Integral Design Tutoring Model as a Knowledge Transfer Strategy for SMEs in Columbia

Colombia has been transformed into the third country with the best business environment in L.A.; however, investment in Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) is only 0,2% of the GPD. Taking into account that 98% of the Colombian enterprises are SMEs, from which 5% invest only 2% of its annual budget in design, the National Industrial Design Program (MinCIT) saw the need to develop the Integral Design Tutoring Model. The model makes a bet for empathy and emotional intimacy as tools to transfer the necessary knowledge so that the local businessperson develops an innovation culture based on design thinking. To test the model, the Integral Design Tutoring Project was developed as a pilot. This four- months project allowed an interdisciplinary team, conducted by designers, to accompany twenty SMEs. Through a process developed in three stages it was possible to prove that, through empathy and emotional intimacy, one can achieve knowledge transfer to business people and their organizations in an effective, efficient and successful way. This knowledge transfer allows the organization to develop human centered design processes in a systematic, independent and autonomous way