Background and methodology

In 2007, the Design Council was asked to conduct a study of the design processes used in leading global companies. The remit of the study was to understand the design processes used by leading corporate users of design, what elements they involve, and how these processes take a product or service from an idea through to implementation and launch. The creative or design heads of eleven leading users of design took part in in-depth interviews.

The key aim of this design process study was to seek the answers to five questions:

• What is the design process used in leading corporate users of design?
• How is the process managed?
• What benefits does it bring?
• What are the similarities and differences among these companies’ design processes?
• Are there activities or methods among the design processes observed that could constitute best practice?

A mix of companies with product and service-based offers was sought and agreed to take part.

The criteria for the companies selected for the design process study was that they be leading corporate users of design with a reputation for successfully applying design to either their product or service, or both. Equally, the companies needed to represent a variety of sectors. A list of companies that fulfilled these requirements was compiled, and contact was established with eleven design heads willing to take part in the study. 

Clearly while these companies have their use of design in common, one key challenge in investigating the design process across several companies is taking into account how such a process will differ depending on the companies’ product or service offer, size, shape and location, legacy of design use, and its supply-chains and production systems. 

The participating companies originate mainly from Western Europe and the United States, and all are global in their operations. This does not, however, reflect a predominance of design process expertise in these regions.

Methodology

The design process study was conducted using a qualitative research methodology, and drew heavily on the Design Council’s knowledge of and expertise in the theories and practices of design management and strategy. The stages of the study were as follows:

• An initial desk research project summarised the evolution and development of design process methodologies from an academic perspective, and highlighted the leading insights on areas such as the benefits of design process and best practice models.  This served to inform the overall study and to aid the discussions with the design teams that were interviewed.
• Face to face interviews were conducted with the design or creative heads of eleven leading users of design.
• Prior to each interview, basic corporate data and information was gathered for each participating company.  This was used both as a background for the interview, and in the formulation of the summary report and the case studies. 
• The interviews were conducted by a design expert and a researcher.  This, together with the discussion guide, provided both the deep understanding of design process and strategy and the robust research methodology needed to guide the collection and analysis of information from the interviews.

With this background and methodology as its starting point, the interviews that formed the basis of the design process study were conducted between March and May 2007.

You can browse the main findings of the study using the links on the right.