Production prowess, best-in-class quality and persuasive marketing no longer guarantee success or profit. The time has come to think of leveraging design as a strategic initiative to break out of the commodity cul-de-sac, integrate cross-functional innovation and initiate top-line growth.

Within many companies design is considered a linear, tactical exercise restricted to the development of a product, package or promotion. Too often it is fragmented into a series of creative services isolated within specific departments, often with conflicting agendas. To exploit creativity and innovation within an organization design must be lifted out of departmental silos and reorganized as an equal partner with the senior management of marketing, engineering, finance and operations.

Without a design-driven vision established at the executive level products, services, web sites, promotional literature, signage, packaging, sales tools and environments can be sending a different message. Without a design-driven strategy, the company’s image becomes vulnerable to competitors and the brand experience becomes convoluted, confused or worse compromised. Productivity wanes, redundancy runs rampant, too much money is spent on design with too little return on investment.

Products and services will continue to battle commoditization and sustainable competitive advantage will continue to be the corporate Holy Grail. Design Leverage® is the preeminent business strategy whose time has truly come.

Maureen Thurston
Principal, Founder
ACCESS International