Design-Led Businesses Do These Three Things Right

Design plays a huge role in getting customer experiences right. It also is proving to be a tremendous business advantage for firms that see design as a strategic differentiator for the organization.

Design plays a huge role in getting customer experiences right. It also is proving to be a tremendous business advantage for firms that see design as a strategic differentiator for the organization.

Indeed, these businesses have formal design processes established for marketing, product, and customer experience initiatives, according to research from Adobe, in partnership with Forrester. Furthermore, design is integral to shaping digital CX and is involved at every stage of strategic planning.

The 2016 research outlines three common attributes of design-led firms, all of which remain in place today. The first: Design-led firms consciously put the customer first, with 46% of design leaders citing an emotional bond with customers as a defining characteristic of an advanced design practice.

Second, design-led firms test ideas with their customers, with 83% having tools and systems in place to do so.

Third, design-led companies involve their designers in shaping the CX strategy, the study found.

“Companies hoping to drive customer loyalty and stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape filled with a growing number of digital touch points and rising customer expectations must put design at the core of their business,” Adobe said in its report. “Brands should assess their design maturity and follow these recommendations to deliver superior, design-led digital experiences that ultimately drive business results.”