Design Council Magazine issue 7

In economics it is far, far wiser to be right than to be consistent                

The challenge of designing an economic recovery.

Read this and other articles, first published in Issue 7 of Design Council magazine, Winter 2009, or download a PDF of the entire issue.

Unconventional wisdom

Commuting by river, behavioural economics and what the Fiat Panda can teach us about design in tough times.

Under the knife

Everybody has their own favourite cure for the NHS. Trish Lorenz suggests that new ideas, technologies and processes are the key to a brighter future.

Shanghai surprise

China's trendsetters are creating a new mainstream culture – and domestic designers and foreign brands will have to rethink their strategies, as Paul Simpson discovers.

Working knowledge

Vital intelligence on Anglo-Chinese trade.

Less is more

By focusing on innovation, sustainability and their markets, small businesses could play a pivotal role in helping UK plc recover, writes Robert Jeffery.

Royal variety

H.R.H. Prince Philip tells Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud that his prize celebrates lateral thinking.

Go west

Cornwall may be the UK’s top holiday destination, but a radical rethink is needed to safeguard its economy, as Lloyd Bradley discovers.

Nobel pursuits

If the BRIC economies are to export ideas, not just goods, they might need to nurture a few more Laureates.

Inventing a profit

We have the technology, but getting it to market is another matter. Clint Witchalls explores the issues around reinventing the way Britain invents.

Case studies

Three companies finding value in design, from a Yorkshire butcher to a building giant.