Four activities to fast-track design maturity

This week Digital Arts Network released New Zealand’s first Design Maturity Benchmark to provide insight into how local design practices are improving the performance of Kiwi businesses.

International reports (McKinsey Design Index, dml: Design Value Index) point to design improving business profitability. Mature design practices are human-centred, influential, valuable and scalable.

The report, which takes a practice-based approach to measuring design maturity, identifies four opportunities for business to make a step change in their design maturity.

1. Include internal teams, especially frontline staff, in design activities

While many businesses have adopted human-centred design practices, few are turning the lens inward to drive operational efficiencies and improved end-customer experience.

2. Share stories about how design has improved business performance

For design to influence business strategy, design leaders must continually show evidence and tell compelling stories of how investment in design improves business outcomes.

3. Agree and implement quality standards and scalable process

Design teams can amplify their practices by auditing and consolidating design tools and processes and implementing quality standards across the organisation.

4. Measure the return on investment of design effort

The recognition of design value is lacking in New Zealand businesses, due to low levels of performance measurement, particularly monitoring return on investment of design effort.

The Design Maturity Benchmark also reviewed performance by sector and revealed the IT industry as a top performer and government as the worst performer across all design strategy dimensions.

Get the full report to receive more actionable insights, commentary on NZ design trends and industry breakdowns.