It's official - We're Growth Accelerators and Growth Voucher Advisers!

At DFA, design is more than visual appearance and marketing communication. Design, used properly, is your engine for commercial growth. Our Brand Driven Change framework outlines how we use design to engage customers and drive sales externally, whilst motivating colleagues and building culture internally.

In recognition of the commercial focus of our design approach, we have recently been given preferred supplier status as part of the government-backed Growth Accelerator Programme (GAP) and Growth Voucher Advisers.

GAP and Growth Voucher offers match funding for development projects that can be shown to drive commercial growth. Get in touch if you'd like to know about applying for funding, with DFA as your design partner.

Introducing... DePol

Leyland-based DePol Associates are our second Growth Accelerator and Growth Voucher client. This rapidly growing team of planning consultants has commissioned DFA to help develop a brand presence capable of driving their ambitious growth plans.

Starting with exploratory workshops with staff, we are now in the process of conducting primary qualitative research with the firm's customer base as a foundation for providing brand strategy and development recommendations by the end of July.

What Is Design?

Design Force Is Changing

Like most industry professionals, we’re normally too busy doing design to actually stop and think about what exactly design is. But all that’s about to change. As are we. Why? Because after 16 years in the business, working on everything from brand identity, comms and advertising, to research and insight, strategic development and internal change, we don’t think our current name says everything we want it to. So Design Force is evolving and to help us, we’re asking the question – What is Design?

To try and find the answer, we’re embarking on a quest to discover what you think design is. Which is why, over the next few months, we’ll be asking as many people as possible to finish the following sentence:

What Is Design?

We’d love to hear what you think. Post a comment, take a snap, or scribble a doodle. In fact do whatever it takes to share your definition of design.

Share Your Thoughts

There are many ways you can get involved. Send us a quick tweet to let us know what it means to you. Get involved in our discussions over in our Linkedin group, we want to hear what it means to everyone, no matter what you do for a living!

If you're feeling creative, why not use the hashtag #whatisdesign and create a picture or video on Instagram. We'd love to see and share your work!

We can't wait to see what you all think of design!