Australian Design Alliance Releases Launch Report



16th November, 2010

The Australian Design Alliance [AdA] has released a report detailing the outcomes of the launch on 3 September of this new national peak body for design by His Excellency, Michael Bryce AM AE (http://www.australiandesignalliance.com).

Mr Bryce said: "The formation of the Australian Design Alliance to provide evidence-based multi-disciplinary advice to governments and industry represents a step towards a new respect for the place that designers can play in our everyday lives." One hundred of Australia's leading designers, architects, planners, artists, educators and policy makers launched the new Alliance at a first-ever national meeting for such a broadly representative group held in the Utzon Room of Australia's design landmark, the Sydney Opera House.

Twelve peak organisations representing all aspects of Australia's design industry and research network have formed the AdA to boost Australia's productivity, sustainability and innovation through design. The new Alliance emerged from a series of consultations about how design should be an integral element of Australia's national innovation system at a time of rapidly changing business models and processes.

AdA director and CEO of the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia, Jo-Ann Kellock said: "Australia's design professionals are internationally renowned for their creative skills, project management and teamwork. These are crucial capabilities for a more productive Australian economy."

The Alliance would pursue a national design agenda based on:

> national design policy linked to Australia's innovation agenda;
> case studies demonstrating how good design can contribute to improved economic growth through supporting superior business models and improved public sector service delivery;
> design education integrated at all levels from the school curriculum to tertiary education.

Mr Bryce also said, "Good design in all of its fields, creates economic and competitive outcomes. Poor design or design by default leaves too much to chance. If Australia is to be counted in the progressive nations of the world, competing on a world stage, it is no longer good enough to be only an agricultural and minerals based economy."

In one example discussed at the meeting, Mr Anthony Henry, Division Director at Macquarie Group was asked how design thinking has had a positive impact on Macquarie and helped the business maintain a competitive advantage.

Mr Henry said:"Key to the advantage is the environment in which staff now interact and work. Coming up with the most innovative solutions is best achieved when staff are comfortable and inspired. Macquarie's new interior design has impacted in ways we didn't anticipate and design process has started to influence the way we think."

The Australian Design Alliance represents a substantial constituency. The combined national membership of the member organisations is in excess of 20,000 and they represent a constituency of almost 80,000 design practitioners. A brief can be found at www.australiandesignalliance.com.au

[AdA] Members include:

> Australian Craft and Design Centres (ACDC)
> Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA)
> Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA)
> Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT)
> Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA)
> Craft Australia
> Design Institute of Australia (DIA)
> National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)
> The Council for Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS)
> Australian International Design Awards (AIDA),
> Standards Australia

[AdA] observers include:

> Australian Planning Institute - Urban Design Chapter
> Australian Institute of Architects (AIA)

Lisa Cahill
Program Manager
Australian Design Alliance (AdA)
info@australiandesignalliance.com
www.australiandesignalliance.com
02 9368 1900