"The client was brave to go with something so edgy..."

Jonathan Sands on the real-life impact of design

Whatever the challenge your organisation is facing, there’s a design solution. Design can help everyone from small businesses to schools transform what they do.
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Design Out Crime Case Studies

Designers know that crime happens but only some have created products, services , spaces or graphic communications that address crime. For some designers, there has been a business imperative to design out crime. They have responded to business and consumer demands for more security. The Best Bar None scheme rewards pubs and bars that have designed-in security, and potential customers feel safe...

Problem	Response	Result
Hot products like mobile phones, bikes and MP3 players are easy targets for criminals	Design and businesses have worked together to produce innovative places, products and services that are anti-crime	Opportunities for theft, violence or vandalism are removed, creating safer communities and commercial opportunities

Villiers High School

Villiers High School in Southall had 1300 students who were meant to spend every lunch time outside, in a 1750 square metre space with little to distract them except their cultural and personal differences. Violence flared regularly and the students themselves wanted to do something about it.

Result
A regenerated space gives groups of students space of their own but allows staff to see what’s happening in every corner and more easily stop potential conflicts. There have been no broken noses since the new designs were installed

Hulme Park

The impact of Designing Out Crime can't always be assessed immediately. Completed in 2000 after a period of collaboration with local people, Hulme Park was of immediate benefit to local people, a high proportion of whom lived in social housing and needed somewhere to enjoy open space and feel safe while they did. This case study investigates the design process behind Hulme Park and how its...

Problem	Response	Result
Hulme, one mile from Manchester city centre, was notorious for muggings, burglary, robbery and poor housing. As life there deteriorated during the 80s into a kind of living hell, it was decided that something had to be done	A park is designed for Hulme by Landscape Projects in collaboration with groups of local people	The park is secured by psychological rather than physical barriers which are designed in to a layout that allows different groups of users, like teenagers, bike riders, families or dog owners, to have their own space and feel proud of their contribution

Britannia Mills by Urban Splash

The impact of Designing Out Crime can't always be assessed immediately. Developer Urban Splash designed Britannia Mills the first residential scheme in Castleford, an industrial part of Manchester which led to more residential development and a safer feel to the new industrial suburb. This case study looks back at the design behind Britannia Mills and investigates whether the designing out crime...

Problem	Response	Result
Developer Urban Splash wanted to create high-design apartments in industrial buildings in Manchester that were located away from other homes in parts of town that felt vulnerable at night	To match style with substance they designed security measures into the new apartment complex in a subtle and innovative way	Self-closing doors, automatic interior lighting, clever landscaping and other features created an apartment complex with few problems of burglary or vandalism that commanded a premium price

Drivers activate the sensor under their car once they have parked to ensure it remains safe until their return

Parksafe Systems

The impact of Designing Out Crime can't always be assessed immediately. In 1998 the first Parksafe Systems car park opened in Derby. This case study investigates the design and technology that went in to creating a crime free car park, with the latest results from two new Parksafe sites

Problem	Response	Result
How could the chance of having your car stolen from a car park be reduced to zero with effective design?	An innovative high tech sensor is designed in to every car parking space which detects whether the vehicle is moved	A zero crime rate and the creation of a business with massive commercial potential

Unpackaged

Unpackaged, an organic local grocery store in North London, used design to help its local customers to be more environmentally friendly by using less wasteful packaging when they buy their supplies.

Result
60% of Unpackaged customers reuse their own packs when they return to the shop and about 1.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions are saved by the store each year compared to if it was selling the same groceries pre packed

How to find and work with a designer: case studies

If you’ve never commissioned a designer or design consultancy before it might well be hard to know where to start looking and how to select the best one for the job. It’s worth saying at the outset that, because all projects are different – and because the design process itself should be a flexible one – there is no absolutely carved-in-stone way to approach working with a designer. These case...

Problem	Response	Result
Ever wondered how to make your packs stand out on shelf or your website work better?	You need a designer who understands your company values and aspirations, but you don't know how to find one	We share some practical advice on how to find and work with a designer

Designs to overcome a downturn

When times are tough and revenues are falling there may be a temptation for business to cut ‘discretionary’ budgets - money allocated to activities such as design, perhaps. But design is a powerful tool in a downturn. Our research shows that more than half of the UK’s businesses: ... are looking to design their way out of downturnOver half (54%) of the firms in our survey thought design...

Problem	Response	Result
Knowing how to maintain competitive advantage in challenging economic times is difficult	Design has always been used to combat challenging economic times	Design can do many things for businesses including: delivering a professional image, bringing in new customers and changing buying habits

Public services by design

We interact with public services like post offices, buses or mobile libraries almost every day, but they can be the cause of some major frustrations. Design can help public services work better for their customers, whether that's diabetes patients in Bolton or people who want to post things in Belgium. Browse these case studies of public sector innovation to find out how design methods could...

Result
Happier patients, healthier people, more innovative procurement

Design for business

Challs products didn't stand out on shelf. Serious** needed to stop competitors mimicking its logo. Harrison Fisher needed to fight back against overseas competition. Whether they were small, medium or large, manufacturing, farming or waste management companies, these case studies showcase design that has made business sense. Browse these stories of pack, brand, product and sustainable...

Problem	Response	Result
What's the point in businesses spending on design?	Design tools like brainstorming, prototyping and user-testing can make products and services more saleable	Product, graphic, brand or service designs make businesses more effective and profitable

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