Design Audit of an SME
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The document outlines a design audit for a business consultancy named 'Answers to Business,' focusing on their design management, corporate culture, and physical design aspects. It highlights the need for a rebranding strategy to create a stronger visual identity and improve client relationships, emphasizing the importance of design in driving business growth and establishing a professional image. Recommendations include enhancing their online presence, internalizing their work philosophy, and integrating design more deeply into their operations.
![BUT
Lead [Inzar]
Consultancy
Completion
Design
[Zakera]
Designers
DesignManagement Design
Process
Inzar initiates relationship as a
consultant
Marketing/Sales
Design briefs are taken by Inzar
Project gets passed on to Zakera
Needs a brief again
method
The Cogs represent a
mechanical process
Marketing
Sales
Design
Manager
DESIGN
Routes
to
Market](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designaudit-a2bfinal-160603103524/85/Design-Audit-of-an-SME-12-320.jpg)
![Bibliography
OLINS, W (2008) The Brand Handbook. London: Thames & Hudson
NUEMEIER, M (2006) The Brand Gap. Berkeley: New Riders
BROWN, T (2009) Change by Design. New York: Harper Collins
DESIGN MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (1997) Five Views on Design and Strategy. Boston:
DMI
LOCKWOOD, T (2010) Design Thinking. New York: Allworth Press
DESIGN MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (1997) Ten Views on Brand Management. Boston:
DMI
COOPER, R and PRESS, M (1995) The Design Agenda. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons
Ltd.
ANSWERS TO BUSINESS (2013) About the company [WWW] Answers to Business.
Available from: answers-business.co.uk [Accessed: 5/5/2013]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designaudit-a2bfinal-160603103524/85/Design-Audit-of-an-SME-21-320.jpg)
Design Audit of an SME
- 3. BusinessOverview • Primarily a Business Consultancy to small businesses (2-50 employees) • Also offer Design services • Founder: Inzar Haq • Partner: Zakera Kali • 8 subcontractors 70% 30% Concultancy Design Answers to Business • Husband & Wife • Located at the Innovation Centre, De Montfort University
- 4. Objectivesofthe DesignAudit Design is a significant, potentially powerful management resource, susceptible to intelligent direction and control -Wally Olins Effectiveness of use of design Consistency in purpose, performance and appearance Differentiation through design Current situation Relevance of design with respect to philosophy Understand the philosophy of the company to analyse the appropriateness of the role of design Future?
- 5. 1. Acquaintance 2. Methodology 3. Rationale Adapted and Inspired by Rachel Cooper & Kathryn Best DESIGNAUDITFRAMEWORK THECORPORATEONION Physical Design Design Management Corporate Culture • Visual Identity • Corporate design standards • Service • Work environment • Pre-project • Design resources • Design skills • Design training • Design management: Processes, Procedures, Guidelines • Design Department: Location, Services, Aims & objectives • Project management • Corporate design strategies • Design awareness • Integration of Design with other functions • Design activities undertaken
- 7. Presents the core idea ! of the organisation! First visual contact! Reveals the brand’s personality! Ideologies of the people behind it! Identity Inzar and his role serve as the face of the business more than the name Name/identity of business gets overshadowed Relate to Inzar as a personality more than the business as a whole Clients didn’t remember the logo
- 8. ! A logo ! Encapsulates ! the brand. -Olins, 2008 Identity NAME! Suitable as a tagline Compared to other consultancies it does not sound as professional Not all answers to business at the moment: SEO, UX/UI design Logotype! Impersonal Symbol is a cliché! Confused identity Typeface: unsure & under confident Undermines the business Impersonal, unrelated, copy-pasted Do I look fat in this dress?
- 10. DesignManagement Leads • Serves as a testimonial • Only method of marketing • Proves reliability & assurance • Proves company has potential • Not a single direct customer • Website is not doing its job • They are aware of the website’s weaknesses in design & content • Shows they understand what they are offering and needs to be put across better referrals Imagine the power of strategic marketing! No financial returns through design Design is not bringing in any clients No Use of the Web as a resource
- 11. DesignManagement Space • Comes across as a start-up with no experience • Clients greeted with ‘De Montfort University Innovation centre’ • Office spaces have not been used to their potential • Designers need inspiration and physical & mental space to be creative environment Creativity in any business needs stimulation No room for creativity Innovation Centre can’t help any further
- 12. BUT Lead [Inzar] Consultancy Completion Design [Zakera] Designers DesignManagement Design Process Inzar initiates relationship as a consultant Marketing/Sales Design briefs are taken by Inzar Project gets passed on to Zakera Needs a brief again method The Cogs represent a mechanical process Marketing Sales Design Manager DESIGN Routes to Market
- 13. Personalities the couple Inzar Home Office Husband/Father Business Consultant (MBA) Strong personality Business minded/ Corporate Head of finance Founder & In-charge Zakera Wife/Mother Design Manager Softer personality Creative/Organic Head of operations Partner/team leader DesignManagement Corporate To the point Professional Creative Organic Innovative
- 14. Corporate Culture Client Relationship Portrayed Image Ideologies & Ethics Outcome & Role of Design
- 15. Service culture Service commitment Customer journey Customer retention Increased revenue Client Relationship Good rapport with client More work Repeat customer Good understanding of the client’s needs Executing project in time Clarity Transparency Industry standards Have learnt from difficult clients satisfaction Growth will be stagnant if design is not in play Not given an important role No Form, only Function Corporate Culture
- 16. Portrayed Image impression Corporate Culture Professional & Confident Experienced Informed & Researched Reliable Clear, honest opinions Design Impression Weak Confused Not confident Dated • No branding • No logo on Contracts • No signage Current Clients Potential Clients
- 17. Ideologies & Ethics philosophy Current Position Current Design Aspirations Business Consultancy, also offer design services Answers to your business questions Want to be a Business & Branding consultancy Professional & trustworthy Start-up with little knowledge/ experience Caring, Innovative, Professional Strong set of loyal clients No portfolio to see, no proof Image: confident, well equipped & experienced Inexperienced /unequipped Inorganic Mechanical No portfolio Just another consultancy Corporate Culture
- 18. • Communication Design has played almost no part in their business as yet Branding • Product outcomes have been inconsistent due to various designers but have worked for clients • Design of their Services has been of high standards Product/Services • Comfortable and has brought together a loyal team of subcontractors who follow similar ideologies • Honest, clear and thorough with clients Communication/Behaviour • Environment hasn’t been thought out • Mediocre impact on clients as it was backed up by their service • Space needs to feel inspiring for ALL employees and stimulate creativity in both business & design departments Environment Outcomes role of design Corporate Culture
- 19. Conclusion Form Follows Function Function is intact but has no design to drive to forward Growth is possible if they differentiate themselves using design Their confidence in being better than other ‘consultants’ and ‘web designers’ is not reflected in their use of design Design needs to have a bigger role and drive its own agenda Company should come across as confident to take up independent design projects without having to wait for referrals “Branding is simply a convenient package for a business idea” -Marty Nuemeier Answers To Business
- 20. Recommendations Rebrand, to be confident about what they do and why they do it Consistent web presence Website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, You Tube Internalise their work philosophy, apply it to themselves Name | Business Cards | Space | Location | Website | Signage | Create the entire experience for clients through strategic use of design: Publicise testimonials, Starter Kit Change name as the company is known as “Inzar’s company and not Answers to Business Strong visual and brand identity with a new logo Change of space will help show authority and experience and give room for creativity For incremental success, design should be on the agenda at every meeting Both Inzar & Zakera need to be more informed & adaptive to each others roles To understand the clients requirements to be consistent in their approach
- 21. Bibliography OLINS, W (2008) The Brand Handbook. London: Thames & Hudson NUEMEIER, M (2006) The Brand Gap. Berkeley: New Riders BROWN, T (2009) Change by Design. New York: Harper Collins DESIGN MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (1997) Five Views on Design and Strategy. Boston: DMI LOCKWOOD, T (2010) Design Thinking. New York: Allworth Press DESIGN MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (1997) Ten Views on Brand Management. Boston: DMI COOPER, R and PRESS, M (1995) The Design Agenda. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. ANSWERS TO BUSINESS (2013) About the company [WWW] Answers to Business. Available from: answers-business.co.uk [Accessed: 5/5/2013]