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COVID-19 UPDATE

Design Council is now working virtually in order to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our staff and stakeholders, and continue our mission to make life better by design. We will continue to convene people from across all disciplines and sectors – from grassroots to government – over the coming weeks. We know that our stakeholders will have many questions about how to adapt to life during and after COVID-19, from safeguarding our health and wellbeing, to reshaping and rebuilding local economies, to leading more sustainable lives. 

We are currently exploring how we can best support those of you who are thinking about how you can reshape and deliver your services, or adapt your spaces given our changed way of life at this time. Please do get in touch to share your thoughts or if you think we can support you, email us on innovation@designcouncil.org.uk.

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Our virtual offer

New to the virtual world? We will guide you to make the most of your experience. We can also support your organisation to find new ways of working virtually- developing design-led policies, processes and practices to get the very best out of working and collaborating remotely.

Black Creatives

We believe that design needs to reflect the diversity of the world it shapes. Our national, published research shows that many people working in the design economy do not sufficiently represent the people they are designing for.

Our history

Design Council was established by Winston Churchill’s wartime government in December 1944 to support Britain’s economic recovery. The Council of Industrial Design, as it was then known, had the founding purpose of promoting ‘by all practicable means the improvement of design in the products of...

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Guide / 22/04/2021

Beyond Net Zero: A Systemic Design Approach

The Systemic Design Framework, launched by Design Council in April 2021, has been developed to help designers working on major complex challenges that involve people across different disciplines and sectors. It places our people and our planet at...

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Our strategic themes

Download our Strategy 2020-24 Our Strategy 2020-24 outlines how we will ensure design is used as a force for change, helping us to tackle some of the toughest economic, societal and environment challenges in the UK and beyond. This document outlines our key priorities – improving health and wellbeing, enabling sustainable... Our Strategy 2020-24 outlines how we will ensure design is used as a force for change, helping us to tackle some of the toughest challenges

Report — 23/03/2020

Designing for net zero is not ambitious enough warns Design Council Design Council launches new framework enabling designers respond more effectively to climate crisis and other systemic challenges. Design Council launches new framework enabling designers respond more effectively to climate crisis and other systemic challenges.

News — 22/04/2021

Design Council announces new network of design experts Multi-disciplinary, diverse community of practice set to address major social, environmental and economic challenges. Multi-disciplinary, diverse community of practice set to address major social, environmental and economic challenges.

News — 19/04/2021

Whatever the question, design has an answer.

Design Council champions the power of design to tackle the biggest challenges of our time and bring about real, positive change in people’s lives.

Every day we consult with industry, government and individuals to advise them on how design can improve the things that matter most. 

How can we improve our health and wellbeing? The places we live? The communities we’re all part of? These are the questions we seek to answer, as we strive to make Britain better by design. 

What we do

Latest News & Opinion

Design Council announces new network of design experts Multi-disciplinary, diverse community of practice set to address major social, environmental and economic challenges. Multi-disciplinary, diverse community of practice set to address major social, environmental and economic challenges.

News — 19/04/2021

Prince Philip, a true champion of design Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and her family as we all mourn the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and her family as we all mourn the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip...

News — 09/04/2021

Minnie Moll appointed as Design Council’s new Chief Executive Design Council Trustees are delighted to announce the appointment of Minnie Moll as the organisation’s new Chief Executive. She will formally take up the position on 1 March 2021. Design Council Trustees are delighted to announce the appointment of Minnie Moll as the organisation’s new Chief Executive...

News — 11/01/2021

Coming soon! Design Economy 2021. This summer we’ll be launching Design Economy 2021, the third in our ground-breaking research series on the value of design in the UK. This summer we’ll be launching Design Economy 2021, the third in our ground-breaking research series on the value of design in the UK.

News — 12/04/2021

Initiative launched to find new ways to overcome inequalities in physical activity People with great ideas to tackle inequalities in physical activity are being invited to apply to Ideas to Action – a new programme delivered by Design Council, supported by Sport England and funded by the National Lottery. People with great ideas to tackle inequalities in physical activity are being invited to apply to Ideas to Action – a new programme!

News — 31/03/2021

Latest Reports & Downloads

Improving social integration outcomes in London In London’s first ever Social Integration strategy, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, set out his vision for a more socially integrated London. This means giving people more chances to connect with each other in positive and meaningful ways and enabling Londoners to play an active part in their... In London’s first ever Social Integration strategy, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, set out his vision for a more socially integrated ...

Report — 15/12/2020

Transform Ageing - Later Life is for Living: Final Evaluation Report Transform Ageing, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, was a pioneering programme taking a community and design-led approach to improve people’s experience of ageing. As a result of the Transform Ageing programme, social entrepreneurs reached 89,500 people in later life in the South West...

Report — 26/11/2020

A ten step guide to running a design workshop in primary schools This ‘How to’ guide for design and technology primary school teachers takes you through ten easy steps to running a design workshop, including advice on what materials you will need, how to push your students to think bigger and better and how you can tailor workshops to fit the time you have to... This ‘How to’ guide for design and technology primary school teachers takes you through ten easy steps to running a design workshop...

Guide — 13/08/2020

Design Economy 2021: Commissioning Brief The ambition for DE21 is to move the Design Economy from being just about the state of design in the UK, to more robustly illustrate how design and design skills make a difference; and demonstrate the value they bring in helping the UK tackle major challenges that we are facing today – socially,... The ambition for DE21 is to move the Design Economy from being just about the state of design in the UK, to more robustly illustrate how ...

Guide — 12/11/2020
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