Stage 1: Initial data It is important to define the company- and project-specific data carefully, because the forecast given by the tool is based on project information retrieved from the database based on the parameters given. Below is a review of the initial data needed for forecasting. The classification of sectors corresponds to that used by Statistics Finland. The list includes the top sector categories. It is important to determine the company’s level of design competence for the forecast, because this has been found to affect the outcome of design projects. The target market defines whether the client operates on a b-to-b or b-to-c basis. The degree of novelty of the object of design – i.e. whether the project relates to a whole new product or service or to updating an existing one – determines which financial key figures will be requested. The usage context refers to whether the object of design is meant for internal or external use. The object of design can be a physical or digital product, service, space or brand, each of which can be subdivided further into specific items. The benefits achievable from the project depend on the object. Targets are set for the project based on the sought design benefits. The chosen benefits can be given the weighting 1, 0.6, 0.3 or 0. A list of benefits is provided to give an indication of the scope of effects of design, and thereby to reveal some of the links between design and financial performance. If the sought-after design benefits are achieved, clients can concretely see the results of the project and their possible financial and intangible effects on the company.
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DESIGN ROI TOOL