There is growing evidence to suggest that design-centric companies outperform their peers.
Rae, J., DMI winter 2013
Don’t believe it? Other sources confirm it. The UK’s Design Council found that every £1 spent on design led to more than £20 in increased revenue while researchers Herenstein & Platt found that firms with good design were stronger on virtually all financial performance measures.
Design-conscious companies (you know some of them... Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola) know that design is a strategic tool that goes well beyond the “skin deep” attitudes of old. In such companies there is an inextricable link between design, brand communications, and their core offering. Reliable outcomes include boosts to business growth, improved capability and confidence and lasting impact.
Design adds value
- The wow factor - when your company's products and/or services look unique and compelling, they engage your target market
- Brand expression - when you create a close connection with your customers, you earn their loyalty
- Solving unmet user needs - by identifying your customers' pain points and designing solutions that eliminate them, you greatly increase your offering's value
- Better customer experiences - by aligning all touchpoints with your brand promises, you build lasting trust with your customers
- Rethinking strategy - when you look to innovation - rather than just best practice - you jump ahead of your competition
- Hardware/software/service integration - when your company's systems not only work, but are a pleasure to interact with, you can expect referrals
- Market expansion - by ‘picturing’ and ‘designing’ your markets, you can easily respond to existing and enter new markets
- Cost reduction - by rethinking the design factors impacting on your the bottom line, you can increase profit
Design delivers tangible business results and positive cultural effects; it solves problems, creates, connects and builds trust. Put simply, design is good for business.
