design is strategy, not decoration.
Design is often seen as making things look nice. It’s actually a way of thinking that solves business problems.
Look up “design” in an older dictionary and the first definition isn’t about how things look. It’s “a mental plan, a scheme of attack”. That changes how we should think about it in business.
the “designer” problem
Because we associate design with designer labels and interiors, it’s easy to think it’s about aesthetics. That undervalues it. Good design is a way of reaching a goal, and it reaches it in a way people enjoy.
the right outcome, achieved well
We’ve all heard “it’s the right result, but I don’t like how they got there”. Good design is the opposite: the right outcome, achieved in an effective and pleasing way. That’s a rare combination in any field.
what it looks like in practice
When we designed a 42-page manual for Exact Logistics, the aim wasn’t a nice brochure. It was to show German customers that Exact’s high standards were fact. Colour coding, illustration and short text made complex processes easy to follow. The manual became a key part of their sales process.
For the University of Warwick Science Park, a new icon set and clear information graphics turned a year of complex data into an impact report that partners and funders can understand at a glance.
how to brief design as strategy
- Start with the problem, not the format.
- Be clear what you want people to understand or do.
- Judge the result on whether it achieves that, as well as how it looks.
Treat design as part of your strategy, and it will pay you back.
want to talk it through?
The first conversation is with me, and it costs nothing.