Design Perspectives: Design Skills

In March 2020 Design Council launched its strategy which set the direction of work for the next four years. It has identified three strategic priorities where the greater use of design could make a significant difference and subsequently benefit peoples’ lives: improving health and wellbeing; enabling sustainable living; and increasing design skills.

Design Council believes that the development of design skills across our current and future workforces is essential. This report intends to explain why. It considers the importance of anticipating the post-COVID-19 economic recovery as well as other ongoing challenges, such as the impact of automation and the climate crisis. It describes the skills we will need and why they are so significant, the opportunities that they create and barriers to taking them up, and finally the work Design Council will do to help increase the use of design skills in the UK.