Wallis Consulting Group were engaged to conduct research on Victoria's design sector and how businesses use and value design. The research considered:
- its scale, performance, characteristics and capabilities - including its strengths, potential and key challenges
- how small to medium enterprises use and value design
- the impact of design on Victoria's economy, environment and society
Five Years On harnesses and disseminates this knowledge to enable industry and the design sector to benchmark and improve performance.
The report, released in December 2008, highlights that Victoria's design sector is highly competitive, well recognised, contributes $7 billion annually to our economy and accounts for more than $300 million in design-related exports.
Other key findings indicate indicates:
- 37 per cent of all businesses in Victoria, totalling 69,000 organisations, make some use of design
- 4,200 design consultancies operate in Victoria, an increase of 35 per cent over five years since the last research conducted in 2003
- 76,350 people are employed in design roles in Victoria, an increase of 14 per cent over five years since the last research conducted in 2003
- The total revenue of design consultancies is estimated at $4.9 billion. 76 per cent is estimated to come from within Victoria, 17 per cent elsewhere in Australia and 7 per cent from overseas
- Victorian businesses that use design are more likely to show profit growth, as well as higher rates of profit growth, than those that don't invest in design; and
- While Victorian businesses use design at rates comparable to similar OECD countries, such as Denmark and Ireland, there is scope to use design more effectively to drive competitiveness.
Five Years On - Victoria's Design Sector Report (PDF 5526.16 KB)
PDF Version of the Report
Five Years On - Victoria's Design Sector Report (DOC 470.5 KB) 
Word Version of the Report
