”

That one thought is exactly why I’ve taught in the School of Visual Arts MFA Designer as Author program for close to a decade. Our graduate students not only have the pressure of studying all the components of a good graduate design program, but at the end of their final year they must present a workable plan to launch a product or service into the world.

They have to ship.

And the students have a history of shipping some notable successes.

To show the students in action the MFA Designer as Author program will hold its first annual Thesis Forum on April 22.

During this daylong event every thesis student will present their final plans. Designers, industry leaders - and the public - are welcome. I am always inspired by what our graduate students deliver and I suspect that this year will be no exception.

The Forum will be moderated by Milton Glaser, Scott Stowell, Allan Chochinov and me. The day will be divided into three sessions that will showcase all the work of the Class of 2009.

So, please join us at any time on April 22 from 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. for this premiere event at the SVA Theater at 333 West 23rd Street. A lovely reception will follow.

If you’re interested, please contact Esther Ro-Schofield:

eroschofield@sva.edu

If you join me we can ponder what Levitt would have made of it.