Vol. 20, No. 3, Summer 2009

Antonia Ward, Managing Editor, UK Design Council; Jan Dekker, Editor, UK Design Council

In the UK, where 95 percent of firms employ fewer than five people, the British Design Council has launched an initiative called Designing Demand to help stimulate design-led innovation among the nation's smaller businesses. The UK government has included the Designing Demand program in its new Solutions for Business portfolio, which brings together a range of supports offered to businesses by government departments, their agencies, and local authorities. The design program introduces experienced designers to smaller companies to mentor them through the process of commissioning, briefing, and managing design. Although the design professionals don't do any resulting design work themselves, they guide the companies toward becoming better clients, investing in design and innovation strategically and managing it effectively. Antonia Ward and Jan Dekker, from the Design Council, describe the initiative and offer several case studies as examples of its effectiveness.

	Publication Type	Member Discount	Nonmember Price
	Printed Article		$6.50
	PDF File	Member download	$6.50

     Email this page to a colleague