Designers have always believed that the work they do is valuable. They believe that design contributes to their clients’ profitability, and now research by the Design Council confirms it. The Design Index is a major new research report that examines the share-price movement of companies judged to be good users of design, and builds on a variety of preliminary studies. Combined, the studies unequivocally point to one thing: good use of design improves share performance (The Marketer, June 2004).
A Design Council (2008) survey demonstrates a link between design expenditure and economic performance; with studies showing that for every £100 a business spends on design increases turnover by £225. However, it is also clear that many companies, especially UK-based SMEs, are missing the huge opportunity that design creativity can offer and this is where VSI-thinking can help:
We have developed a wealth of web services and applications that can be used to inform, engage and entertain visitors to your website, such as: blogs, opinion polls, marketing databases, news and events pages, e-Commerce, interactive maps and e-mailshots, to name but a few.
and the evidence to support the importance of good design is growing all the time...
"A business that increases its investment in design is more than twice as likely to see its turnover grow as a business that does not do so".
"Two thirds of companies who ignore design have to compete mainly on price. In companies where design is integral, just one third do so".
"The more businesses use design, the more successful they're likely to be"
(Source: Design Council 2008)
For more information see: http://designcouncil.org.uk/en/About-Design/Research/Value-of-Design-Factfinder/