Insight: sharing the latest design-led thinking

We provide information and new evidence on the value of design. And we stimulate debate, influence policy and build networks to promote the benefits of design for everyone.

Design and Innovation for Growth

Design for Innovation front cover To coincide with the Government’s Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth we've published our own set of facts, figures and practical plans for growth. Download the PDF and watch films about design for growth in manufacturing, the built environment and public services.

Campaigns we support

Future skills for UK creative industries

As part of the Creative Industries Council, we asked Skillset to convene a Skillset Skills Group and work with DCMS, BIS and the Creative Industries Council to examine the skills issues facing the UK's creative industries. Find out more about it

Protecting Intellectual Property in design

The Government has launched a call for evidence on how the UK intellectual property system can better support our globally successful design industry. Find out more about this issue and how you can contribute to the consultation

STEM + Design

As the UK government reviews the national curriculum and design technology’s status as a compulsory school subject, the Design & Technology Association, the James Dyson Foundation and industrial designers Seymourpowell have started a campaign to secure the future of design and technology education. The Design Council is supporting the campaign. Find out more about it

Policy

Tom Dixon's glasses We advise government, run programmes and undertake research into the role of design in developing and delivering public services.

Research on design industry and design use

Design Industry Research 2010

Our latest research presents a comprehensive picture of the UK design industry and of how UK businesses use design.

Measuring the impact of design

How do we measure the cost and impact of design? What are the metrics – or is understanding the value of design a matter of faith? Would better evidence on the impact of design drive up demand?

Should government have a design strategy?

The 2011 Design Forum asked, should government have a design strategy? Policymakers, designers and business leaders agreed that now would be a good time to develop a UK Design Strategy. Browse through coverage of the debate

Design Summit for Growth

Design Summit logo

The 2011 Design Summit explored how Britain’s design industry can play a more central role in driving economic growth. You can watch videos of the presentations, browse through a recap of the online debate and keep talking about the issues raised.

Find out how the 2011 Summit ties in to Design Council vision and plans for the year ahead

Redesigning Business Summit

When the old ideas stop working, business must find new ones. We brought together an international audience of business leaders at our Big Rethink conference with The Economist in March 2010.

Our work

David Cameron speaking at Davos 2011

Our biggest ambitions have got to be for innovation. I don't believe for one moment we need to be downbeat about this in Europe. It was British scientists who unravelled the genome, who helped design the iPod, who invented the world wide web. Where is the world's capital for high quality industrial design? Not the US, not Asia - Europe. We've got the raw material of good ideas - let's get better at exploiting them

The Design Council offers support programmes for businesses and innovators