Design Wales

Design Wales is an organisation based at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, which over the years has raised the profile and increased the use of design within the Wales’ economy. This to a great extent has been achieved by providing one to one design advise directly to Welsh companies and organisations. Understanding the importance of integrating design into long-term business strategies has proved to have been instrumental in the sustainability of many companies throughout Wales.

It was launched in December 1994 by the Secretary of State for Wales, John Redwood, as the Welsh Design Advisory Service. In the April 2000 it was renamed Design Wales. Over the last few years Design Wales has also initiated several design programmes for companies based in Wales, these have included 'Understanding computer-aided design', 'Design In The Food Sector' and 'Brand Essentials'.

International Institute of Design Policy & Support

In March 2010 Design Wales became part of the newly formed International Institute of Design Policy & Support (IIDPS), based within the National Centre for Product Design & Development Research (PDR) - the design and engineering research centre based at UWIC. Operating as Design Wales for all activities taking place in Wales, the IIDPS now extend their activities to an international stage through training, research and networks.

SEEdesign

Between 2005 and 2007, Design Wales co-ordinated the EU-funded programme "SEEdesign"–Sharing Experience on Design Support for SMEs. Other partners were Design Flanders, The Design Centre of the Czech Republic, Design Centre Rhone-Alps, Experimental Centre for Furniture and Furnishing (Italy), Danish Design Centre, and the University of Manchester (ESRC Centre for Research on Innovation and Competition - CRIC).

SEEProject

Between September 2008 and June 2011 Design Wales are coordinating the EU-funded (INTERREG) programme SEEProject. Leading eleven design organisations from across Europe the SEEProject seeks to understand and develop the role of design in realising regional and national innovation policy.

Cardiff Design Festival and Ffres Awards

Design Wales has always been closely associated with and supporter of the Cardiff Design Festival. Although Design Wales' main objective is to work with industry, it also has a remit to support and encourage design within education; to this end the "Ffres Awards" have been initiated.

^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}

References

1. ^ Wales On-line - Graphic warning: Grab the best or they’ll go
2. ^ http://www.seedesign.org/seedesign/news.aspx?id=9
3. ^ DMI Publications - DMI Review Article
4. ^ Profitable by design - Daily Post North Wales
5. ^ http://www.designwales.org.uk/designwalessf/Img/programme_south.pdf
6. ^ http://www.win4wales.com/site/upload/document/december_newsletter.pdf
7. ^ Mudpie :: design wales’ trend event (gbr)

External links

• Design Directory Wales web-site
• Design Wales web-site
• Danish Design Centre web-site
• International Institute of Design Policy & Support web-site
• SEEProject web-site
• Interreg (European Commission)web-site
• Freelance web Design Cardiff