The concept of design has developed over time, and consequently, the design competence is now at work in new contexts and anchored more broadly in society than it once was. According to the Danish Design Centre, therefore, certain criteria have to be met for something to constitute good design.

It is the Danish Design Centre’s conviction that good design in the 21st century is characterised by a number of elements including innovation, user-friendliness, aesthetics, responsibility and durability.

But most importantly, good design is the way to good business. A good design also relies on the willingness to pursue innovation, and it takes courage to deviate from the beaten path and create renewal. Nevertheless, it is crucial for business competitiveness to dare to pursue design and innovation, so that new products and solutions keep being developed and commercialised.

Thus, we hold up the winners of the Danish Design Prize 2010/11 as examples to the rest of Danish business and industry. We hope that even more Danish companies will invest in the use of design as a key element in their business strategy and thus benefit from the economic gains that this offers. A dedicated and deliberate design effort is one of the ways to building a successful business, and this year’s prize winners are good examples of that.