Lecture will be held on 2nd of june at Estonian Academy of Arts (room A101)

SYNOPSIS

The open lecture will explore the intersection of high-level design leadership and the practical mechanics of scaling impactful ideas. Drawing from the experience of a global design leader and former Global Director of Innovation at Puma Headquarters, the lecture will present case studies that reveal how innovation is navigated within complex creative and commercial environments.

At the core of the lecture is the question of what it truly means to be a “good” designer today. Referencing David Epstein’s concept of Range, the discussion will examine why breadth of experience, interdisciplinary curiosity, and analogical thinking often outperform narrow specialization when addressing contemporary challenges.

Moving beyond individual creative practice, the lecture will also introduce frameworks for scaling ideas through innovation stress-testing — a process designed to distinguish short-lived trends from commercially and culturally sustainable concepts. This approach is grounded in meaningful definition and purpose-driven thinking, inspired by Simon Sinek’s principle of Start with Why.

The lecture concludes by addressing the human side of innovation: the communication skills, persuasion strategies, and stakeholder management required to guide ambitious ideas through the inevitable friction of growth and implementation.

Key themes include:

– Global design and innovation case studies from Puma and beyond

– The value of interdisciplinary thinking and creative range

– Purpose-driven innovation and idea stress-testing

– Communication, persuasion, and stakeholder alignment in scaling innovation

Charles Johnson

Assistant Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center

Principal, Driven By Charles LLC

For four decades, Charles has shaped the product visions and strategies of world-leading brands including Adidas and Puma. Originally trained as an Industrial Designer, his career evolved from specialized footwear design to executive-level leadership across sports, fashion, and connected products.

Today, Charles bridges the gap between high-level consulting and academia. As Assistant Professor of Leadership and Innovation at the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center, he teaches students how to scale innovations from inception to mass market while navigating the complex “adverse interests” of organizational functions and stakeholders. As a consulting practice Driven By Charles he helps startups ground their vision in product and brand strategy. Charles is driven by a humanistic approach to design, specializing in experiences that bridge the digital and physical worlds and that promote health and world balance.