A business case for design

Developing strategic design in your business

There are many international examples of how SMEs have benefited from design. The research conducted in the UK and replicated here shows that SMEs can improve their bottom line by using design.

The dbc has developed a design audit system to show SMEs how to innovate, develop new services and/or products as well as improve existing products and services. This program has been successfully used with SMEs such as
Home Hardware,
Volgren,
Sanbrook brands,
Unitex,
Australian Family Assurance and
Express Technology.

The dbc was funded by Enterprise Connect to work with 20 SMEs to help them examine their current use of design and prepare a design audit that showed the value of introducing design at a strategic level.
The design audit was presented as a business case for design in each SME.

The design audit included:
    • an evaluation of the current use of design
    • an evaluation of peers/competitors use of design
    • international benchmarking of the use of design in their industry
    • a plan for the use of design at a strategic level in their business

    Case studies

    The dbc is currently preparing case studies for each of the 20 SMEs that took part in the project.

    More information
    Contact
    Greg Branson
    via email
    Ph 0412 762 045



    Case studies

    Read how Fellowes Binding & Laminating used design to increase sales...