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The comprehensive design knowledge resource

Contact online editor Antonia Ward

If you want information about using design, facts and figures about the UK design industry, or information on particular design disciplines or sectors, you can find it here.

Our world-class resource has in-depth information on design and business issues and opportunities, written by recognised experts, as well as information for students and educators.

You can also listen to podcasts and see recent design-related stories from the press.

Is there a design information resource that you’d like to see here? We will be adding to this section regularly, and would like to hear your ideas. You can contact us using this suggestion page.


Business media round up

 

Read the latest design and innovation stories from the international business media


BusinessWeek logo

A New Mantra for Creativity

Published 13 May 2008

Executives should apply the "Order of Magnitude" rule to any problem that demands a creative solution

Podcasts and downloads

 

View all Design Council podcasts and downloads

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Managing design

 

Not sure how design could fit into your business? Want to find out how other people do it? Read our in-depth articles on how design is managed, with practical ideas and real-life examples of design being used for business success


LEGO was among eleven companies who have shared their design processes

Eleven lessons: managing design in eleven global brands

How do leading companies manage design in their businesses? Our in-depth study of the design processes used in eleven global brands gives real insights into the way design operates in these firms, and delivers usable lessons for all designers and managers

The design process

Different designers manage the process of design in different ways. But when we studied the design process in eleven leading companies, we found striking similarities and shared approaches among the designers we talked to. In this section we show one way of mapping the design process, and give more detail on the key activities in each of the process's four stages

All sectors

Business essentials

 

What are the latest issues affecting businesses? What's new in the world of design thinking? Find out here in our collection of essential information for businesses


Innovation by Bettina von Stamm

Are you continuously challenging the status quo within your business? Bettina von Stamm reveals how successful companies commercially exploit ideas Innovation is what most companies rely on to fuel business growth. After all, in a competitive economic climate, can you really afford to rely on business as usual?

Ralph Ardill

Ralph Ardill

Founder, The Brand Experience Consultancy

True innovation is not just about changing a product, a service or even a marketplace. It’s also about recognising and relishing the need to change yourself.

Emerging technology by Peter Davies

Almost everything that is designed is influenced by the latest developments in technology. Peter Davies investigates how designers react to emerging technologies and explains how they can be integrated into the design process to give products that essential competitive edge

Design disciplines

 

From product design to retail interiors, find out about design with our guides from international experts


Automotive design by Chris Clements and Dr Samantha Porter

Automotive design is a complicated discipline. Although primarily concerned with the appearance of a vehicle, it is governed by various factors including security, safety and engineering - all of which have their own set of specialists. This means that as well as designing to very high standards, automotive designers must have excellent teamworking and communication skills Chris Clements and Dr...

Lamborghini Miura by Marcello Gandini/Bertone

Information design by Sue Walker and Mark Barratt

By co-ordinating a range of design, language, evaluation and technical skills, information designers play a vital role in making complex information easy to understand and use Sue Walker and Mark Barratt look at the challenges facing the information design profession today and assess future trends