Using design in business can bring about many benefits. It can improve your performance, your efficiencies, and the value of your products and services. It can also reduce costs and risks to your business.

Advantages of design to your business

Using design across your business can help you:

• increase sales of your products or services
• improve market position
• boost customer loyalty
• reduce customer complaints
• build a stronger identity for your business
• create new products and services and open up new markets
• reduce time to market for new products and services
• improve environmental record and compliance with regulations

Why is design important in business?

Effective design can encourage customers to buy from you and not from your competitors. It can help your product, service or business stand out - see more on user-centred design.

Design can also add value to products and services. Customers are often willing to pay more for products that look better and offer greater usability, better functionality and sustainability. See ecodesign in product or service development.

Using design to improve efficiency

The role of design doesn't stop with products and services. Design can also help you:

• improve the way your business operates
• cut costs and boost efficiencies, for example with the raw materials it uses
• enhance the quality of your packaging

Design can also help cut production costs. For example, careful design of the manufacturing process can bring large savings. It can also make processes and the use of materials more efficient and environmentally friendly, helping you to comply with sustainability regulations and legislation. For more information, see how businesses use design.

You can use design in your business in many ways. Design covers much more than just the visible appearance of products, or the graphic elements of things such as your website, packaging and marketing materials. It plays a part in nearly every aspect of what most businesses do.

The role of design in business

Businesses use many types of design, including:

• product design
• ergonomic design
• engineering design
• graphic design (eg for manuals, marketing literature, signage and software interfaces)
• packaging design
• website and interface design
• retail design
• interior design and fit-outs
• exhibition design
• architecture (eg for refurbishments and building modifications)

In some areas, the importance of design is obvious. For example, when a business creates a consistent look across its products, signage, stationery and marketing activities.

However, you should realise that design isn't just about managing the appearance of your business. It's also about managing your business processes so that they're as cost-effective as possible.

Benefits of a design audit

It may be a good idea to conduct a design audit. In an audit, you should look at all the different elements that your company uses to interact with its customers and the public.

Examine the key areas of your business, such as:

• your brand
• your product and service development
• your work practices
• customer communication

Consider each area thoroughly to understand what role design plays in them. See more on the design audit.

There may be opportunities to use design to make your business more efficient or sustainable and to add value to your products and services for your customers.

A design audit is a systematic review of all the different elements that your company uses to interact with customers and the public.

How to carry out a design audit

When you carry out an audit, you should think about:

• The materials that you use to communicate with your customers - are they printed, delivered via email or in one-to-one presentations?
• How often do your customers visit your company premises? Have you designed your offices, retail spaces or warehouses so that they support your company's brand? Do they function efficiently?
• How does your customer service compare to your competitors? Are your call centre, distribution and advice services performing well?

Design audit process

The process begins by collecting all the visual elements used in or by your business - eg business cards, flyers, leaflets, brochures, website, staff uniforms, vehicle liveries, packaging and products. If you operate in several locations, gather materials from each of them.

Then, work with a designer to map your business processes. This map should show the key stages you go through to create, produce and deliver your products or services.

Mark on this map the different types of people you interact with at each step along the way. Include details of how you communicate and influence them. For example, if your delivery drivers are interacting with manufacturers when collecting final products from a production line, mark on the business map the vehicles they drive, uniforms they wear, and the receipts and information they deliver.

This will help you spot any inconsistencies in the way your business is presented. You can then develop a plan to ensure that your business and your message are consistent with each other.

Design standards manual

Everyone in your business needs to be aware of a consistent design plan. You should communicate to all how they should portray your business and your visual style in the future.

You can create design standards document to lay down what your company logo should look like, which colours and font to use. The manual may also explain:

• how staff should interact with customers
• what standards should your products, spaces or services meet

Successful businesses include design as part of their business strategy from the start. This is because involving design at an early stage can save you money in the long run. It can also result in a better experience for your customers.

If you are not sure why design should matter to your business, see more about the business benefits of design.

What is a design strategy?

There are many definitions of a design strategy. In simple terms, a design strategy is a long-term plan for how you will use design to achieve your business objectives. It converges closely with other business strategies - for example, your IT strategy, web strategy or your intellectual property priorities.

It is a good idea to articulate and formalise your design strategy early on in the business. At the very least, your strategy should:

• define your target audience, key messages and value propositions
• describe your business objectives, and how design relates to them
• outline your core brand elements - eg logos, colours, typography etc
• show the value your design will bring to products, services and customers

Having a design strategy allows you to integrate design processes and design thinking into the larger business goals.

How to use design strategically

You don't need a professional designer to use design strategically. Your first steps to using design more strategically should include:

• locating where and how design is currently being used within your business
• identifying ways of improving the design process - such as increasing management involvement or using a professional design consultant
• looking for areas of your business where design opportunities are being missed
• making sure design considerations are featured in all your business planning meetings and documents
• conducting market research to ensure you know what your customers need

To determine how you are currently using design in your business, you might want to carry out a targeted audit - read more about the design audit.

Making even minor changes, or thinking differently about your customers' needs, can provide considerable rewards. For an in-depth look at using design for your customers, see user-centred design.

Good design can increase your product's reach in the marketplace and make it more attractive to customers. These are important factors in selling the product, improving it and getting a return on your investment.

Careful product design can also help you to reduce your production costs, optimise the use of materials and minimise waste.

Product design process

Product designers do many things before their concepts go into production. They have key roles through the product's design and development project, including:

• strategic enquiry and orientation - informing the overall strategy of your product and providing direction and context
• briefing - producing a record of your product's description, functionality and features, how it compares to its main competitors, any recent research, sales targets and forecasts that should inform the design development
• social, economic and technological context - carrying out market research to find out how relevant and attractive your product would be
• innovation - providing sketches, proof of principle models and/or computer-aided design layouts of the new product
• concept generation - leading design and development of potential ideas to create an original design that meets the brief
• design development - deciding what the product will look like, what it will be made from and how it will be produced after design and prototype

Working with a designer on product development

Depending on how often your business develops new products, you may want to employ a designer to work as part of your in-house product development team.

This does not mean that you need to establish a separate design department. Designers can work in-house as part of the marketing team or can help manage your manufacturing function. They are used to considering both the commercial and operational implications of their designs.

Designers, whether in-house or independent, can also help you manage your product portfolio and plan for new developments. How and where your products are made, warehousing, distribution and scheduling are all part of the product design process. See how to choose and work with a designer.

Graphic design is the process of using words, images, colours and messages to communicate ideas and important business information.

Using graphic design

You can use graphic design for anything from annual reports to large-scale advertising or banners. It can help you to communicate and connect with your customers, and influence how they see your business, product or brand.

Graphic designers can help:

• create a memorable brand identity for your business or products
• strengthen your business' position within its industry
• set you apart from your competitors
• promote your business and its offerings to different audiences
• increase sales through better advertising

Common uses of graphic design in business

Graphic designers can help on a range of projects, including:

• websites
• marketing materials (eg brochures and product sales sheets)
• business cards
• flyers
• annual reports
• logos
• signage
• product packaging

See how to choose and work with a designer.

Using packaging design

The main function of packaging is to sell the product at its point of purchase. It's important to think carefully about how your products are packaged. In particular, you should think about:

• the structural design of your packaging - eg how it can help advertise your product, and make it more recognisable and practical for the stockists, customers, etc
• the functional design of your packaging - eg how it can protect your product during delivery to shops, customers and beyond

Consider if combining the two would offer your business more value. For example, retail-ready packaging is designed to protect your product during transport to shops, but it can also be easily opened and put onto the shelf - where it becomes part display case, part dispensing aid.

Sustainable packaging

The use of 'green' packaging is on the rise, with consumers demanding more environment-friendly solutions. Designers can help you develop sustainable packaging, making it more attractive to potential customers.

When deciding on your packaging needs, think about:

• how far your product has to travel from its source to its point of purchase
• how many products can be shipped per pallet
• how your product's full lifecycle impacts the environment, from its initial packaging to the point of sale, use by the customer and finally to its disposal

You can read more about the packaging design: essential top tips.

Service design is a way of helping you improve your services by making them more useful, efficient and desirable for your customers.

What is service design?

Service design involves planning and creating the infrastructure, communication materials and levels of service delivered by staff.

You can use service design at any point where customers interact with your business to:

• improve their satisfaction
• enhance your reputation and profitability
• eliminate potential failures when you are developing new services

What does a service designer do?

If you employ a service designer, they will look at how you deliver your service and how efficiently it operates. They can interpret what your customers need and what their behaviours are, and they can turn this into potential services.

They will look at designing the full service as well as each individual aspect within the service. Redesigning existing services can be just as challenging as developing innovative new ones.

Examples of service design

Many types of businesses could benefit from using service design more efficiently.

For example, if your business is a transport provider, you use service design to offer supplementary services, such as:

• online tracking of packages or shipments
• availability indicator to show when low-cost or free delivery is available

If you are a food seller, you could use service design to extend your service. For example, you could offer:

• home delivery
• new menus based on your customer research
• seasonal offers based on ingredients supplied by local growers
• daily menus delivered by social media channels to local customers

If your business is an educational institution, you could use service design to extend your offering. For example, you could offer:

• distance learning courses
• online communication tools for lecturers and students
• access to library resources

You can apply service design in your business in many ways. Its role is ultimately to improve your customers' overall experience.

Workplace design isn't just about choosing the paint colours for your office space. Your work environment can directly affect staff productivity and creativity. If clients regularly visit your workplace, it can also affect how they see your company.

There are many things to consider when designing your workplace, such as:

• architecture
• functional layout
• appropriate lighting
• furniture
• materials
• technology
• meeting rooms
• an open and inviting reception area

Examples of where a workplace designer could help

A workplace designer can help improve your business' image and, as a result, improve communication and the development of new ideas and processes.

For example, workplace designers can:

• improve the way a car manufacturer's administration and assembly hub functions
• help an accountancy firm shed its grey image
• help a clothing retailer integrate a new wing of its business into the company's headquarters

How do you start creating an innovative workspace?

If you want to redesign your workspace, the best place to start is research. You should try to:

• determine your business objectives
• analyse the areas you want to improve
• involve a selection of staff - choose people from different parts of the business, including managers and more junior staff
• set a realistic budget
• set clear objectives
• attempt the project on a small scale before introducing it throughout the organisation
• do a post-project evaluation to see if any changes are needed

If you hire a workplace designer, they can offer more than just visual and creative skills. They can also manage the design project, work with you to set the brief and involve stakeholders in the development process. When the implementation of their designs is underway, they can manage the relationship with the builders and other contractors, and adapt designs where necessary.

If you are searching for an entirely new workspace, see our six tips for choosing the right business premises.

Retail design involves creating a space for selling your goods. This could be in a high street shop, shopping centre or department store concession, but increasingly is means selling online too.

Retail design principles

Retail businesses have one primary goal - to get the customer over the doorstep and influence them to buy their products. The layout of your retail space is arguably the most powerful tool in retail design. It can improve the shopping experience if you follow principles of good design, including:

• define the space clearly - know what are you selling and to whom
• keep things consistent in terms of style and function in your shop
• organise the space so it's intuitive and easy to navigate
• plan the layout for optimal customer experience, from entry to purchasing
• give customers visual cues, such as signage and branding

As well as retail space, other areas of your business could benefit from following basic retail design principles. These areas could include:

• store frontage
• fascia
• signage
• lighting
• packaging
• merchandising
• furniture
• point of sale displays
• decorations

Benefits of retail design

Retail design can improve your customers' perception of your business and your brand. It should represent your customer base and the message you are trying to get across.

For example, if a retail store sells luxury, high-end clothing, the store design should reflect the same message. However, a store that sells contemporary clothes to teenagers will often benefit from a young and 'edgy' look. Read more about visual merchandising for retailers.

Retail design in ecommerce

If you are an online retailer, you can also use design to your benefit. However, your focus will be on the graphics and interactive tools on your website that enable customers to buy your products.

You can still deliver a unique shopping experience online. Designers can help you ensure that the way you deliver your goods not only works, but also communicates your company brand and delivers an enjoyable experience. This will help build customer loyalty. See more on best practice in web design.

You can also read our practical tips on retailing: 5 ways to improve your business.

The key to managing the design process is to break it down into manageable chunks. You will also need to co-ordinate those involved - designers, managers and employees - to ensure that your use of design delivers the outcomes you require at the cost you have budgeted.

Key tips for managing the design process

• Begin by defining the problem. Identify the purpose and goal of the project, such as raising brand awareness or improving a product or service offering.
• Collect information and carry out research both before and during the project. Keep focused on what your customers want. Use market research and market reports to get to know your customers' needs.
• Decide who in your business will be responsible for the design process.
• Set a budget and a timetable with measurable targets.
• Choose your designer and prepare a design brief outlining the project's aims, budget, timetable and any legal, technical or other constraints on developing the design. Consult as many departments as possible when drawing it up. Brainstorm and analyse different ideas. See how to choose and work with a designer.
• Make sure that your production, marketing and sales departments are ready for any new product, service or branding that you develop.
• Monitor the process as it develops. If the project deviates from the brief, investigate and make sure it's for a good reason.
• Remember that your designs may result in intellectual property that needs protecting. See more on protecting intellectual property.

When you finish the process, make sure that you gather as much feedback as possible from those involved - it will help you run future design projects even more smoothly. Find out how to maximise the success of your design projects.

Finally, it can help to take your solutions back through the design process to refine and clarify them. Find out more about managing your design projects and the basics of project management.

For every design project you undertake, you should set clear targets for measuring its success. In many situations, customer response will be a crucial factor. For instance, if you design a new product, the key benchmark of its success will be its performance in the market.

You may also need to consider a wide range of additional factors when judging the success of your project. For example:

• Cost - did aspects of the design process - such as prototyping or user testing - go over budget? If so, why?
• Timescales - if you missed deadlines, was it because they were unrealistic or were the delays avoidable?
• Working relationships - did poor communication or other problems cause problems in co-operation between you and your designer?

Involve key people to help you set specific targets and review dates for your project. This will make it more likely that you will reap the return you want on your design investment.

If problems arise, deal with them as quickly as possible. Revise the design brief if important new information or priorities emerge. Try not to get locked into a project that won't deliver what you need.

After you conclude a design project, review it to see what lessons you can learn - this will make it easier to ensure the success of future projects. Finally, don't look at individual design projects in isolation. Achieving your overall objectives may call for a series of design investments to build on each other.

Using design in business can bring about many benefits. It can improve your performance, your efficiencies, and the value of your products and services. It can also reduce costs and risks to your business.

Advantages of design to your business

Using design across your business can help you:

• increase sales of your products or services
• improve market position
• boost customer loyalty
• reduce customer complaints
• build a stronger identity for your business
• create new products and services and open up new markets
• reduce time to market for new products and services
• improve environmental record and compliance with regulations

Why is design important in business?

Effective design can encourage customers to buy from you and not from your competitors. It can help your product, service or business stand out - see more on user-centred design.

Design can also add value to products and services. Customers are often willing to pay more for products that look better and offer greater usability, better functionality and sustainability. See ecodesign in product or service development.

Using design to improve efficiency

The role of design doesn't stop with products and services. Design can also help you:

• improve the way your business operates
• cut costs and boost efficiencies, for example with the raw materials it uses
• enhance the quality of your packaging

Design can also help cut production costs. For example, careful design of the manufacturing process can bring large savings. It can also make processes and the use of materials more efficient and environmentally friendly, helping you to comply with sustainability regulations and legislation. For more information, see how businesses use design.

You can use design in your business in many ways. Design covers much more than just the visible appearance of products, or the graphic elements of things such as your website, packaging and marketing materials. It plays a part in nearly every aspect of what most businesses do.

The role of design in business

Businesses use many types of design, including:

• product design
• ergonomic design
• engineering design
• graphic design (eg for manuals, marketing literature, signage and software interfaces)
• packaging design
• website and interface design
• retail design
• interior design and fit-outs
• exhibition design
• architecture (eg for refurbishments and building modifications)

In some areas, the importance of design is obvious. For example, when a business creates a consistent look across its products, signage, stationery and marketing activities.

However, you should realise that design isn't just about managing the appearance of your business. It's also about managing your business processes so that they're as cost-effective as possible.

Benefits of a design audit

It may be a good idea to conduct a design audit. In an audit, you should look at all the different elements that your company uses to interact with its customers and the public.

Examine the key areas of your business, such as:

• your brand
• your product and service development
• your work practices
• customer communication

Consider each area thoroughly to understand what role design plays in them. See more on the design audit.

There may be opportunities to use design to make your business more efficient or sustainable and to add value to your products and services for your customers.

A design audit is a systematic review of all the different elements that your company uses to interact with customers and the public.

How to carry out a design audit

When you carry out an audit, you should think about:

• The materials that you use to communicate with your customers - are they printed, delivered via email or in one-to-one presentations?
• How often do your customers visit your company premises? Have you designed your offices, retail spaces or warehouses so that they support your company's brand? Do they function efficiently?
• How does your customer service compare to your competitors? Are your call centre, distribution and advice services performing well?

Design audit process

The process begins by collecting all the visual elements used in or by your business - eg business cards, flyers, leaflets, brochures, website, staff uniforms, vehicle liveries, packaging and products. If you operate in several locations, gather materials from each of them.

Then, work with a designer to map your business processes. This map should show the key stages you go through to create, produce and deliver your products or services.

Mark on this map the different types of people you interact with at each step along the way. Include details of how you communicate and influence them. For example, if your delivery drivers are interacting with manufacturers when collecting final products from a production line, mark on the business map the vehicles they drive, uniforms they wear, and the receipts and information they deliver.

This will help you spot any inconsistencies in the way your business is presented. You can then develop a plan to ensure that your business and your message are consistent with each other.

Design standards manual

Everyone in your business needs to be aware of a consistent design plan. You should communicate to all how they should portray your business and your visual style in the future.

You can create design standards document to lay down what your company logo should look like, which colours and font to use. The manual may also explain:

• how staff should interact with customers
• what standards should your products, spaces or services meet

Successful businesses include design as part of their business strategy from the start. This is because involving design at an early stage can save you money in the long run. It can also result in a better experience for your customers.

If you are not sure why design should matter to your business, see more about the business benefits of design.

What is a design strategy?

There are many definitions of a design strategy. In simple terms, a design strategy is a long-term plan for how you will use design to achieve your business objectives. It converges closely with other business strategies - for example, your IT strategy, web strategy or your intellectual property priorities.

It is a good idea to articulate and formalise your design strategy early on in the business. At the very least, your strategy should:

• define your target audience, key messages and value propositions
• describe your business objectives, and how design relates to them
• outline your core brand elements - eg logos, colours, typography etc
• show the value your design will bring to products, services and customers

Having a design strategy allows you to integrate design processes and design thinking into the larger business goals.

How to use design strategically

You don't need a professional designer to use design strategically. Your first steps to using design more strategically should include:

• locating where and how design is currently being used within your business
• identifying ways of improving the design process - such as increasing management involvement or using a professional design consultant
• looking for areas of your business where design opportunities are being missed
• making sure design considerations are featured in all your business planning meetings and documents
• conducting market research to ensure you know what your customers need

To determine how you are currently using design in your business, you might want to carry out a targeted audit - read more about the design audit.

Making even minor changes, or thinking differently about your customers' needs, can provide considerable rewards. For an in-depth look at using design for your customers, see user-centred design.

Good design can increase your product's reach in the marketplace and make it more attractive to customers. These are important factors in selling the product, improving it and getting a return on your investment.

Careful product design can also help you to reduce your production costs, optimise the use of materials and minimise waste.

Product design process

Product designers do many things before their concepts go into production. They have key roles through the product's design and development project, including:

• strategic enquiry and orientation - informing the overall strategy of your product and providing direction and context
• briefing - producing a record of your product's description, functionality and features, how it compares to its main competitors, any recent research, sales targets and forecasts that should inform the design development
• social, economic and technological context - carrying out market research to find out how relevant and attractive your product would be
• innovation - providing sketches, proof of principle models and/or computer-aided design layouts of the new product
• concept generation - leading design and development of potential ideas to create an original design that meets the brief
• design development - deciding what the product will look like, what it will be made from and how it will be produced after design and prototype

Working with a designer on product development

Depending on how often your business develops new products, you may want to employ a designer to work as part of your in-house product development team.

This does not mean that you need to establish a separate design department. Designers can work in-house as part of the marketing team or can help manage your manufacturing function. They are used to considering both the commercial and operational implications of their designs.

Designers, whether in-house or independent, can also help you manage your product portfolio and plan for new developments. How and where your products are made, warehousing, distribution and scheduling are all part of the product design process. See how to choose and work with a designer.

Graphic design is the process of using words, images, colours and messages to communicate ideas and important business information.

Using graphic design

You can use graphic design for anything from annual reports to large-scale advertising or banners. It can help you to communicate and connect with your customers, and influence how they see your business, product or brand.

Graphic designers can help:

• create a memorable brand identity for your business or products
• strengthen your business' position within its industry
• set you apart from your competitors
• promote your business and its offerings to different audiences
• increase sales through better advertising

Common uses of graphic design in business

Graphic designers can help on a range of projects, including:

• websites
• marketing materials (eg brochures and product sales sheets)
• business cards
• flyers
• annual reports
• logos
• signage
• product packaging

See how to choose and work with a designer.

Using packaging design

The main function of packaging is to sell the product at its point of purchase. It's important to think carefully about how your products are packaged. In particular, you should think about:

• the structural design of your packaging - eg how it can help advertise your product, and make it more recognisable and practical for the stockists, customers, etc
• the functional design of your packaging - eg how it can protect your product during delivery to shops, customers and beyond

Consider if combining the two would offer your business more value. For example, retail-ready packaging is designed to protect your product during transport to shops, but it can also be easily opened and put onto the shelf - where it becomes part display case, part dispensing aid.

Sustainable packaging

The use of 'green' packaging is on the rise, with consumers demanding more environment-friendly solutions. Designers can help you develop sustainable packaging, making it more attractive to potential customers.

When deciding on your packaging needs, think about:

• how far your product has to travel from its source to its point of purchase
• how many products can be shipped per pallet
• how your product's full lifecycle impacts the environment, from its initial packaging to the point of sale, use by the customer and finally to its disposal

You can read more about the packaging design: essential top tips.

Service design is a way of helping you improve your services by making them more useful, efficient and desirable for your customers.

What is service design?

Service design involves planning and creating the infrastructure, communication materials and levels of service delivered by staff.

You can use service design at any point where customers interact with your business to:

• improve their satisfaction
• enhance your reputation and profitability
• eliminate potential failures when you are developing new services

What does a service designer do?

If you employ a service designer, they will look at how you deliver your service and how efficiently it operates. They can interpret what your customers need and what their behaviours are, and they can turn this into potential services.

They will look at designing the full service as well as each individual aspect within the service. Redesigning existing services can be just as challenging as developing innovative new ones.

Examples of service design

Many types of businesses could benefit from using service design more efficiently.

For example, if your business is a transport provider, you use service design to offer supplementary services, such as:

• online tracking of packages or shipments
• availability indicator to show when low-cost or free delivery is available

If you are a food seller, you could use service design to extend your service. For example, you could offer:

• home delivery
• new menus based on your customer research
• seasonal offers based on ingredients supplied by local growers
• daily menus delivered by social media channels to local customers

If your business is an educational institution, you could use service design to extend your offering. For example, you could offer:

• distance learning courses
• online communication tools for lecturers and students
• access to library resources

You can apply service design in your business in many ways. Its role is ultimately to improve your customers' overall experience.

Workplace design isn't just about choosing the paint colours for your office space. Your work environment can directly affect staff productivity and creativity. If clients regularly visit your workplace, it can also affect how they see your company.

There are many things to consider when designing your workplace, such as:

• architecture
• functional layout
• appropriate lighting
• furniture
• materials
• technology
• meeting rooms
• an open and inviting reception area

Examples of where a workplace designer could help

A workplace designer can help improve your business' image and, as a result, improve communication and the development of new ideas and processes.

For example, workplace designers can:

• improve the way a car manufacturer's administration and assembly hub functions
• help an accountancy firm shed its grey image
• help a clothing retailer integrate a new wing of its business into the company's headquarters

How do you start creating an innovative workspace?

If you want to redesign your workspace, the best place to start is research. You should try to:

• determine your business objectives
• analyse the areas you want to improve
• involve a selection of staff - choose people from different parts of the business, including managers and more junior staff
• set a realistic budget
• set clear objectives
• attempt the project on a small scale before introducing it throughout the organisation
• do a post-project evaluation to see if any changes are needed

If you hire a workplace designer, they can offer more than just visual and creative skills. They can also manage the design project, work with you to set the brief and involve stakeholders in the development process. When the implementation of their designs is underway, they can manage the relationship with the builders and other contractors, and adapt designs where necessary.

If you are searching for an entirely new workspace, see our six tips for choosing the right business premises.

Retail design involves creating a space for selling your goods. This could be in a high street shop, shopping centre or department store concession, but increasingly is means selling online too.

Retail design principles

Retail businesses have one primary goal - to get the customer over the doorstep and influence them to buy their products. The layout of your retail space is arguably the most powerful tool in retail design. It can improve the shopping experience if you follow principles of good design, including:

• define the space clearly - know what are you selling and to whom
• keep things consistent in terms of style and function in your shop
• organise the space so it's intuitive and easy to navigate
• plan the layout for optimal customer experience, from entry to purchasing
• give customers visual cues, such as signage and branding

As well as retail space, other areas of your business could benefit from following basic retail design principles. These areas could include:

• store frontage
• fascia
• signage
• lighting
• packaging
• merchandising
• furniture
• point of sale displays
• decorations

Benefits of retail design

Retail design can improve your customers' perception of your business and your brand. It should represent your customer base and the message you are trying to get across.

For example, if a retail store sells luxury, high-end clothing, the store design should reflect the same message. However, a store that sells contemporary clothes to teenagers will often benefit from a young and 'edgy' look. Read more about visual merchandising for retailers.

Retail design in ecommerce

If you are an online retailer, you can also use design to your benefit. However, your focus will be on the graphics and interactive tools on your website that enable customers to buy your products.

You can still deliver a unique shopping experience online. Designers can help you ensure that the way you deliver your goods not only works, but also communicates your company brand and delivers an enjoyable experience. This will help build customer loyalty. See more on best practice in web design.

You can also read our practical tips on retailing: 5 ways to improve your business.

The key to managing the design process is to break it down into manageable chunks. You will also need to co-ordinate those involved - designers, managers and employees - to ensure that your use of design delivers the outcomes you require at the cost you have budgeted.

Key tips for managing the design process

• Begin by defining the problem. Identify the purpose and goal of the project, such as raising brand awareness or improving a product or service offering.
• Collect information and carry out research both before and during the project. Keep focused on what your customers want. Use market research and market reports to get to know your customers' needs.
• Decide who in your business will be responsible for the design process.
• Set a budget and a timetable with measurable targets.
• Choose your designer and prepare a design brief outlining the project's aims, budget, timetable and any legal, technical or other constraints on developing the design. Consult as many departments as possible when drawing it up. Brainstorm and analyse different ideas. See how to choose and work with a designer.
• Make sure that your production, marketing and sales departments are ready for any new product, service or branding that you develop.
• Monitor the process as it develops. If the project deviates from the brief, investigate and make sure it's for a good reason.
• Remember that your designs may result in intellectual property that needs protecting. See more on protecting intellectual property.

When you finish the process, make sure that you gather as much feedback as possible from those involved - it will help you run future design projects even more smoothly. Find out how to maximise the success of your design projects.

Finally, it can help to take your solutions back through the design process to refine and clarify them. Find out more about managing your design projects and the basics of project management.

For every design project you undertake, you should set clear targets for measuring its success. In many situations, customer response will be a crucial factor. For instance, if you design a new product, the key benchmark of its success will be its performance in the market.

You may also need to consider a wide range of additional factors when judging the success of your project. For example:

• Cost - did aspects of the design process - such as prototyping or user testing - go over budget? If so, why?
• Timescales - if you missed deadlines, was it because they were unrealistic or were the delays avoidable?
• Working relationships - did poor communication or other problems cause problems in co-operation between you and your designer?

Involve key people to help you set specific targets and review dates for your project. This will make it more likely that you will reap the return you want on your design investment.

If problems arise, deal with them as quickly as possible. Revise the design brief if important new information or priorities emerge. Try not to get locked into a project that won't deliver what you need.

After you conclude a design project, review it to see what lessons you can learn - this will make it easier to ensure the success of future projects. Finally, don't look at individual design projects in isolation. Achieving your overall objectives may call for a series of design investments to build on each other.

Using design in business can bring about many benefits. It can improve your performance, your efficiencies, and the value of your products and services. It can also reduce costs and risks to your business.

Advantages of design to your business

Using design across your business can help you:

• increase sales of your products or services
• improve market position
• boost customer loyalty
• reduce customer complaints
• build a stronger identity for your business
• create new products and services and open up new markets
• reduce time to market for new products and services
• improve environmental record and compliance with regulations

Why is design important in business?

Effective design can encourage customers to buy from you and not from your competitors. It can help your product, service or business stand out - see more on user-centred design.

Design can also add value to products and services. Customers are often willing to pay more for products that look better and offer greater usability, better functionality and sustainability. See ecodesign in product or service development.

Using design to improve efficiency

The role of design doesn't stop with products and services. Design can also help you:

• improve the way your business operates
• cut costs and boost efficiencies, for example with the raw materials it uses
• enhance the quality of your packaging

Design can also help cut production costs. For example, careful design of the manufacturing process can bring large savings. It can also make processes and the use of materials more efficient and environmentally friendly, helping you to comply with sustainability regulations and legislation. For more information, see how businesses use design.

You can use design in your business in many ways. Design covers much more than just the visible appearance of products, or the graphic elements of things such as your website, packaging and marketing materials. It plays a part in nearly every aspect of what most businesses do.

The role of design in business

Businesses use many types of design, including:

• product design
• ergonomic design
• engineering design
• graphic design (eg for manuals, marketing literature, signage and software interfaces)
• packaging design
• website and interface design
• retail design
• interior design and fit-outs
• exhibition design
• architecture (eg for refurbishments and building modifications)

In some areas, the importance of design is obvious. For example, when a business creates a consistent look across its products, signage, stationery and marketing activities.

However, you should realise that design isn't just about managing the appearance of your business. It's also about managing your business processes so that they're as cost-effective as possible.

Benefits of a design audit

It may be a good idea to conduct a design audit. In an audit, you should look at all the different elements that your company uses to interact with its customers and the public.

Examine the key areas of your business, such as:

• your brand
• your product and service development
• your work practices
• customer communication

Consider each area thoroughly to understand what role design plays in them. See more on the design audit.

There may be opportunities to use design to make your business more efficient or sustainable and to add value to your products and services for your customers.

A design audit is a systematic review of all the different elements that your company uses to interact with customers and the public.

How to carry out a design audit

When you carry out an audit, you should think about:

• The materials that you use to communicate with your customers - are they printed, delivered via email or in one-to-one presentations?
• How often do your customers visit your company premises? Have you designed your offices, retail spaces or warehouses so that they support your company's brand? Do they function efficiently?
• How does your customer service compare to your competitors? Are your call centre, distribution and advice services performing well?

Design audit process

The process begins by collecting all the visual elements used in or by your business - eg business cards, flyers, leaflets, brochures, website, staff uniforms, vehicle liveries, packaging and products. If you operate in several locations, gather materials from each of them.

Then, work with a designer to map your business processes. This map should show the key stages you go through to create, produce and deliver your products or services.

Mark on this map the different types of people you interact with at each step along the way. Include details of how you communicate and influence them. For example, if your delivery drivers are interacting with manufacturers when collecting final products from a production line, mark on the business map the vehicles they drive, uniforms they wear, and the receipts and information they deliver.

This will help you spot any inconsistencies in the way your business is presented. You can then develop a plan to ensure that your business and your message are consistent with each other.

Design standards manual

Everyone in your business needs to be aware of a consistent design plan. You should communicate to all how they should portray your business and your visual style in the future.

You can create design standards document to lay down what your company logo should look like, which colours and font to use. The manual may also explain:

• how staff should interact with customers
• what standards should your products, spaces or services meet

Successful businesses include design as part of their business strategy from the start. This is because involving design at an early stage can save you money in the long run. It can also result in a better experience for your customers.

If you are not sure why design should matter to your business, see more about the business benefits of design.

What is a design strategy?

There are many definitions of a design strategy. In simple terms, a design strategy is a long-term plan for how you will use design to achieve your business objectives. It converges closely with other business strategies - for example, your IT strategy, web strategy or your intellectual property priorities.

It is a good idea to articulate and formalise your design strategy early on in the business. At the very least, your strategy should:

• define your target audience, key messages and value propositions
• describe your business objectives, and how design relates to them
• outline your core brand elements - eg logos, colours, typography etc
• show the value your design will bring to products, services and customers

Having a design strategy allows you to integrate design processes and design thinking into the larger business goals.

How to use design strategically

You don't need a professional designer to use design strategically. Your first steps to using design more strategically should include:

• locating where and how design is currently being used within your business
• identifying ways of improving the design process - such as increasing management involvement or using a professional design consultant
• looking for areas of your business where design opportunities are being missed
• making sure design considerations are featured in all your business planning meetings and documents
• conducting market research to ensure you know what your customers need

To determine how you are currently using design in your business, you might want to carry out a targeted audit - read more about the design audit.

Making even minor changes, or thinking differently about your customers' needs, can provide considerable rewards. For an in-depth look at using design for your customers, see user-centred design.

Good design can increase your product's reach in the marketplace and make it more attractive to customers. These are important factors in selling the product, improving it and getting a return on your investment.

Careful product design can also help you to reduce your production costs, optimise the use of materials and minimise waste.

Product design process

Product designers do many things before their concepts go into production. They have key roles through the product's design and development project, including:

• strategic enquiry and orientation - informing the overall strategy of your product and providing direction and context
• briefing - producing a record of your product's description, functionality and features, how it compares to its main competitors, any recent research, sales targets and forecasts that should inform the design development
• social, economic and technological context - carrying out market research to find out how relevant and attractive your product would be
• innovation - providing sketches, proof of principle models and/or computer-aided design layouts of the new product
• concept generation - leading design and development of potential ideas to create an original design that meets the brief
• design development - deciding what the product will look like, what it will be made from and how it will be produced after design and prototype

Working with a designer on product development

Depending on how often your business develops new products, you may want to employ a designer to work as part of your in-house product development team.

This does not mean that you need to establish a separate design department. Designers can work in-house as part of the marketing team or can help manage your manufacturing function. They are used to considering both the commercial and operational implications of their designs.

Designers, whether in-house or independent, can also help you manage your product portfolio and plan for new developments. How and where your products are made, warehousing, distribution and scheduling are all part of the product design process. See how to choose and work with a designer.

Graphic design is the process of using words, images, colours and messages to communicate ideas and important business information.

Using graphic design

You can use graphic design for anything from annual reports to large-scale advertising or banners. It can help you to communicate and connect with your customers, and influence how they see your business, product or brand.

Graphic designers can help:

• create a memorable brand identity for your business or products
• strengthen your business' position within its industry
• set you apart from your competitors
• promote your business and its offerings to different audiences
• increase sales through better advertising

Common uses of graphic design in business

Graphic designers can help on a range of projects, including:

• websites
• marketing materials (eg brochures and product sales sheets)
• business cards
• flyers
• annual reports
• logos
• signage
• product packaging

See how to choose and work with a designer.

Using packaging design

The main function of packaging is to sell the product at its point of purchase. It's important to think carefully about how your products are packaged. In particular, you should think about:

• the structural design of your packaging - eg how it can help advertise your product, and make it more recognisable and practical for the stockists, customers, etc
• the functional design of your packaging - eg how it can protect your product during delivery to shops, customers and beyond

Consider if combining the two would offer your business more value. For example, retail-ready packaging is designed to protect your product during transport to shops, but it can also be easily opened and put onto the shelf - where it becomes part display case, part dispensing aid.

Sustainable packaging

The use of 'green' packaging is on the rise, with consumers demanding more environment-friendly solutions. Designers can help you develop sustainable packaging, making it more attractive to potential customers.

When deciding on your packaging needs, think about:

• how far your product has to travel from its source to its point of purchase
• how many products can be shipped per pallet
• how your product's full lifecycle impacts the environment, from its initial packaging to the point of sale, use by the customer and finally to its disposal

You can read more about the packaging design: essential top tips.

Service design is a way of helping you improve your services by making them more useful, efficient and desirable for your customers.

What is service design?

Service design involves planning and creating the infrastructure, communication materials and levels of service delivered by staff.

You can use service design at any point where customers interact with your business to:

• improve their satisfaction
• enhance your reputation and profitability
• eliminate potential failures when you are developing new services

What does a service designer do?

If you employ a service designer, they will look at how you deliver your service and how efficiently it operates. They can interpret what your customers need and what their behaviours are, and they can turn this into potential services.

They will look at designing the full service as well as each individual aspect within the service. Redesigning existing services can be just as challenging as developing innovative new ones.

Examples of service design

Many types of businesses could benefit from using service design more efficiently.

For example, if your business is a transport provider, you use service design to offer supplementary services, such as:

• online tracking of packages or shipments
• availability indicator to show when low-cost or free delivery is available

If you are a food seller, you could use service design to extend your service. For example, you could offer:

• home delivery
• new menus based on your customer research
• seasonal offers based on ingredients supplied by local growers
• daily menus delivered by social media channels to local customers

If your business is an educational institution, you could use service design to extend your offering. For example, you could offer:

• distance learning courses
• online communication tools for lecturers and students
• access to library resources

You can apply service design in your business in many ways. Its role is ultimately to improve your customers' overall experience.

Workplace design isn't just about choosing the paint colours for your office space. Your work environment can directly affect staff productivity and creativity. If clients regularly visit your workplace, it can also affect how they see your company.

There are many things to consider when designing your workplace, such as:

• architecture
• functional layout
• appropriate lighting
• furniture
• materials
• technology
• meeting rooms
• an open and inviting reception area

Examples of where a workplace designer could help

A workplace designer can help improve your business' image and, as a result, improve communication and the development of new ideas and processes.

For example, workplace designers can:

• improve the way a car manufacturer's administration and assembly hub functions
• help an accountancy firm shed its grey image
• help a clothing retailer integrate a new wing of its business into the company's headquarters

How do you start creating an innovative workspace?

If you want to redesign your workspace, the best place to start is research. You should try to:

• determine your business objectives
• analyse the areas you want to improve
• involve a selection of staff - choose people from different parts of the business, including managers and more junior staff
• set a realistic budget
• set clear objectives
• attempt the project on a small scale before introducing it throughout the organisation
• do a post-project evaluation to see if any changes are needed

If you hire a workplace designer, they can offer more than just visual and creative skills. They can also manage the design project, work with you to set the brief and involve stakeholders in the development process. When the implementation of their designs is underway, they can manage the relationship with the builders and other contractors, and adapt designs where necessary.

If you are searching for an entirely new workspace, see our six tips for choosing the right business premises.

Retail design involves creating a space for selling your goods. This could be in a high street shop, shopping centre or department store concession, but increasingly is means selling online too.

Retail design principles

Retail businesses have one primary goal - to get the customer over the doorstep and influence them to buy their products. The layout of your retail space is arguably the most powerful tool in retail design. It can improve the shopping experience if you follow principles of good design, including:

• define the space clearly - know what are you selling and to whom
• keep things consistent in terms of style and function in your shop
• organise the space so it's intuitive and easy to navigate
• plan the layout for optimal customer experience, from entry to purchasing
• give customers visual cues, such as signage and branding

As well as retail space, other areas of your business could benefit from following basic retail design principles. These areas could include:

• store frontage
• fascia
• signage
• lighting
• packaging
• merchandising
• furniture
• point of sale displays
• decorations

Benefits of retail design

Retail design can improve your customers' perception of your business and your brand. It should represent your customer base and the message you are trying to get across.

For example, if a retail store sells luxury, high-end clothing, the store design should reflect the same message. However, a store that sells contemporary clothes to teenagers will often benefit from a young and 'edgy' look. Read more about visual merchandising for retailers.

Retail design in ecommerce

If you are an online retailer, you can also use design to your benefit. However, your focus will be on the graphics and interactive tools on your website that enable customers to buy your products.

You can still deliver a unique shopping experience online. Designers can help you ensure that the way you deliver your goods not only works, but also communicates your company brand and delivers an enjoyable experience. This will help build customer loyalty. See more on best practice in web design.

You can also read our practical tips on retailing: 5 ways to improve your business.

The key to managing the design process is to break it down into manageable chunks. You will also need to co-ordinate those involved - designers, managers and employees - to ensure that your use of design delivers the outcomes you require at the cost you have budgeted.

Key tips for managing the design process

• Begin by defining the problem. Identify the purpose and goal of the project, such as raising brand awareness or improving a product or service offering.
• Collect information and carry out research both before and during the project. Keep focused on what your customers want. Use market research and market reports to get to know your customers' needs.
• Decide who in your business will be responsible for the design process.
• Set a budget and a timetable with measurable targets.
• Choose your designer and prepare a design brief outlining the project's aims, budget, timetable and any legal, technical or other constraints on developing the design. Consult as many departments as possible when drawing it up. Brainstorm and analyse different ideas. See how to choose and work with a designer.
• Make sure that your production, marketing and sales departments are ready for any new product, service or branding that you develop.
• Monitor the process as it develops. If the project deviates from the brief, investigate and make sure it's for a good reason.
• Remember that your designs may result in intellectual property that needs protecting. See more on protecting intellectual property.

When you finish the process, make sure that you gather as much feedback as possible from those involved - it will help you run future design projects even more smoothly. Find out how to maximise the success of your design projects.

Finally, it can help to take your solutions back through the design process to refine and clarify them. Find out more about managing your design projects and the basics of project management.

For every design project you undertake, you should set clear targets for measuring its success. In many situations, customer response will be a crucial factor. For instance, if you design a new product, the key benchmark of its success will be its performance in the market.

You may also need to consider a wide range of additional factors when judging the success of your project. For example:

• Cost - did aspects of the design process - such as prototyping or user testing - go over budget? If so, why?
• Timescales - if you missed deadlines, was it because they were unrealistic or were the delays avoidable?
• Working relationships - did poor communication or other problems cause problems in co-operation between you and your designer?

Involve key people to help you set specific targets and review dates for your project. This will make it more likely that you will reap the return you want on your design investment.

If problems arise, deal with them as quickly as possible. Revise the design brief if important new information or priorities emerge. Try not to get locked into a project that won't deliver what you need.

After you conclude a design project, review it to see what lessons you can learn - this will make it easier to ensure the success of future projects. Finally, don't look at individual design projects in isolation. Achieving your overall objectives may call for a series of design investments to build on each other.

Using design in business can bring about many benefits. It can improve your performance, your efficiencies, and the value of your products and services. It can also reduce costs and risks to your business.

Advantages of design to your business

Using design across your business can help you:

• increase sales of your products or services
• improve market position
• boost customer loyalty
• reduce customer complaints
• build a stronger identity for your business
• create new products and services and open up new markets
• reduce time to market for new products and services
• improve environmental record and compliance with regulations

Why is design important in business?

Effective design can encourage customers to buy from you and not from your competitors. It can help your product, service or business stand out - see more on user-centred design.

Design can also add value to products and services. Customers are often willing to pay more for products that look better and offer greater usability, better functionality and sustainability. See ecodesign in product or service development.

Using design to improve efficiency

The role of design doesn't stop with products and services. Design can also help you:

• improve the way your business operates
• cut costs and boost efficiencies, for example with the raw materials it uses
• enhance the quality of your packaging

Design can also help cut production costs. For example, careful design of the manufacturing process can bring large savings. It can also make processes and the use of materials more efficient and environmentally friendly, helping you to comply with sustainability regulations and legislation. For more information, see how businesses use design.

You can use design in your business in many ways. Design covers much more than just the visible appearance of products, or the graphic elements of things such as your website, packaging and marketing materials. It plays a part in nearly every aspect of what most businesses do.

The role of design in business

Businesses use many types of design, including:

• product design
• ergonomic design
• engineering design
• graphic design (eg for manuals, marketing literature, signage and software interfaces)
• packaging design
• website and interface design
• retail design
• interior design and fit-outs
• exhibition design
• architecture (eg for refurbishments and building modifications)

In some areas, the importance of design is obvious. For example, when a business creates a consistent look across its products, signage, stationery and marketing activities.

However, you should realise that design isn't just about managing the appearance of your business. It's also about managing your business processes so that they're as cost-effective as possible.

Benefits of a design audit

It may be a good idea to conduct a design audit. In an audit, you should look at all the different elements that your company uses to interact with its customers and the public.

Examine the key areas of your business, such as:

• your brand
• your product and service development
• your work practices
• customer communication

Consider each area thoroughly to understand what role design plays in them. See more on the design audit.

There may be opportunities to use design to make your business more efficient or sustainable and to add value to your products and services for your customers.

A design audit is a systematic review of all the different elements that your company uses to interact with customers and the public.

How to carry out a design audit

When you carry out an audit, you should think about:

• The materials that you use to communicate with your customers - are they printed, delivered via email or in one-to-one presentations?
• How often do your customers visit your company premises? Have you designed your offices, retail spaces or warehouses so that they support your company's brand? Do they function efficiently?
• How does your customer service compare to your competitors? Are your call centre, distribution and advice services performing well?

Design audit process

The process begins by collecting all the visual elements used in or by your business - eg business cards, flyers, leaflets, brochures, website, staff uniforms, vehicle liveries, packaging and products. If you operate in several locations, gather materials from each of them.

Then, work with a designer to map your business processes. This map should show the key stages you go through to create, produce and deliver your products or services.

Mark on this map the different types of people you interact with at each step along the way. Include details of how you communicate and influence them. For example, if your delivery drivers are interacting with manufacturers when collecting final products from a production line, mark on the business map the vehicles they drive, uniforms they wear, and the receipts and information they deliver.

This will help you spot any inconsistencies in the way your business is presented. You can then develop a plan to ensure that your business and your message are consistent with each other.

Design standards manual

Everyone in your business needs to be aware of a consistent design plan. You should communicate to all how they should portray your business and your visual style in the future.

You can create design standards document to lay down what your company logo should look like, which colours and font to use. The manual may also explain:

• how staff should interact with customers
• what standards should your products, spaces or services meet

Successful businesses include design as part of their business strategy from the start. This is because involving design at an early stage can save you money in the long run. It can also result in a better experience for your customers.

If you are not sure why design should matter to your business, see more about the business benefits of design.

What is a design strategy?

There are many definitions of a design strategy. In simple terms, a design strategy is a long-term plan for how you will use design to achieve your business objectives. It converges closely with other business strategies - for example, your IT strategy, web strategy or your intellectual property priorities.

It is a good idea to articulate and formalise your design strategy early on in the business. At the very least, your strategy should:

• define your target audience, key messages and value propositions
• describe your business objectives, and how design relates to them
• outline your core brand elements - eg logos, colours, typography etc
• show the value your design will bring to products, services and customers

Having a design strategy allows you to integrate design processes and design thinking into the larger business goals.

How to use design strategically

You don't need a professional designer to use design strategically. Your first steps to using design more strategically should include:

• locating where and how design is currently being used within your business
• identifying ways of improving the design process - such as increasing management involvement or using a professional design consultant
• looking for areas of your business where design opportunities are being missed
• making sure design considerations are featured in all your business planning meetings and documents
• conducting market research to ensure you know what your customers need

To determine how you are currently using design in your business, you might want to carry out a targeted audit - read more about the design audit.

Making even minor changes, or thinking differently about your customers' needs, can provide considerable rewards. For an in-depth look at using design for your customers, see user-centred design.

Good design can increase your product's reach in the marketplace and make it more attractive to customers. These are important factors in selling the product, improving it and getting a return on your investment.

Careful product design can also help you to reduce your production costs, optimise the use of materials and minimise waste.

Product design process

Product designers do many things before their concepts go into production. They have key roles through the product's design and development project, including:

• strategic enquiry and orientation - informing the overall strategy of your product and providing direction and context
• briefing - producing a record of your product's description, functionality and features, how it compares to its main competitors, any recent research, sales targets and forecasts that should inform the design development
• social, economic and technological context - carrying out market research to find out how relevant and attractive your product would be
• innovation - providing sketches, proof of principle models and/or computer-aided design layouts of the new product
• concept generation - leading design and development of potential ideas to create an original design that meets the brief
• design development - deciding what the product will look like, what it will be made from and how it will be produced after design and prototype

Working with a designer on product development

Depending on how often your business develops new products, you may want to employ a designer to work as part of your in-house product development team.

This does not mean that you need to establish a separate design department. Designers can work in-house as part of the marketing team or can help manage your manufacturing function. They are used to considering both the commercial and operational implications of their designs.

Designers, whether in-house or independent, can also help you manage your product portfolio and plan for new developments. How and where your products are made, warehousing, distribution and scheduling are all part of the product design process. See how to choose and work with a designer.

Graphic design is the process of using words, images, colours and messages to communicate ideas and important business information.

Using graphic design

You can use graphic design for anything from annual reports to large-scale advertising or banners. It can help you to communicate and connect with your customers, and influence how they see your business, product or brand.

Graphic designers can help:

• create a memorable brand identity for your business or products
• strengthen your business' position within its industry
• set you apart from your competitors
• promote your business and its offerings to different audiences
• increase sales through better advertising

Common uses of graphic design in business

Graphic designers can help on a range of projects, including:

• websites
• marketing materials (eg brochures and product sales sheets)
• business cards
• flyers
• annual reports
• logos
• signage
• product packaging

See how to choose and work with a designer.

Using packaging design

The main function of packaging is to sell the product at its point of purchase. It's important to think carefully about how your products are packaged. In particular, you should think about:

• the structural design of your packaging - eg how it can help advertise your product, and make it more recognisable and practical for the stockists, customers, etc
• the functional design of your packaging - eg how it can protect your product during delivery to shops, customers and beyond

Consider if combining the two would offer your business more value. For example, retail-ready packaging is designed to protect your product during transport to shops, but it can also be easily opened and put onto the shelf - where it becomes part display case, part dispensing aid.

Sustainable packaging

The use of 'green' packaging is on the rise, with consumers demanding more environment-friendly solutions. Designers can help you develop sustainable packaging, making it more attractive to potential customers.

When deciding on your packaging needs, think about:

• how far your product has to travel from its source to its point of purchase
• how many products can be shipped per pallet
• how your product's full lifecycle impacts the environment, from its initial packaging to the point of sale, use by the customer and finally to its disposal

You can read more about the packaging design: essential top tips.

Service design is a way of helping you improve your services by making them more useful, efficient and desirable for your customers.

What is service design?

Service design involves planning and creating the infrastructure, communication materials and levels of service delivered by staff.

You can use service design at any point where customers interact with your business to:

• improve their satisfaction
• enhance your reputation and profitability
• eliminate potential failures when you are developing new services

What does a service designer do?

If you employ a service designer, they will look at how you deliver your service and how efficiently it operates. They can interpret what your customers need and what their behaviours are, and they can turn this into potential services.

They will look at designing the full service as well as each individual aspect within the service. Redesigning existing services can be just as challenging as developing innovative new ones.

Examples of service design

Many types of businesses could benefit from using service design more efficiently.

For example, if your business is a transport provider, you use service design to offer supplementary services, such as:

• online tracking of packages or shipments
• availability indicator to show when low-cost or free delivery is available

If you are a food seller, you could use service design to extend your service. For example, you could offer:

• home delivery
• new menus based on your customer research
• seasonal offers based on ingredients supplied by local growers
• daily menus delivered by social media channels to local customers

If your business is an educational institution, you could use service design to extend your offering. For example, you could offer:

• distance learning courses
• online communication tools for lecturers and students
• access to library resources

You can apply service design in your business in many ways. Its role is ultimately to improve your customers' overall experience.

Workplace design isn't just about choosing the paint colours for your office space. Your work environment can directly affect staff productivity and creativity. If clients regularly visit your workplace, it can also affect how they see your company.

There are many things to consider when designing your workplace, such as:

• architecture
• functional layout
• appropriate lighting
• furniture
• materials
• technology
• meeting rooms
• an open and inviting reception area

Examples of where a workplace designer could help

A workplace designer can help improve your business' image and, as a result, improve communication and the development of new ideas and processes.

For example, workplace designers can:

• improve the way a car manufacturer's administration and assembly hub functions
• help an accountancy firm shed its grey image
• help a clothing retailer integrate a new wing of its business into the company's headquarters

How do you start creating an innovative workspace?

If you want to redesign your workspace, the best place to start is research. You should try to:

• determine your business objectives
• analyse the areas you want to improve
• involve a selection of staff - choose people from different parts of the business, including managers and more junior staff
• set a realistic budget
• set clear objectives
• attempt the project on a small scale before introducing it throughout the organisation
• do a post-project evaluation to see if any changes are needed

If you hire a workplace designer, they can offer more than just visual and creative skills. They can also manage the design project, work with you to set the brief and involve stakeholders in the development process. When the implementation of their designs is underway, they can manage the relationship with the builders and other contractors, and adapt designs where necessary.

If you are searching for an entirely new workspace, see our six tips for choosing the right business premises.

Retail design involves creating a space for selling your goods. This could be in a high street shop, shopping centre or department store concession, but increasingly is means selling online too.

Retail design principles

Retail businesses have one primary goal - to get the customer over the doorstep and influence them to buy their products. The layout of your retail space is arguably the most powerful tool in retail design. It can improve the shopping experience if you follow principles of good design, including:

• define the space clearly - know what are you selling and to whom
• keep things consistent in terms of style and function in your shop
• organise the space so it's intuitive and easy to navigate
• plan the layout for optimal customer experience, from entry to purchasing
• give customers visual cues, such as signage and branding

As well as retail space, other areas of your business could benefit from following basic retail design principles. These areas could include:

• store frontage
• fascia
• signage
• lighting
• packaging
• merchandising
• furniture
• point of sale displays
• decorations

Benefits of retail design

Retail design can improve your customers' perception of your business and your brand. It should represent your customer base and the message you are trying to get across.

For example, if a retail store sells luxury, high-end clothing, the store design should reflect the same message. However, a store that sells contemporary clothes to teenagers will often benefit from a young and 'edgy' look. Read more about visual merchandising for retailers.

Retail design in ecommerce

If you are an online retailer, you can also use design to your benefit. However, your focus will be on the graphics and interactive tools on your website that enable customers to buy your products.

You can still deliver a unique shopping experience online. Designers can help you ensure that the way you deliver your goods not only works, but also communicates your company brand and delivers an enjoyable experience. This will help build customer loyalty. See more on best practice in web design.

You can also read our practical tips on retailing: 5 ways to improve your business.

The key to managing the design process is to break it down into manageable chunks. You will also need to co-ordinate those involved - designers, managers and employees - to ensure that your use of design delivers the outcomes you require at the cost you have budgeted.

Key tips for managing the design process

• Begin by defining the problem. Identify the purpose and goal of the project, such as raising brand awareness or improving a product or service offering.
• Collect information and carry out research both before and during the project. Keep focused on what your customers want. Use market research and market reports to get to know your customers' needs.
• Decide who in your business will be responsible for the design process.
• Set a budget and a timetable with measurable targets.
• Choose your designer and prepare a design brief outlining the project's aims, budget, timetable and any legal, technical or other constraints on developing the design. Consult as many departments as possible when drawing it up. Brainstorm and analyse different ideas. See how to choose and work with a designer.
• Make sure that your production, marketing and sales departments are ready for any new product, service or branding that you develop.
• Monitor the process as it develops. If the project deviates from the brief, investigate and make sure it's for a good reason.
• Remember that your designs may result in intellectual property that needs protecting. See more on protecting intellectual property.

When you finish the process, make sure that you gather as much feedback as possible from those involved - it will help you run future design projects even more smoothly. Find out how to maximise the success of your design projects.

Finally, it can help to take your solutions back through the design process to refine and clarify them. Find out more about managing your design projects and the basics of project management.

For every design project you undertake, you should set clear targets for measuring its success. In many situations, customer response will be a crucial factor. For instance, if you design a new product, the key benchmark of its success will be its performance in the market.

You may also need to consider a wide range of additional factors when judging the success of your project. For example:

• Cost - did aspects of the design process - such as prototyping or user testing - go over budget? If so, why?
• Timescales - if you missed deadlines, was it because they were unrealistic or were the delays avoidable?
• Working relationships - did poor communication or other problems cause problems in co-operation between you and your designer?

Involve key people to help you set specific targets and review dates for your project. This will make it more likely that you will reap the return you want on your design investment.

If problems arise, deal with them as quickly as possible. Revise the design brief if important new information or priorities emerge. Try not to get locked into a project that won't deliver what you need.

After you conclude a design project, review it to see what lessons you can learn - this will make it easier to ensure the success of future projects. Finally, don't look at individual design projects in isolation. Achieving your overall objectives may call for a series of design investments to build on each other.

Using design in business can bring about many benefits. It can improve your performance, your efficiencies, and the value of your products and services. It can also reduce costs and risks to your business.

Advantages of design to your business

Using design across your business can help you:

• increase sales of your products or services
• improve market position
• boost customer loyalty
• reduce customer complaints
• build a stronger identity for your business
• create new products and services and open up new markets
• reduce time to market for new products and services
• improve environmental record and compliance with regulations

Why is design important in business?

Effective design can encourage customers to buy from you and not from your competitors. It can help your product, service or business stand out - see more on user-centred design.

Design can also add value to products and services. Customers are often willing to pay more for products that look better and offer greater usability, better functionality and sustainability. See ecodesign in product or service development.

Using design to improve efficiency

The role of design doesn't stop with products and services. Design can also help you:

• improve the way your business operates
• cut costs and boost efficiencies, for example with the raw materials it uses
• enhance the quality of your packaging

Design can also help cut production costs. For example, careful design of the manufacturing process can bring large savings. It can also make processes and the use of materials more efficient and environmentally friendly, helping you to comply with sustainability regulations and legislation. For more information, see how businesses use design.

You can use design in your business in many ways. Design covers much more than just the visible appearance of products, or the graphic elements of things such as your website, packaging and marketing materials. It plays a part in nearly every aspect of what most businesses do.

The role of design in business

Businesses use many types of design, including:

• product design
• ergonomic design
• engineering design
• graphic design (eg for manuals, marketing literature, signage and software interfaces)
• packaging design
• website and interface design
• retail design
• interior design and fit-outs
• exhibition design
• architecture (eg for refurbishments and building modifications)

In some areas, the importance of design is obvious. For example, when a business creates a consistent look across its products, signage, stationery and marketing activities.

However, you should realise that design isn't just about managing the appearance of your business. It's also about managing your business processes so that they're as cost-effective as possible.

Benefits of a design audit

It may be a good idea to conduct a design audit. In an audit, you should look at all the different elements that your company uses to interact with its customers and the public.

Examine the key areas of your business, such as:

• your brand
• your product and service development
• your work practices
• customer communication

Consider each area thoroughly to understand what role design plays in them. See more on the design audit.

There may be opportunities to use design to make your business more efficient or sustainable and to add value to your products and services for your customers.

A design audit is a systematic review of all the different elements that your company uses to interact with customers and the public.

How to carry out a design audit

When you carry out an audit, you should think about:

• The materials that you use to communicate with your customers - are they printed, delivered via email or in one-to-one presentations?
• How often do your customers visit your company premises? Have you designed your offices, retail spaces or warehouses so that they support your company's brand? Do they function efficiently?
• How does your customer service compare to your competitors? Are your call centre, distribution and advice services performing well?

Design audit process

The process begins by collecting all the visual elements used in or by your business - eg business cards, flyers, leaflets, brochures, website, staff uniforms, vehicle liveries, packaging and products. If you operate in several locations, gather materials from each of them.

Then, work with a designer to map your business processes. This map should show the key stages you go through to create, produce and deliver your products or services.

Mark on this map the different types of people you interact with at each step along the way. Include details of how you communicate and influence them. For example, if your delivery drivers are interacting with manufacturers when collecting final products from a production line, mark on the business map the vehicles they drive, uniforms they wear, and the receipts and information they deliver.

This will help you spot any inconsistencies in the way your business is presented. You can then develop a plan to ensure that your business and your message are consistent with each other.

Design standards manual

Everyone in your business needs to be aware of a consistent design plan. You should communicate to all how they should portray your business and your visual style in the future.

You can create design standards document to lay down what your company logo should look like, which colours and font to use. The manual may also explain:

• how staff should interact with customers
• what standards should your products, spaces or services meet

Successful businesses include design as part of their business strategy from the start. This is because involving design at an early stage can save you money in the long run. It can also result in a better experience for your customers.

If you are not sure why design should matter to your business, see more about the business benefits of design.

What is a design strategy?

There are many definitions of a design strategy. In simple terms, a design strategy is a long-term plan for how you will use design to achieve your business objectives. It converges closely with other business strategies - for example, your IT strategy, web strategy or your intellectual property priorities.

It is a good idea to articulate and formalise your design strategy early on in the business. At the very least, your strategy should:

• define your target audience, key messages and value propositions
• describe your business objectives, and how design relates to them
• outline your core brand elements - eg logos, colours, typography etc
• show the value your design will bring to products, services and customers

Having a design strategy allows you to integrate design processes and design thinking into the larger business goals.

How to use design strategically

You don't need a professional designer to use design strategically. Your first steps to using design more strategically should include:

• locating where and how design is currently being used within your business
• identifying ways of improving the design process - such as increasing management involvement or using a professional design consultant
• looking for areas of your business where design opportunities are being missed
• making sure design considerations are featured in all your business planning meetings and documents
• conducting market research to ensure you know what your customers need

To determine how you are currently using design in your business, you might want to carry out a targeted audit - read more about the design audit.

Making even minor changes, or thinking differently about your customers' needs, can provide considerable rewards. For an in-depth look at using design for your customers, see user-centred design.

Good design can increase your product's reach in the marketplace and make it more attractive to customers. These are important factors in selling the product, improving it and getting a return on your investment.

Careful product design can also help you to reduce your production costs, optimise the use of materials and minimise waste.

Product design process

Product designers do many things before their concepts go into production. They have key roles through the product's design and development project, including:

• strategic enquiry and orientation - informing the overall strategy of your product and providing direction and context
• briefing - producing a record of your product's description, functionality and features, how it compares to its main competitors, any recent research, sales targets and forecasts that should inform the design development
• social, economic and technological context - carrying out market research to find out how relevant and attractive your product would be
• innovation - providing sketches, proof of principle models and/or computer-aided design layouts of the new product
• concept generation - leading design and development of potential ideas to create an original design that meets the brief
• design development - deciding what the product will look like, what it will be made from and how it will be produced after design and prototype

Working with a designer on product development

Depending on how often your business develops new products, you may want to employ a designer to work as part of your in-house product development team.

This does not mean that you need to establish a separate design department. Designers can work in-house as part of the marketing team or can help manage your manufacturing function. They are used to considering both the commercial and operational implications of their designs.

Designers, whether in-house or independent, can also help you manage your product portfolio and plan for new developments. How and where your products are made, warehousing, distribution and scheduling are all part of the product design process. See how to choose and work with a designer.

Graphic design is the process of using words, images, colours and messages to communicate ideas and important business information.

Using graphic design

You can use graphic design for anything from annual reports to large-scale advertising or banners. It can help you to communicate and connect with your customers, and influence how they see your business, product or brand.

Graphic designers can help:

• create a memorable brand identity for your business or products
• strengthen your business' position within its industry
• set you apart from your competitors
• promote your business and its offerings to different audiences
• increase sales through better advertising

Common uses of graphic design in business

Graphic designers can help on a range of projects, including:

• websites
• marketing materials (eg brochures and product sales sheets)
• business cards
• flyers
• annual reports
• logos
• signage
• product packaging

See how to choose and work with a designer.

Using packaging design

The main function of packaging is to sell the product at its point of purchase. It's important to think carefully about how your products are packaged. In particular, you should think about:

• the structural design of your packaging - eg how it can help advertise your product, and make it more recognisable and practical for the stockists, customers, etc
• the functional design of your packaging - eg how it can protect your product during delivery to shops, customers and beyond

Consider if combining the two would offer your business more value. For example, retail-ready packaging is designed to protect your product during transport to shops, but it can also be easily opened and put onto the shelf - where it becomes part display case, part dispensing aid.

Sustainable packaging

The use of 'green' packaging is on the rise, with consumers demanding more environment-friendly solutions. Designers can help you develop sustainable packaging, making it more attractive to potential customers.

When deciding on your packaging needs, think about:

• how far your product has to travel from its source to its point of purchase
• how many products can be shipped per pallet
• how your product's full lifecycle impacts the environment, from its initial packaging to the point of sale, use by the customer and finally to its disposal

You can read more about the packaging design: essential top tips.

Service design is a way of helping you improve your services by making them more useful, efficient and desirable for your customers.

What is service design?

Service design involves planning and creating the infrastructure, communication materials and levels of service delivered by staff.

You can use service design at any point where customers interact with your business to:

• improve their satisfaction
• enhance your reputation and profitability
• eliminate potential failures when you are developing new services

What does a service designer do?

If you employ a service designer, they will look at how you deliver your service and how efficiently it operates. They can interpret what your customers need and what their behaviours are, and they can turn this into potential services.

They will look at designing the full service as well as each individual aspect within the service. Redesigning existing services can be just as challenging as developing innovative new ones.

Examples of service design

Many types of businesses could benefit from using service design more efficiently.

For example, if your business is a transport provider, you use service design to offer supplementary services, such as:

• online tracking of packages or shipments
• availability indicator to show when low-cost or free delivery is available

If you are a food seller, you could use service design to extend your service. For example, you could offer:

• home delivery
• new menus based on your customer research
• seasonal offers based on ingredients supplied by local growers
• daily menus delivered by social media channels to local customers

If your business is an educational institution, you could use service design to extend your offering. For example, you could offer:

• distance learning courses
• online communication tools for lecturers and students
• access to library resources

You can apply service design in your business in many ways. Its role is ultimately to improve your customers' overall experience.

Workplace design isn't just about choosing the paint colours for your office space. Your work environment can directly affect staff productivity and creativity. If clients regularly visit your workplace, it can also affect how they see your company.

There are many things to consider when designing your workplace, such as:

• architecture
• functional layout
• appropriate lighting
• furniture
• materials
• technology
• meeting rooms
• an open and inviting reception area

Examples of where a workplace designer could help

A workplace designer can help improve your business' image and, as a result, improve communication and the development of new ideas and processes.

For example, workplace designers can:

• improve the way a car manufacturer's administration and assembly hub functions
• help an accountancy firm shed its grey image
• help a clothing retailer integrate a new wing of its business into the company's headquarters

How do you start creating an innovative workspace?

If you want to redesign your workspace, the best place to start is research. You should try to:

• determine your business objectives
• analyse the areas you want to improve
• involve a selection of staff - choose people from different parts of the business, including managers and more junior staff
• set a realistic budget
• set clear objectives
• attempt the project on a small scale before introducing it throughout the organisation
• do a post-project evaluation to see if any changes are needed

If you hire a workplace designer, they can offer more than just visual and creative skills. They can also manage the design project, work with you to set the brief and involve stakeholders in the development process. When the implementation of their designs is underway, they can manage the relationship with the builders and other contractors, and adapt designs where necessary.

If you are searching for an entirely new workspace, see our six tips for choosing the right business premises.

Retail design involves creating a space for selling your goods. This could be in a high street shop, shopping centre or department store concession, but increasingly is means selling online too.

Retail design principles

Retail businesses have one primary goal - to get the customer over the doorstep and influence them to buy their products. The layout of your retail space is arguably the most powerful tool in retail design. It can improve the shopping experience if you follow principles of good design, including:

• define the space clearly - know what are you selling and to whom
• keep things consistent in terms of style and function in your shop
• organise the space so it's intuitive and easy to navigate
• plan the layout for optimal customer experience, from entry to purchasing
• give customers visual cues, such as signage and branding

As well as retail space, other areas of your business could benefit from following basic retail design principles. These areas could include:

• store frontage
• fascia
• signage
• lighting
• packaging
• merchandising
• furniture
• point of sale displays
• decorations

Benefits of retail design

Retail design can improve your customers' perception of your business and your brand. It should represent your customer base and the message you are trying to get across.

For example, if a retail store sells luxury, high-end clothing, the store design should reflect the same message. However, a store that sells contemporary clothes to teenagers will often benefit from a young and 'edgy' look. Read more about visual merchandising for retailers.

Retail design in ecommerce

If you are an online retailer, you can also use design to your benefit. However, your focus will be on the graphics and interactive tools on your website that enable customers to buy your products.

You can still deliver a unique shopping experience online. Designers can help you ensure that the way you deliver your goods not only works, but also communicates your company brand and delivers an enjoyable experience. This will help build customer loyalty. See more on best practice in web design.

You can also read our practical tips on retailing: 5 ways to improve your business.

The key to managing the design process is to break it down into manageable chunks. You will also need to co-ordinate those involved - designers, managers and employees - to ensure that your use of design delivers the outcomes you require at the cost you have budgeted.

Key tips for managing the design process

• Begin by defining the problem. Identify the purpose and goal of the project, such as raising brand awareness or improving a product or service offering.
• Collect information and carry out research both before and during the project. Keep focused on what your customers want. Use market research and market reports to get to know your customers' needs.
• Decide who in your business will be responsible for the design process.
• Set a budget and a timetable with measurable targets.
• Choose your designer and prepare a design brief outlining the project's aims, budget, timetable and any legal, technical or other constraints on developing the design. Consult as many departments as possible when drawing it up. Brainstorm and analyse different ideas. See how to choose and work with a designer.
• Make sure that your production, marketing and sales departments are ready for any new product, service or branding that you develop.
• Monitor the process as it develops. If the project deviates from the brief, investigate and make sure it's for a good reason.
• Remember that your designs may result in intellectual property that needs protecting. See more on protecting intellectual property.

When you finish the process, make sure that you gather as much feedback as possible from those involved - it will help you run future design projects even more smoothly. Find out how to maximise the success of your design projects.

Finally, it can help to take your solutions back through the design process to refine and clarify them. Find out more about managing your design projects and the basics of project management.

For every design project you undertake, you should set clear targets for measuring its success. In many situations, customer response will be a crucial factor. For instance, if you design a new product, the key benchmark of its success will be its performance in the market.

You may also need to consider a wide range of additional factors when judging the success of your project. For example:

• Cost - did aspects of the design process - such as prototyping or user testing - go over budget? If so, why?
• Timescales - if you missed deadlines, was it because they were unrealistic or were the delays avoidable?
• Working relationships - did poor communication or other problems cause problems in co-operation between you and your designer?

Involve key people to help you set specific targets and review dates for your project. This will make it more likely that you will reap the return you want on your design investment.

If problems arise, deal with them as quickly as possible. Revise the design brief if important new information or priorities emerge. Try not to get locked into a project that won't deliver what you need.

After you conclude a design project, review it to see what lessons you can learn - this will make it easier to ensure the success of future projects. Finally, don't look at individual design projects in isolation. Achieving your overall objectives may call for a series of design investments to build on each other.