A framework for services evaluation in integrated design consultancies: a triangular approach

The design sector is a dynamic field characterized by fierce competition. Design consultancies, namely those companies which provide design services to other organizations in the form of consultancy work, are increasingly challenged to commit time and resources to their business development. Additionally, design-aware clients require from them greater levels of operational sophistication. This paper presents a triangular framework which integrated design consultancies, i.e. those integrating a number of design services under one roof, can use to assess their client services, design work and their own marketing activities. It consists of three entities: the consultancy, the client and the account, a notional entity which includes the collective of past, ongoing and future design projects for the same client, involves teams from the other two entities and requires their synergy. Each of these relate to a number of criteria which they are judged against, as well as criteria which interconnect them. The framework was applied in a Glasgow-based integrated design consultancy which provided important intelligence for the consultancy and tested the framework's effectiveness. The framework proved a very useful tool for any integrated design consultancy aiming to assess its services in light of its continuous business development.