David Worthington works on Policy Connect brand

David Worthington is working on a new identity for not-for-profit organisation Policy Connect, which features improving Government design-buying among its aims.

Policy Connect, a neutral group that was founded in 1995, aims to bring together Parliament and industry to promote effective policy in five key areas: skills, environment, health, design and sustainability. The organisation’s identity is currently formed of a Helvetica typeface and visual motif appearing in five colourways, representing the five policy areas the organisation covers.

Worthington, who is chairman of Lloyd Northover Group, has taken on the Policy Connect work as a private commission. He was appointed directly to the work in October 2008, and the new identity is set to roll out this autumn.

One of Policy Connect’s sub-groups is the Associate Parliamentary Group for Design and Innovation, which shares its parent body’s visual motif.
APGDI aims to improve design buying in Government and is currently linking up with the Design Business Association to engage in a research-based initiative to try to improve procurement.

A series of assemblies was held at the House of Lords, to harvest the views of designers, those who commission designers, and policy experts. The meetings, which followed the procedures of a select committee, were chaired by Baroness Janet Whitaker.

A 5000-word summary of the findings, written by APGDI manager Jocelyn Bailey, will be presented to Parliament in October. Some of the ideas that emerged – which are merely suggestions at this juncture – include proposals for Government departments to approach design consultancies directly, mirroring private-sector procurement practice, and for more Government departments to have in-house design managers.

Work carried out by Policy Connect:

  • Runs Parliamentary groups
  • Conducts original research and writes policy reports
  • Communicates policy to stakeholders
  • Promotes closer ties between sectors
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