BOP was commissioned by the Design Council to provide tools and knowledge to maximise the value of the UK design economy. We mapped design clusters at both national and local levels, revealing their contribution to employment, exports, and regional growth, and offered a clear picture of how design underpins the wider economy.  

To benchmark the UK internationally, we aligned our analysis with OECD and UNESCO frameworks, ensuring the findings could stand alongside leading global comparators. Alongside this work, we developed a robust methodology for assessing the economic value of design, setting out practical recommendations to strengthen the design economy and unlock its potential to deliver greater impact across the UK. 

The resulting study equipped the Design Council with a powerful evidence base to demonstrate the critical importance of design to both policymakers and industry decision makers.