McKinsey: Designers are critical to business performance, but there’s a big catch

It’s no secret that a healthy design team is critical to a healthy business. But why do some design teams thrive while others fail?   A new report from McKinsey digs into that question, with some surprising findings. It studied data from 3 million designers in more than 100,000 design departments and found that the key to a successful design team has nothing to do with how many designers you have, but rather where you're putting them to work. Read more in Mark Wilson’s story here. — Co.Design Editors   McKinsey report: Designers are critical to business performance, but there’s a big catch A massive McKinsey analysis of 3 million designers and 100,000 design departments reveals some surprising insights into how businesses should leverage their design department.   READ MORE   Food waste makes up 30% of household garbage. These massive machines turn it into fertilizer It could be the start of a rat-free New York City.   READ MORE   A bold new design journal is upending the status quo: ‘Design should feel more like jazz’ The biannual publication has been pushing for a more equitable understanding of design for two years.   READ MORE   Want to burn less fossil fuel? Use body heat to warm buildings instead The human body produces energy, most of which is released as heat. Buildings can—and should—harness that.   READ MORE

This map collects the world’s lost monuments. But it’s more than ruin porn A group of artists is trying to capture the disappearing architectural monuments of the last century, from Baltimore to Belgrade.   READ MORE       Last chance to enter the 2022 Innovation by Design Awards! The 2022 Innovation by Design Awards honor the designers and businesses solving the most crucial problems of today and anticipating the pressing issues of tomorrow. The competition, now in its 11th year, features a range of blue-chip companies, emerging startups, and hungry young talents. It is one of the most sought-after design awards in the industry, and the deadline to enter is tonight at 11:59 PT. There are 46 categories that capture every facet of design. Entries are judged on the key ingredients of innovation: functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural impact, and business impact. APPLY NOW

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