Designing a future economy is the Design Council’s 2017 report investigating the skills used in design, the link between these skills and productivity and innovation, and how they align with future demand for skills across the wider UK economy.

This interactive data visualisation situates these findings within the wider context of the technological and economic change taking place as part of the fourth industrial revolution, highlighting how design has an important role to play in the UK’s future. However it also highlights that without urgent action, the supply of these design skills is at risk.

Launch our interactive guide to design skills.

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News & opinion

Skills banner
Skills banner

How do we define design skills? As debate rages on as to how the UK best capitalises on the technological changes being brought by the fourth industrial revolution, Design Council has been leading the conversation about the key role design skills can play. But what do we mean by design skills? Design Council has been leading the conversation about the key role design skills can play. But what do we mean by design skills?

Feature — 06/12/2017

KiwiCo: Inspiring the next generation of designers To find out who is out there developing educational solutions to design, we spoke to KiwiCo whose mission is to support kids’ creativity and encourage them to be makers and innovators. We spoke to KiwiCo, whose mission is to support kids’ creativity and encourage them to be makers and innovators.

Feature — 31/01/2019
Design Economy 2018 map
Design Economy 2018 map

Can the North lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution? The North can lead the fourth industrial revolution as it did the first. To achieve this however, we need to invest in design and, importantly, design skills. To achieve this however, we need to invest in design and, importantly, design skills.

Feature — 31/01/2019
Design Economy 2018
Design Economy 2018

The importance of design education Sarah Weir, Design Council CEO and Steven Kyffin, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Northumbria University talk about design education at the launch of the Design Economy 2018 at the Great Exhibition of the North. Sarah Weir, Design Council CEO and Steven Kyffin, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Northumbria University talk about the importance of design education.

Feature — 31/01/2019
Design Economy 2018 education
Design Economy 2018 education

Watch: The Design Economy 2018 – Education Malcolm Garret, Creative Director of Images & Co, talks about the importance of design education at the launch of the Design Economy 2018 at the Great Exhibition of the North. Malcolm Garret, Creative Director of Images & Co, talks about the importance of design education at the launch of the Design Economy 2018.

Feature — 31/01/2019

Resources

Skills banner
Skills banner

Designing a Future Economy report Design Council’s 2017 report investigating the skills used in design, the link between these skills and productivity and innovation, and how they align with future demand for skills across the wider UK economy. Design Council’s 2017 report investigating the skills used in design and the link between these skills and productivity and innovation.

Report — 06/12/2017
Page/Park
Page/Park

The Design Economy 2018 – Page/Park Page\Park Architects is a renowned Glasgow based mid-sized architecture practice which has designed many iconic public buildings across Scotland. The firm is employee-owned and architects at all levels take an active role in the day-to-day running of the firm. A renowned Glasgow based mid-sized architecture practice which has designed many iconic public buildings across Scotland.

Case study — 11/12/2018
The Guardian
The Guardian

The Design Economy 2018 – The Guardian The Guardian is a news publication of The Guardian Media Group. It has a long history of strong design culture and a highly ‘design literate’ readership. The Guardian is a news publication of The Guardian Media Group. It has a long history of strong design culture and a highly ‘design literate

Case study — 14/11/2018
Monzo card
Monzo card

The Design Economy 2018 – Monzo How the creators of the banking sector's most iconic new bank card use design to build trust and differentiate themselves to customers and investors. Design-led innovation in the banking sector.

Case study — 10/10/2018
Studio Moross
Studio Moross

The Design Economy 2018 – Studio Moross Studio Moross is an interdisciplinary design and creative studio, specialising in work for the music industry, entertainment sector, consumer packaged goods, and food and beverages. Here, they discuss how their culture of collaboration and openness is tackling a lack of diversity in design. Tackling a lack of diversity in design.

Case study — 17/09/2018