10 Useful Cost Saving Design Strategies for These Troubled Times

I’m sure all of you will agree with me that we will have tough times to come. Troubled people don’t spend money, rather they hoard it. This means our consumer product and development industry will be affected. Logically, many companies tighten their belts and cut budgets of “non essential” activities. Many times such non-vital activities tend to be Design, marketing, advertising and R&D.

Without sounding biased, I strongly encourage companies to be a little more far sighted and do their best not to cut design budget. History has shown that companies, who position themselves well through great design strategies, often make it out of the recession in much better shape than the competition.

Here are some Design Strategies companies you can employ to beat that recession blues:

1) Get to know your target consumer better.

2) Make fewer products.

3) Have a go with Face-lifts.

4) Clean up your brand strategies and communications.

5) Focus your marketing plans and make hard decisions.

6) Employ and deploy great design processes and chain management.

7) Come up with strategic cost reduction product concepts.

8) Cost down your product.

9) Get design involved universally within your organization.

10) Learn from your competition.

Full article at http://blog.futurelab.net