Our
latest figures show
that the design economy contributed £85.2bn in GVA
to the UK
economy – the equivalent of 75% of the insurance and financial services sector.
Design
Economy 2021 builds on the success of our ground-breaking Design Economy 2015 and 2018
publications. Our latest research will take
a novel approach to understand,
communicate
and empower others to harness design's value.
Design
Economy 2018 found there were
1.69 million people employed in design
roles in the
UK
Our ground-breaking research aims to help us understand the current and future value of design to the UK from a social, environmental and economic perspective. Over the next three years we’ll be looking at:
the social and environmental value of design
the economic value of design
business understanding and use of design
public sector understanding and use of design
public understanding of design
regional variations in the use of design
how the design economy might evolve and change over time.
To do this, we will take advantage of new sources of data and novel methods to help capture design’s wide-ranging value. We will also envisage the design economy needed by 2050 to create a better world, and identify the steps we need to take now to achieve this.
A live research programme with a three-year lifespan, Design Economy will be a growing resource for policy makers, business leaders, public sector professionals, architects and designers.
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
January - June 2021
July 2021 - March 2022
April 2022 - March 2023
April 2023 - March 2024
Scoping
Building the evidence base
A deep dive into design
Re-imagining the design economy
Considering the key issues that Design Economy 2021 should explore, and outlining effective and inclusive research and evaluation methodology needed to capture the wide-ranging value of design. This phase was carried out on behalf of Design Council by BOP Consulting and University of the Arts London’s Social Design Institute.
An in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis into the value of design across the UK. This will include a national survey of designers to understand the social and environmental impact of their work, along with case studies across business, public sector and local communities.
Building
a national quantitative picture of the value of design through national and regional
economic analysis, and developing a new socio-environmental framework and insight through
national surveys with business
and the public sector.
Continued
annual surveys
and focus groups to map trends across post-pandemic recovery and
achieving net zero. We will analyse and consolidate the research into a series of reports
and hold various events throughout the year.
Our interactive digital platform will share new data, evidence, stories and toolkits. Building on the principles of citizen science, we will invite readers to become co-researchers and collaborators, rather than simply recipients of information. We aim to generate discussion and debate, to inspire better use of design in business and the public sector, and enable you measure your own impact.
Design is unevenly distributed across UK regions, with 30% of all design firms based in London.
Welcome
( please scroll)
to Design Economy 2021
The place to learn more about the current
and future economic, social and environmental
value of design in the UK
Find
out more about
Design Economy 21 here
Design
Council has long argued that design
can be used to address some of society’s most
pressing
challenges – from the coronavirus pandemic through to the climate emergency. Every day we
consult with industry, government and organisations to advise them on how design can improve
the things that matter most.
We know that to bring about positive change, we need to come together with others, share knowledge and insights, and take collective action. Design Economy 2021 – with its ambition to explore the role that design can play to build back better and create a more just, healthy and regenerative world – provides us with a platform to do this.
Our research is all about working collaboratively with people across the entire design economy – you included – to better understand the current state of design in the UK and its potential for the future.
Throughout the programme, we’ll consider the diversity of the design sector, how well it is responding to people’s different wants and needs, its vital role in levelling up the UK’s regional economies, and the changes that must be made to ensure that design works for everyone.
