Design

1. Focus Your Efforts

1.1 Focus on areas where design offers clear commercial benefits.

• It can help you satisfy market needs.For example, designing products and services to meet customers' needs.
• It can allow you to make better use of technology and materials.For example, using lighter, renewable or recycled materials and incorporating energy efficient technologies.
• It can make your communications more effective.For example, creating marketing materials which reinforce the benefits of your product.
• It can improve production efficiency.For example, implementing procedures to reduce errors and wasted time.

1.2 Satisfying customers is your top priority, so market research is essential to understanding them.

• What do customers like and dislike about your products and services?Which competitors do they use, and why?
• What image do customers have of your business and products?
• What concerns do your customers have?How can you make their lives easier?Ask front-line employees for feedback from customers. Use your sales records to identify the products that sell well and which are in decline.

1.3 Suppliers, competitors and employees can also help you identify opportunities.

• What causes your employees problems or wastes their time?What are the most common mistakes?
• What new products and technologies are suppliers offering or aware of?
• What would make suppliers deliver faster or offer you better payment terms?
• How can you beat the competition?How do your key performance indicators (eg delivery times, percentage of faulty goods) compare? What are the key design features of their products and services? How do they promote themselves?