Companies, no more: Design Companies.

Posted by Michael Gaizutis , Principal of RNO1

It’s 2016: Wearable Tech, Surface Computing, Mood Changing Walls, Self-Driving Cars…yeah, they exist. In this ‘Back to the Future-esque world’ we now live in, finally, finally, companies and brands are gravitating to the idea that their customers, users, partners, etc. don’t just crave great design: they expect it.

We stumbled on an article from FastCompany Design worth sharing (citing John Maeda, design partner at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers) that noted “…designers are now hired at a rate of one to four compared to engineers at tech startups…”, when speaking to the rise of design in Silicon Valley. They go on to say “…to achieve great design, you need great business thinking/doing — to effectively invest in design — and you need great engineering — to achieve unflagging performance…”.

This isn’t just a trend, but instead, a movement and fundamental shift in business thinking. Architecting and building a stellar product and service, website or app is only half the battle. We need to reach and resonate with “them”, tapping into the emotional layer of our target audience at every possible touchpoint, driving a holistic brand experience.

When will your brand get on board … leading with design to delight?

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RNO1 is a brand and digital agency — deep-rooted on the west coast, with a global edge. IDEAS + INSIGHTS by RNO1 | http://www.rno1.com/blog