Making life better by design: Design Council’s story of impact brings together statistics and stories evidencing how design has contributed to three major areas of the economy – business innovation, places and public services – achieving societal and environmental benefits along the way.

Charting our successes over the last year and the last 15 years when we launched the Double Diamond, this impact report allows us to showcase the immediate impact of particular programmes alongside the legacy of our longer-term work, such as helping to create successful new places or redesign new public services. Our story of impact also outlines Design Council’s significant success in explaining what design is and championing its use, inspiring and enabling people across the world to embed design in their work. 

Design is constantly evolving. So is Design Council. Our story of impact shows how we test, learn, and iterate to strengthen our expertise, build on our success, and respond to immediate and future challenges. 

This report is being published during the coronavirus pandemic, as the design sector – like other sectors of the economy – faces unparalleled pressure. This impact report shows the power of design to confront big, complex societal challenges. Its findings provide valuable insight into, and inspiration around, the role of design in helping our society recover from the coronavirus crisis: in rebuilding our economy, strengthening our communities, and nurturing our environment over the years ahead.

CEO Blog: Design is vital. Our evidence tells us so. For many years, Design Council has championed the value of design, using evidence-based research to show its economic, social and environmental impact. Now for the first time we’ve brought our learning together into one document. For many years, Design Council has championed the value of design, using evidence-based research to show its economic, social and environmen

News — 15/07/2020

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Download our full Impact Report Making life better by design tells the story of Design Council’s impact. It shows how design has contributed to three major areas of the economy – business innovation, public services and places. Making life better by design tells the story of Design Council’s impact. I

Report — 15/07/2020

Impact report: chapter 1 Over the years, Design Council has made significant strides forward in clarifying what design is and communicating the economic, social, and environmental benefits it brings. This first chapter in our Making life better by design series looks at vital work we have done to increase understanding of... Over the years, Design Council has made significant strides forward in clarifying what design is and communicating the economic, social...

Report — 15/07/2020

Impact report: chapter 2 Design Council knows that businesses that use design perform better than those that do not. For a resilient UK economy, we need businesses to use design to maximise their performance. This second chapter in our Making life better by design series reflects on how Design Council has helped a wide... Design Council knows that businesses that use design perform better than those that do not. For a resilient UK economy, we need businesses..

Report — 15/07/2020

Impact report: chapter 3 In recent years there has been an awakening in the public sector to the value of design, as the sector is required to deliver complex services with fewer resources. Design Council has been playing a major role in helping local authorities across the UK to use design to key services and develop new... In recent years there has been an awakening in the public sector to the value of design, as the sector is required to deliver complex...

Report — 15/07/2020

Impact report: chapter 4 Design Council is a leading voice in the built environment sector. For decades we have delivered independent, expert design consultation helping to drive up the quality of design of our homes, neighbourhoods and infrastructure. Design Council is a leading voice in the built environment sector. For decades we have delivered independent, expert design consultation...

Report — 15/07/2020

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 the heart of design. The Systemic Design Framework, launched by Design Council in April 2021, has been developed to help designers working on major complex...

Guide — 22/04/2021