Design is crucial not only to winning customers but also to maintaining their allegiance. Contributors this quarter identify the people who matter most in the battle for loyalty and outline approaches to understanding and responding to the needs and priorities of these target groups. Articles include discussion on topics ranging from branding and product development to decisions about website content, layout, and navigation. Translating theory into practice, case studies reinforce key themes with details about projects at such companies as IBM, DEWALT, Proctor & Gamble, and Caterpillar.

Articles

Design as a Strategy for Sustaining Loyalty
Thomas Walton

The Design Imperative in Consumer Goods 
Claudia Kotchka

Design and Culture: Developing a Nation’s Brand with Design Management
Tetsuyuki Hirano

Building the Perfect Product: The Story of the DeWalt Cordless Nailer
James Watson

From Lock-in to Lock-out: Using Design to Create Fiercely Loyal Customers
Jeremy Alexis

Customer Loyalty and the Elements of User Experience
Jesse J Garrett

Using Design to Drive Loyalty
Helen Roberts

Experience Design that Drives Consideration
Kevin Clark, Ron Smith, and Kazuhiko Yamazaki

Caterpillar Dealer Identity: Customer Loyalty and an Extraordinary Partnership
Martin Gierke

Driving Brand Loyalty on the Web
Christina Jackson

Breaking from Tradition: Market Research, Consumer Needs, and Design Futures
Rachel Cooper and Martyn Evans