Designing Demand Intensive Workshops

Torbay Development Agency encourages local manufacturers to give themselves a chance of being one of 40 businesses in the UK to gain Design Councils support, as part of its ongoing commitment to improve the economy and employment opportunities for Torbay.

The Design Council’s mentoring service for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. It helps businesses with an appetite for growth to discover how to become more innovative, more competitive and more profitable.

Management teams are led through a practical process that helps them to understand how design, when used well, can be an effective strategic tool to boost performance, open new markets, cut costs and reduce risk.

Over the last four years 650 businesses have been mentored through ‘Designing Demand.’ The service is part of Solutions for business, the Government’s portfolio of business support.

The Design Council has an established team of Design Associates; a national network of design management specialists with professional experience across business of all sizes. These associates have worked with some of the most recognised brands and businesses in the world. It is the Design Associates who provide the hands-on support and mentoring.

Using the Design Councils unique design framework they begin by leading the senior team through an intensive workshop to identify the company’s biggest challenges, exploring how design can help overcome them. Here the link between business planning and effective, change-making design projects is made.

The mentoring also supports the team to identify the right design project to implement the approach that has been developed.

The Design Council is looking for manufacturing businesses with ambition to grow but who recognise the need for some external, objective advice and support to achieve that.

Manufacturing businesses form all sectors are eligible and applications from those with some advance manufacturing capability are particularly welcome. ‘Business to consumer’ as well as ‘business to business enterprises (including OEMs) are all eligible.

What does it cost and how much time does it take?

If you are a business interested in innovation and growth then you are eligible for 50% government support towards the cost of the mentoring service. Depending on the length of the time, the cost of the mentoring to the business will range from £2,500 to £5,000

Designing Demand offers more than just a mentoring service. When a business completes its mentoring and design project, it becomes part of the Design Council’s wider community, joining a growing network of business, organisations and designers. This provides opportunities to continue learning and developing and to build new business relationships.

Projects last between 6 and 10 months. To get the full benefit, applicants should make their senior team available to join Design Associates in identifying design opportunities and making them happen.

For more info, or to apply to the service visit www.designcouncil.org.uk/Designing-Demand