DBA and Design Council join forces

The Design Council is poised to launch a string of joint initiatives with the Design Business Association this week, aimed at boosting the development of design groups and the market for buying design services.

The first of these will be the creation of a design referral service in spring 2006, which is likely to consolidate the council’s existing system, that of the DBA and potentially others. The matchmaker service will be aimed at design buyers. Designers and consultancies will be listed with their professional accreditation.

The second joint initiative sees Design Council chief executive David Kester joining the DBA board as a ‘special advisor’ from 27 April.

Also planned is the commissioning of an extensive piece of research into the state of the design industry from the perspective of designers and design consultancies. More than 2500 professionals will be canvassed and the results published in September.

‘We are working closely with the DBA because the DBA is really working hard to extend itself and to establish partnerships with other organisations,’ says Kester.

‘This is not about saying the Design Council only works with the DBA. I hope this will provide a model for other organisations [to collaborate with us],’ he adds.

Deborah Dawton, chief executive of the DBA, explains, ‘This will change the face of the DBA over the next few years.’

Of the research Dawton adds, ‘If we can better predict the issues that face design consultancies then we will all be better prepared to offer the appropriate resources and assistance.’