Paradigm Shift: Report on the New Role of Design in Business and Society

• Summarizes the current landscape of design and its role in business and society.
• Outlines the recent corporate investments in design.
• Provides an industry-focused report on the state of design today.
• Defines the new trends in the field of design.

Corporate cultures' prevailing attitudes towards design have begun to shift. Financial companies and management consultancies now have design teams, and include “design” in their service portfolios. Large corporations are bolstering their in-house design capabilities, and appointing designers to executive roles. Venture capitalist firms and startups increasingly recognize the value of including designers in the early stages of business development. Even global organizations and international foundations now list design on their agendas. A paradigm shift is taking place in the field of design. This study examines some of the latest corporate investments in design, and reflects on what this phenomenon means for the wider field of design. The focus of this study is on the key trend indicators that are defining the current landscape of design, and its changing role in business and society.