Output details

How do SMEs design?

The research investigated business activities in companies supported by the Design Knowledge Network (DKN) project referred to in outputs 1 and 2, both at a strategic and practical level, including detailed recordings of current design and marketing practices.

The study found that most SMEs have informal and chaotic business processes. DKN audited existing practices and developed more formal design processes for companies with recommendations incorporating British Standards design management guidelines. When assessing the impact of the work it was noted that in the main the models provided were not implemented by the companies. After further investigation it became clear that processes provided by the project were often inappropriate for SMEs. This suggests that there is value in creating simpler and more flexible design process models that realistically reflect the needs and capabilities of small and medium-sized companies.

The paper presents a new model of the design process that considers the specific needs of SMEs. It incorporates aspects of front-end thinking, also known as the fuzzy front end, tailored for the design process resources and capabilities of the smaller organization.

The findings in this paper have led to the development of visioning workshops now being delivered by the university to designer-makers and other creative micro businesses.