The True Business Value of Design

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein

Value is an attribute that defines how much something is worth. People tend to make decisions by assessing value, such as “Should I buy that product?” or, “Should I subscribe to that service?” As they are considering the business value of design, business leaders may ask: “Should I hire a designer?”

Value is not something a designer can simply assign themselves and have a potential client automatically recognize it. However, designers can focus on the business value of design and master the art of presenting themselves as value-driven professionals.

Rather than focusing on embellishing their portfolio or increasing their rate, in order to boost bookings and be paid more, designers should concentrate on becoming more valuable to clients. Since businesses are primarily looking for results, i.e., value delivered, designers who can demonstrate they’re able to deliver value will stand out from the crowd.

But electing to concentrate on increasing their value is a strategy that may prove to be challenging for many designers. It calls for a different set of skills from core design skills and requires a different approach that centers on enhancing soft skills and focusing on the client’s bottom line.

What Do Businesses and Brands Value the Most?

There is a common misconception among designers that they only need to aim for great visuals and cool-looking designs, and everything else will follow. Though aesthetics matter, it’s not the most critical factor when it comes to a business evaluating what type of designer to hire.

Companies find it more valuable when a design provides their customers a solution to a problem—increasing conversions, eliminating pain-points, and reducing friction. In other words, clients value a designer’s problem-solving skills more than their ability to deliver pretty-looking designs alone.

To be more successful, a shift in mindset is required—designers need to position themselves as problem-solvers, not “artists.” The value designers can deliver is directly proportional to how valuable they are perceived. A skilled designer can design a cool-looking landing page, but not everybody can solve a pressing customer problem that a company has been grappling with for a while.

There is a well-known saying that may help illustrate this concept: “Show, don’t tell.” Anton Chekhov said: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” Showing how a business problem was solved and walking through previous design case studies with a client—highlighting value delivered with key results—goes a long way in establishing trust and credibility.

Amateurs give advice, experts diagnose.

Chris Do, founder and CEO of Blind