Design Process – Burberry & Experian

According to Kotler and Rath, most companies lack a design touch but that successful design is integral to a companies success. Design is not just the look/ feel/ styling of a product, rather it is much more than that and that companies may experience an increase in profitability by taking on board the design elements of performance quality, durability, appearance and cost. (Kotler et al) and ensuring that customers needs are met both practically and aesthetically.

Using the above concepts, pertinent questions, such as those suggested below, may be asked of existing and potential clients. By understanding and communicating the design requirements appropriately, Experian and Burberry can aid their corporate performance by selling products and services that customers want and increase satisfaction because they are delivering what the client needs.

1. providing access to a wide variety of markets

2. a core competence should make a significant contribution to perceived customer benefits

3. should be difficult for competitors to replicate.

GUS is a retail and business services group (www.gusplc.com) which has been stream-lined from a diverse conglomerate into a group with three clear divisions or strategic business units (SBU) ARG, Experian and Burberry’s (Appendix 1). Each division is clearly defined and cover the mass market (ARG), the quality high end market (Burberry) and customer intelligence (Experian).

It can be seen from the SBU review (Appendix 1) that individually, non of the business units ‘pass’ the three step competency test, however, taken corporately as one, the GUS empire, together they form a unique portfolio and work together for the benefit of the overall group (GUS) and quite possibly unique in having three such distinct, and yet complementary divisions, all necessary to ensure corporate advantage and market growth.

Market Growth/ Market Share (Boston Group Matrix) overview and recommendations.

Having ascertained the customers’ exact needs and product requirements, Trueman and Jobber take the concept further by taking the design principle to a competitive level and introducing the four dimensions Value, Image, Process and Production (VIPP). Should Experian and Burberry’s introduce such a system, then this value added process ‘monitors’ the new product/ service development through concept to delivery.