Good Design Is Good Business

In the 1950s Thomas Watson of IBM famously said, "Good design is good business." The heart of the matter in Watson's quote is that he didn't say, "Design is good business"; he said, "Good design" is good business."

As we enter the 21st century it is becoming increasingly clear that design well conceived and well executed can make the world a better, more interesting place.

In addition, design is emerging as a critical strategic component of American management and commerce. Design now is being used to establish corporate identities, to develop brands, and to differentiate products from competition.

A striking aspect of this trend is that it is occurring across an extraordinarily broad array of business sectors. Driving all this is the realization that good design can assist in generating revenues and delivering profits.