What is the value of good design?

It’s a question I’ve been asking for a while now. Design is the service I sell; I believe it is a good investment when done well and I get excited at the prospect of helping other people see that same potential when good design is committed to and invested in.

But how do I back up that claim? After all, an investment is only successful if there is a return from it and measuring a return based on a presumption that design is the only factor to have influenced a change in financial income is shaky logic.

Some answers…

The stats are extremely difficult to come by but this recent animated video showcases a very positive take on the value of design, analysing the results of work carried out by the Design Council UK and the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

The Value of Design from Design Council on Vimeo.

The video is only 2 mins long and you get the feeling there’s more to come, but is packed with useful facts and encouraging insights into why design is worth the investment, all backed up with their sources on the Design Council website.

Do give it a watch – it’s great for designers and non designers alike.

“Think of design as a really flexible and powerful tool that can help with everything your business needs to thrive…”
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“Every £1 spent on design can give you over £20 in increased revenue and £4 in increased profit…”
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“It’s no surprise that UK businesses spend over £33 billion on design every year…”
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“Design is about people… Designers solve problems by working out the impact that your product or service will have on the people that use it…”