Design Economy 2018 executive summary

Report
26/06/2018

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Inside you will find

  • A breakdown of the true value of design to the UK economy
  • A regional breakdown of design hotspots and clusters
  • Updated statistics about the UK’s design exports, employment and productivity
  • Findings on business design use from over 1000 businesses
  • Short excerpts from two case studies of businesses using design
  • International comparisons

This will interest

  • Designers
  • Business leaders
  • Local and central government
  • Academics, economists, statisticians and research professionals

The Design Economy 2018 is the Design Council's report on the state of design in the UK, and its value to the economy. It expands on our previous research in 2015, and in addition to exploring the supply of design firms and designers, also explores how the rest of the UK business population interacts with them, and what the demand for design is.

Credits

  • Authors: Sally Benton, Stephen Miller, Sophie Reid
  • Art Direction: Calum Spence
  • Illustration: Kouzou Sakai – Folio Art
  • Research: Enterprise Research Centre, BMG Research, BOP Consulting

Contact

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News & opinion

Design Economy 2018
Design Economy 2018

The Design Economy 2018 – Introducing the case studies Design Council commissioned seven case studies to sit alongside the economic analysis and survey from the Design Economy 2018, bringing to life how some firms are using design. We commissioned seven case studies to bring to life how some firms are using design in a systematic or strategic way.

News — 14/09/2018
Design Economy 2018
Design Economy 2018

Why design is integral to the future of UK exports Design will play a major role if we are to increase to reach the government’s ambition of raising exports as a proportion of GDP by 5%. Design will play a major role if we are to increase to reach the government’s ambition of raising exports as a proportion of GDP by 5%.

News — 24/08/2018
Design Economy 2018
Design Economy 2018

Diversity and business performance – is there a link? The 2018 design economy is 78% male, which is a higher figure than for the wider UK workforce (53% male) and has not improved since the last edition of the Design Economy in 2015. To what extent might inequalities be holding the design economy back from achieving its full value to the UK economy? To what extent might inequalities be holding the design economy back from achieving its full value to the UK economy?

Feature — 13/08/2018

Not at the heart of the NPPF but definitely in the mind We are pleased to see that design plays a much more prominent role in the revised National Planning Policy Framework. We are pleased to see that design plays a much more prominent role in the revised National Planning Policy Framework.

News — 07/08/2018

The right design for productivity Our response to the government's Business Productivity Review. Our response to the government's Business Productivity Review.

News — 23/07/2018

Resources

Fjord image
Fjord image

Video: The Design Economy 2018 – Fjord In this video, Group Director Celia Romaniuk discusses the merger, which sought to allow Fjord’s culture to grow and thrive, as well as some of the design approaches Fjord apply in their work with clients. In this video, Group Director Celia Romaniuk discusses the merger which sought to allow Fjord’s culture to grow and thrive.

Case study — 26/06/2018
City ID
City ID

Video: The Design Economy 2018 – City ID In this video, Founder and Design Director Mike Rawlinson explains how their first project for Bristol City Council – which introduced the idea of ‘Legible Cities’ – led to work nationally and internationally. In this video, Founder & Design Director Mike Rawlinson explains how the idea of ‘Legible Cities’ led to work nationally and...

Case study — 26/06/2018
Map project office
Map project office

Video: The Design Economy 2018 – Map Project Office In this video, Founder and Design Director Jon Marshall (who became a Partner at Pentagram in April 2018, after 6 years at Map) introduces the Map approach to working with start-ups and how this has changed how they work with larger brands as well. In this video, Founder and Design Director Jon Marshall introduces the Map approach to working with start-ups.

Case study — 26/06/2018
Understanding design intensive banner
Understanding design intensive banner

Understanding design-intensive innovation How does design contribute to innovation? Does the use of design improve the likelihood of innovation happening? If so, how, and can it be measured? How does design contribute to innovation? Does the use of design improve the likelihood of innovation happening, and can it be measured?

Report — 30/05/2018