Designing for a Better Business

AI + Business: Developing a Strategy for Business Success

Design is everywhere

Many of the most successful organizations have been constructed through an interdependency of business and design. IBM, IKEA, Apple, Braun, and Dyson are just a few companies that have leveraged design into a key differentiator of their value proposition to great success. This strategy has allowed them to become household names excelling in brand recognition and recall, even by those who don’t commonly use their products or services. What allows some businesses and organizations to design a better business?

 

It's a Mindset

Design-centric companies share common tendencies. They possess a commitment from leadership to champion design and allocate the resources needed to support this structure. They also attract top talent, hire designers, and structure the culture to give them a voice. From organizational values to the customer experience, design thinking and methodologies are engrained in the DNA of everything they do.

 

It has become a bit of a cliché by many, but people are truly the cornerstone of these organizations. Collectively, design-centric organizations create environments which allow risk-taking, and experimentation and encourage creative innovative thinking. Where their people work is equally important with much thought put into the physical and virtual work environments to promote collaboration across teams and creativity. For other companies and organizations, this approach might make them uncomfortable. 

 

Knowledge and Fear

Many companies are change-adverse, electing not to deviate from the path of previous successes. While design has become intrinsic to people’s daily lives, there is a tendency for businesses to approach design with an abundance of caution and trepidation largely due to fear stemming from a lack of knowledge.

 

Design in its humblest form is meant to recognize a problem and provide a simple, digestible solution to the problem. For many, one-off projects allow organizations to test the proverbial design waters with little risk. This is the wack-a-mole philosophy, where smaller projects are completed resulting in modest gains but ultimately falling short of the preeminent business goals. The real power of design comes through its utilization as a strategic integrated solution to create differentiation in the market and build a competitive advantage. In other words, to design a better business there needs to be a paradigm shift from design as a short-term focused transactional exchange to a strategic longer-term relationship centred on a shared vision with mutual benefits.

 

 

Common Misconceptions of Design

Ironically, creative firms and agencies share similar tendencies with their clients when discussing themselves. Many creatives have difficulty accurately shaping their own stories to communicate their value and purpose to their audience. Though improving, all too often, there is a disproportional emphasis placed on the shiny tactical solution without considering the likelihood of success with the strategic solution plan.

 

 

6 Common Misconceptions about Design

1. Design is just about aesthetics. 

While aesthetics is important, effective design directly influences functionality, usability, storytelling, and problem-solving. It often uses innovation to push boundaries and create improvements using user-centred design principles.

 

2. Design is an expense, not an investment. 

Far too often businesses can view design as a discretionary expense. They approach design as a transactional exchange rather than a strategic investment. It is like ordering fast food to fulfill an immediate need but later realizing that choice leaves you unfulfilled and unhealthy. Great design provides an opportunity for greater short-term success and exponentially greater long-term success.

 

3. Design is only relevant for some industries. 

Another misconception is that design is not relevant to some industries. This could not be further from the truth. With an emphasis on solving human problems, design is universal to all industries and organizations. Communication and influencing perceptions, experiences, and decisions of internal and external stakeholders—including employees, customers, consumers, competitors, regulatory bodies, influencers etc.

 

4. Design should be cheap / Design is too expensive

Like other industries, there can be significant differences in costs for design services. It’s important to compare apples to apples when shopping for design services.

 

Depth of experience, skill, revisions, licensing, operating costs, reputation, software, tools and the value of the work are all contributing factors that influence and shape pricing in the industry. There can be a propensity for companies to shop for design services as they would a commodity such as metal or gas but there is a distinct difference. When shopping for a commodity, the final product is the same regardless of its source. Creative firms and agencies on the other hand can take distinct approaches and yield incredibly different results.

 

To set a realistic budget, buyers should focus on determining the anticipated impact the design solution is intended to deliver. This will assist in better understanding the value and setting a realistic budget for the project. Additionally, this knowledge is also helpful in considering the skills and experience required for success. Sharing the budget can feel like showing your cards first, but budget transparency allows bidders to take a wider view of the problem and the considerations as they consider the best way to approach the project.

 

“Good Design is Expensive. Bad Design is Costly.”— Richard Kuchinsky

 

5. Good, Fast, Cheap

Design isn’t immune to the law of good, fast, cheap. It is not unusual for strong design solutions to appear relatively simple. This can lead to the impression design solutions are easy to come by, and quick to do, so that shouldn’t cost much. It takes a deep understanding of design principles, technical skills, creativity and business acumen to make this possible.

 

Like all processes, the design process is more involved than one might think. Typically, the process involves discovery, research, strategy + ideation, design + execution, prototyping and testing. When client involvement is rightfully layered in, the process can expand.

 

 “Most processes leave out the stuff no one wants to talk about: magic, intuition and leaps of faith.”—Michael Bierut,

 

6. Design is subjective

Design attempts to find the balance between science, subject and art.

It is built upon well-established foundational principles that affect readability, useability, functionality, experience, inclusion and brand consistency. While good style and taste are important, they are only as good as the foundation.

 

 

Be the Change.

Right-sizing solutions are one of the strengths of design. This means an organization doesn’t need to be the size of IBM, IKEA, or Apple to reap the rewards of strategically integrating design into your business. Smaller organizations such as Blueland, Fabletics, and Festo have utilized a design-centric mindset to achieve business success in vastly different sectors. Even at the startup phase, Starbucks demonstrated the significant impact design can play in establishing the foundation to support greatness.

 

While not a new concept, the fusion of design and business continues to be an underutilized opportunity. Too many are not leveraging design to enhance brand identity, improve experiences, support innovation, create differentiation, strengthen communication, elevate employee engagement, and better support the strategic plan and vision of the organization to increase market competitiveness, and ultimately sustain growth and profitability. Like all business solutions, to design a better business it all begins with a conversation.

—Let’s work together to unlock your potential.

No matter where you are in your project, we’re here to help you remain focused forward with clarity and confidence.

Contact us: info@focusedforward.ca