Consumer research to quantify design’s value

The current vogue to define design and quantify its value continues with the announcement of a joint research project, to establish the influence of design in consumer purchasing decisions.

The two-year research programme, to be run by the Design Museum, the Consumers Association and Goldsmiths College, kicks off on 13 June. The initiative follows the Government’s Creative Industries Taskforce, which aims to analyse the design industry, and the Design Council’s Millennium Projects scheme.

The launch will bring 40 members of the public together with designers, advertisers and clients to discuss the success of popular household products, such as the common kettle.

“There is no real research to indicate the influence of design and we felt it was time to measure the effect of design on people’s purchasing behaviour,” says a Design Museum spokeswoman.

The exact programme of research has yet to be decided, although the spokeswoman says it may further involve designers at a later stage in the process.

The project is the first involving the newly formed Dyson Centre for Education and Training, set up under the auspices of the Design Museum as part of a broadening of its activities.

This includes the appointment of Eric Kentley in the newly created position of assistant director for education and curatorial programming at the museum.