Using design in new product or service development

The headline

If a business sees design as integral to its operations, it’s far more likely to develop new products or services.

Four out of five have done so in the past three years. This is double the UK average.

And while most businesses do involve design in developing new products or services, they often do so in a limited way.

Our research shows that in businesses where design leads and guides the development process for new products or services, the chances of design contributing to turnover growth more than trebled as a result.

The details

How many UK businesses have developed new products or services?

Two out of five (40%) of the UK’s businesses have developed new products or services in the last three years.

The larger the business, the more likely it is to have launched a new offering. Nearly two thirds (63%) of large businesses have done so in the last three years.

Manufacturers do more than other sectors, with 60% developing new products or services.

Are UK businesses more likely to develop new products or services when design is integral to their operations?

If a business sees design as integral to its operations, it’s more likely to develop new products or services. Four fifths (83%) of such businesses have done so in the past three years - double the UK average.
UK average 40%

In businesses where design plays a lesser role, the effect on new product development is apparent. In those where design plays no role, only one in ten have developed new products or services.

How do businesses involve design in new product and service development?

While most (87%) businesses use design at some stage of developing new products or services, its role is often limited.

In businesses where design is seen as integral, it tends to take the lead role in the new product or service development process. Two out of five of these businesses use design to lead the process, compared to 16% of businesses overall.

‘At Sony, we assume all products of our competitors will have basically the same technology, price, performance and features. Design is the only thing that differentiates one product from another in the market place.’

Nono Ohga, Chairman and CEO, Sony