Resources for designers

Do you want to learn more about how to grow your business?

Maybe you need help finding funding for your business idea? Or perhaps you simply want to know what's happening in the world of design...

This section can point you in the right direction.

You might also be interested in the support and funding we provide to organisations and projects aiming to promote the value of design to business and strengthen design education, skills and infrastructure.

We hope to make our listings of design and business advice services, organisations, events and networks the most comprehensive on the web. So if you have an event that you want to tell us about, or you think your organisation could help businesses or designers in the UK, you can contact us here

 

Guides

Good Design Practice business guide

From the ins and outs of intellectual property, royalties and employment law to managing client relationships, our series of practical guides for designers tackle complex but vital aspects of business practice.

Filmed interviews with advice from designers who've done it

Advice on starting a design business and how to manage relationships with clients

    

Starting a design business.
Watch the film and read the transcript

Managing client relationships.
Watch the film and read the transcript

 

Innovate and grow tool

There's lots of help available for designers and design-led businesses who want to innovate and grow – and much of it is free. This tool can show you where to go to get the advice and support you need.

Sustainability and Growth tool

Sustainability is top of the agenda for many businesses. Whether you are looking to improve the efficiency of your own business practices, or develop new products and services for sustainable markets, there are many sources of advice and guidance available to you. Find out more about websites, organisations and standards that can help you.

Intersections: Design know-how for a new era

Intersections 07

Book your place on Intersections 2011, a two-day conference at the Eden Project on 2-3 March 2011, which will explore the emerging trends driving business change and revealing new opportunities for design practice.

And find out what happened at Intersections 07. 34 leading thinkers in design considered how design is evolving and how this is affecting its relationships with other fields.

 

Designers Accord Town Hall: London 2012

Design networks

Map of the UK

Looking for networking opportunities in your local area? We have compiled a list of regional design networks that offer designers, creative professionals and businesses the chance to meet and work together.

Leadership and management training

Woman at flipchart

Running and growing a design business makes all sorts of demands on the managing director or chief executive above and beyond a requisite creative ability. One way for a design business director to support, bolster and even verify the hands-on experience gained from running an agency is to undertake professional development training in leadership and management.

Useful organisations for designers

ICOGRADA

Find organisations that offer practical help, legal and financial advice, training opportunities and funding to designers and design businesses throughout the UK.

Training for designers

The Creative Choices website has a listing of courses, training and professional development opportunities around the country.

Competitions

Great Britons awards

Browse our national and international competition listings and make sure you don't miss that all-important call for entries.

Design blogs

TED logo

Discover what designers, industry experts and design enthusiasts around the world are talking about with our introduction to design blogs.

The UK Design Alliance

The UK Design Alliance is a partnership of more than 20 national and regional design organisations and networks who are all working to strengthen the design sector.

 

Find out who's a member of the UK Design Alliance, why it was set up and what it's doing to support the Good Design Practice campaign, which promotes professional development with a directory of training courses and professional development opportunities for designers and a set of free business guides.

 

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