The Australian Design Council is proud to announce the launch of the Design Review and Design Pioneer programs, aimed at embedding Australia’s world-class design capability into businesses, industry sectors, and the nation. The programs seek to amplify economic, social, cultural, and environmental impact by ensuring the right problems are identified and effectively solved through design.
With a bold vision to position Australia as a globally recognised design-led nation, this initiative is a major milestone in embedding world-class design capability into the heart of business strategy and national progress.
The Design Review, available for free to any Australian business or organisation, is an invaluable on-line tool to evaluate their level of design maturity and the impact they are delivering. This self-guided assessment generates a comprehensive report that includes tailored case studies and actionable recommendations to help amplify design impact.
For organisations seeking further validation, an optional Design Capability Review is also available. This paid service is conducted by an independent Design Expert and offers formal verification of the organisation’s design capabilities and impact.
To honour design-led businesses undertaking a Design Impact Review, the Australian Design Council will list them on the Design Pioneer showcase – a national celebration of pioneering businesses using design to drive transformational change across economic, social, cultural, and environmental domains.
Driving Competitive Advantage through Design
Design-led businesses deliver more than just innovation – they shape markets, strengthen communities, and create lasting competitive advantage. The Design Pioneer showcase is the spark to ignite a design movement across Australia’s economy.
“Design is not just how things look; it’s about building products and services that deliver real impact. It’s how businesses think, drive productivity, create value, and remain globally competitive,” said Dr. Sam Bucolo, Executive Director of the Australian Design Council. “The Design Review and Design Pioneer programs send a strong message to Australian businesses that design is a strategic asset for any business seeking to lead in today’s complex world.”
Australian Design Council’s Design Capability Framework
Leveraging Australia’s World Class Design Capability
The Australian Design Council’s mission is to embed Australia’s world-class design capability into every facet of business, government, and society – transforming organisations, products, services, environments, policies, and systems for lasting impact.
“As the professional body for design, the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) is proud to support this important initiative that will help grow the demand for professional designers in this country,” said Jo-Ann Kellock, CEO of the Design Institute of Australia.
“As we build demand for professional designers in Australia, we need to ensure we match this demand with our world-class design capability. We look forward to working with the Australian Design Council to draw on our DIA accreditation programs to support the Design Review Program,” added Jo-Ann.
MORE ABOUT THE DESIGN REVIEW PROGRAM AND SELF-ASSESSMENT HERE
Main images courtesy of Good Design Australia
