The partnership takes the shape of a half-day workshop to be held at Design Council’s London HQ on Tuesday 7th October 2014. It will aim to show business owners how they can harness the broad reach design has to build brands, develop products, services and improve communication with customers. Design can support businesses looking to access new markets or stand out in a crowded marketplace; provide a deeper understanding of customer and user needs; support new and innovative ways of working. It will introduce design as a framework for innovation and will include design-led innovation principles and approaches in an interactive and engaging way. The Design Council will draw on the experiences and insights gained through delivering the Design Leadership Programme and will provide delegates with a practical and interactive session. Businesses that wish to pursue the opportunity to work in-depth with the Design Council beyond this introduction may apply to do so (and at a subsidised rate if they are UK-based and at least 75% UK-owned businesses). Claire Whysall, communications manager at Composites UK (pictured), said: “After inviting Design Council to speak at our annual conference in May, it was obvious that the composites community wanted to know more about what utilising design could mean for their businesses. It was a natural next step for us to work together and provide this workshop so that Design Council could take delegates through the process and offer additional help to those who require it.” Ann Crawley, manager for the Design Leadership’s Business Programme commented: “Design is one of business’s best kept secrets. We are delighted to be working with Composites UK and to show its members what over 2,000 businesses across the many sectors we’ve worked with over the last ten years have discovered: that once the scope of how design – in its broadest sense – is understood and used, the benefits can be really impactful.” Registration for the event is now open through Composite UK’s Eventbrite page https://designleadership.eventbrite.co.uk. Delegate places are free for Composites UK members, with a fee of £50 for non-member companies. Limited places are available therefore early booking is recommended. www.compositesuk.co.uk
