Championing the Strategic Value of Design for Social and Economic Benefit.
Building on 15 years experience of the delivery of support programmes and leading networks in the UK and Europe, Design Wales is an international centre of expertise for the development of design support programmes and related national & regional policy. The centre is based within PDR (National Centre for Product Design & Development Research) at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
From leading several international networks Design Wales have been influential in the development of the latest generation of innovation policies at a European level. Working at a policy and programme and highlighting the potential for design in the development of not only manufactured products but also in both private and public sector services. This has the potential to drive economic development policy, business support programmes and wider societal issues at a national and regional level.
The four primary activities of Design Wales are:
Support Services Delivered Directly to Business
Delivered on behalf of regional economic development offices and innovation departments these workshops, training courses and events support businesses in understanding and managing design issues such as branding, new product development and service innovation.
Support Services for Regional Development Offices/Innovation Programmes
To help regional economic development offices understand the role of design, develop their own regional policy and train local business support staff.
Networks
Design Wales already leads a network of European design organisations (www.seeproject.org) and regional policy makers and established the UK design support network in 2007. The insight gained from engagement with this broad network of partners provides invaluable knowledge of the current level of regional engagement and best practice delivery. Design Wales also runs the Design Wales Forum a network for designers across Wales.
Research
Design Wales undertakes research to understand the role of design support and promotion in economic development at a policy level and to further highlight best practice in support programmes.
