Measuring the value of design

Great design is key – whether you want a new identity, to promote your brand at a special event, to increase charity fundraising contributions, inspire your sales team or simply improve your employees understanding of your core values.

The value of good design can be measured in many ways, from seeing sales increase on the back of a new campaign to making it easier for people to understand a message.

A good design agency wants clients to feel “You just get us!” and is always working on building trust, pushing creative boundaries, adding value and striving for success.

But what does success mean in design terms and how can it be evaluated?

Design undoubtedly provides a competitive edge when done well for any organisation, from a small start-up, to a national charity or global corporate. However, measuring the value of good design and its contribution to a client’s success isn’t always an easy task.

Some aspects of design are more quantifiable than others – a new website for example can be tracked in terms of frequency of visits, page views, and conversions, but “soft measure” design disciplines such as corporate identity are harder to evaluate.

Here are a number of factors to consider:

Design’s quantitative contribution:

• Process improvement – refinement of existing policies and procedures resulting in increased effectiveness and efficiency
• Return on investment – such as seeing a rise in sales after the launch of a new campaign; increased membership sign ups or fundraising contributions for a charity; either way it’s important to be aware of the link between design and data trends within your organisation
• User interaction – how are staff, customers and other key stakeholders interacting with the design, for example an internal intranet or sales brochure, and has it solved a problem?

Some qualitative considerations:

• Overall satisfaction – how does a design outcome compare with client expectations?
• Brand reputation – has a rebranding exercise built loyalty and increased customer confidence, ultimately driving increased sales?
• Increased aesthetic appeal – does the work evoke a positive and emotional reaction?
• Improved functionality – does a fresh design make it easier for someone to understand and interpret a message, or interact more effectively with a product/solution?

Measuring the value of design IS possible!

The considerations outlined offer ways of acquiring evidence and monitoring results which will show that the services of a good design agency can significantly improve a company’s ability to raise its profile, look good, communicate effectively with stakeholders and ultimately contribute to increased sales and success.