Over the last few years there has been a rapid growth in design promotion, programmes and policy around the world. These design investments are not uniform. They have been developed in different political and economic contexts and have to account for the multi-faceted nature of design activity.
Below we provide a snap shot of the strategies. We will be adding to this over time and would greatly appreciate any comments or additions – think of this as a map in BETA.
It is apparent that there are a number of different reasons that countries choose to invest in design. Including, but not limited to:
- to promote an international image for creativity and ingenuity
- to raise public awareness of the value of design, ranging from consumer goods and services to developing civic regeneration plans
- to encourage business investment in design for growth
- to ensure a supply of world-leading graduates by developing design education and design research systems
- And, perhaps most ambitiously, to encourage government to use design as a tool for social innovation.
So where can we find the most comprehensive design policies and programmes? And more importantly, and always controversially, which definition of design do you agree with? Tell us via Twitter by using #mappingdesign.
We are grateful to the team at the SEE project run by Design Wales, who helped us scope this map. SEE has done some excellent work analysing design for innovation policies across Europe.
Europe
European Commission
What they do
In October 2010, the European Commission launched Innovation Union, one of seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy. Innovation Union states that Europe must “develop its own distinctive approach to innovation.” And in order to do this, concrete action is needed to ensure that “our strengths in design and creativity [are] better exploited.” As a first step the Commission developed a European Design Innovation Initiative, with the twin goals of raising the awareness of design as a driver of innovation in Europe and enhancing its role as in bringing ideas to market by transforming them into user-friendly and appealing products, processes or services.
What they say
“Design for user-centred innovation is the activity of conceiving and developing a plan for a new or significantly improved product, service or system that ensures the best interface with user needs, aspirations and abilities, and that allows for aspects of economic, social and environmental sustainability to be taken into account.”
UK
What they do
Since the Council of Industrial Design (now the Design Council) was founded in 1944 to develop the new industrial designers post-war Britain needed, the UK design industry has had a champion that promotes by all practicable means the improvement of design in the products, services and business of Britain. But the Design Council is by no means the only organisation that supports design and designers in the UK, there are a number of different design bodies and networks.
What they say
“From the spoon, to the coffee-making machine, to hallway furniture, to the building, to the street, to the environment, to the neighbourhood, to the city, the power and potential of design is wonderfully evident.”
Ireland
What they do
Ireland does not have a national or regional policy for design, but promotes design through a number of different government channels. For example, the Centre for Design Innovation (CDI) is an initiative of the Institute of Technology Sligo and is funded through Enterprise Ireland. It focuses on research on innovative products and services, and develops tools that businesses can use in practice.
What they say
“This isn’t rocket science but it is the next ‘big thing’. Understanding your users provides context for your innovation efforts and leads to greater success in the marketplace.”
Wales
What they do
Building on 15 years’ experience of the delivery of design support programmes and leading networks in the UK and Europe, Design Wales is an international centre of expertise for design support and related national and regional policy. Design Wales is currently delivering a Service Design programme for the Welsh manufacturing sector as well as coordinating the Design Wales Forum, a network of Welsh designers and creative professionals.
What they say
“By looking at things differently, design solves problems and transforms ideas into something tangible and viable.”
Denmark
What they do
The leading design organization in Denmark is the Danish Design Centre (DDC), whose function is similar to the UK’s Design Council, with a remit to promote and support the design industry. The DDC, founded in 1978, carries out a variety of activities such as workshops conferences and exhibitions; it also leads an active international branding effort focused on profiling contemporary Danish design and design competences. The DDC has recently begun to address social challenges. For example, it teamed up with the organization “Hold Danmark Rent” (“Keep Denmark Clean”) and the design consultancy Goodmorning Technology to develop new, innovative solutions to waste management.
What they say
In autumn 2010 the Danish government appointed the Danish Design2020 Committee, and earlier this year it published its report “The Vision of the Danish Design 2020 Committee” Its ambition is striking: “Denmark is to be known worldwide as the design society by 2020.”
Finland
What they do
In 2008, design was written into the Finnish National Innovation Strategy. The value of design was in response to a new emphasis on the importance of user-driven innovation and creativity. The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) has designated Helsinki as the World Design Capital 2012 – Helsinki will promote the theme of “Embedded design” bringing together human needs, aesthetic qualities and functionality. And the secretariat for the European Design Innovation Initiative (EDII) is situated at the Designium Innovation Centre at Aalto University in Helsinki.
What they say
“Design can be employed in private and public services where service design can be used, for instance, for public service renewal. Design can also concern entire systems, integrating physical parts, digital contents, interaction and online services.”
Norway
What they do
Norway’s design industry is relatively small, but actively promoted. The Norwegian Design Council (NDC) was set up in 1963 and is financed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. It has a strong focus on encouraging design within industry, and its core activity takes the form of consultancy services for businesses, promoting design as a strategic tool to improve competitiveness. The role of promoting design more widely falls to Norsk Form. Established in 1992 by the Ministry of Culture, Norsk Form works to raise awareness of the value of design and architecture. It does this through a range of exhibitions, publications, conferences, study tours, competitions, and workshops for children and adolescents.
What they say
“Design-driven innovation is a systematic and “user-driven” approach to the ideas stage in the development of new products, services, business processes or organisational forms based on the study of users’ lives, practices or needs.”
Spain (Catalunia)
What they do
Established as a private not-for-profit foundation in 1973, the Barcelona Design Centre is a promotion and information centre devoted to all aspects of design in business. It runs a number of programmes, including a Design Management Programme, supported by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, ACC1Ó and the Economic Promotions Sector of Barcelona City Hall. The programmes aim is to make Catalan business people more aware of the use and correct management of design.
What they say
Design is “a strategic element in business excellence and a key factor in innovation, sustainability and improving people’s quality of life in the business world, in city design and in the spaces people share together.”
France
What they do
France has no government-backed design body. The big industry player is the Agency for the Promotion of Industrial Design, which – although created by the ministers for industry and culture in 1983 – is now an independent organisation. It aims to promote French design within industry, public life, and internationally.The Ministry of Economics, Finances and Industry through the Direction Générale de la Compétitivité, de l’Industrie et des Services has launched several programmes of design support for French SMEs. A new programme - “Innovation – Creation – Design – Marketing” - was launched on 1 December 2010 through a call to SMEs who engage in collaborative projects with a strong non-technological innovation dimension. It is directed at the consumer goods industries.
What they say
“Design is a creative activity whose aim is to establish the multi-faceted qualities of objects, processes, services and their systems in whole life cycles. Therefore, design is the central factor of innovative humanisation of technologies and the crucial factor of cultural and economic exchange.” (ICSID definition of design 2002)
Asia
South Korea
What they do
The Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP) was established by the Korean government in 1970 to promote the design industry and expand exports. It promotes runs a number of programmes, including a biannual design competition called ‘Good Design Selection’, sponsored by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE). The main objective of the competition is to improve the quality of life through pushing design disciplines to a higher level and by expanding public interest in the field.
Seoul
What they do
The Seoul Design Foundation (SDF) was established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in March 2009 and is run by direct endowment. SDF runs the Seoul Design Industry Support Program, with programmes including supporting design clusters, encouraging SME's to use design and providing office space for design companies. Seoul’s ambition is best illustrated by the development of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), where people, capital and information are all gathered. The vision is "to make the DDP the Design Center of the World" in 2015.
Singapore
What they do
The Design Singapore Council established in 2003 by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, is the national agency for promotion and development of Singapore design. The Council works closely with other government agencies, the design community, industry and education institutions to promote design in business and education and to strategically develop Singapore as a ‘network hub’ for innovation in South East Asia. Singapore’s Dsg-II, Strategic Blueprint of the Design Singapore Initiative, 2009-2015 acknowledges that design means different things to the individual, to society and to enterprises and businesses. And the Council is currently investing in establishing a new national design centre to house the new Design Thinking and Innovation Academy.
What they say
“Design empowers the individual to develop new concepts and paradigms, solve problems, and find innovative solutions for everyday living.
With an increasingly aging population, coupled with the growing diversity of people in our society, good design seeks to integrate individuals into the society by ensuring that mainstream products, services and environments are accessible to the largest number of people. Design can also improve the current conditions to make Singapore a better place to live in.
Design and innovation can be placed at the core of enterprise strategy to drive new value creation, and to sharpen the competitive edge of Singapore enterprises and businesses in the global market.”
North America
USA
What they do
The USA does not have a dedicated design policy but the U.S. National Design Policy Initiative, established in 2008, is advocating for a plan of action to support design in service of U.S. economic competitiveness. The Initiative argues for a number of policy measures, including design promotion to boost the demand for American goods and services, innovation policy to protect American intellectual property, and design standards. Interestingly, the also regard design as having a role to play in making American democratic values tangible to the People.
Australasia
Australia
The Australian Design Alliance (ADA) is a new strategic partnership of Australia’s leading design bodies across a range of disciplines, including design, architecture, urban planning, craft and the arts. The ADA is concerned that Australia should keep pace with the rest of the world in generating creative capital through innovative ideas, product differentiation and systems effectiveness. The combined national membership of the ADA is in excess of 20,000 and represents a constituency of almost 80,000 design practitioners.
South Australia
What they do
In 2008, the Government of South Australia invited Professor Laura Lee to become an Adelaide Thinker in Residence. Her report – “Building the Future” - focused on the value of design and the impact of the built environment on the quality of life for all South Australians. The Integrated Design Commission South Australia was established and tasked with supporting the design, development and delivery of the recommendations in the report. The Commission is led by the Government Architect.
What they say
“The opportunity for design to influence outcomes is best done early. By applying the design lens 'up front' the project scope can be fully understood and its potential fully explored and realised. Integrated design understands the inter-dependence of design as a process of enquiry; planning as a process of defining; and development as a process of delivery.”
New Zealand
What they do
In 2003 a Design Taskforce, consisting of designers, academics and business leaders, developed a strategy that would boost New Zealand's economic growth. Better by Design is a design support programme for export-oriented companies. A government agency, Better by Design focuses on developing business capabilities and competencies by transforming thinking and skills.
What they say
“Design is about identifying problems, asking good questions, and finding better answers.”