How to Measure the Value of Design (RoI)

Great design leads to great products, and excellent products lead to business success. Pretty straightforward, especially from a designer’s point of view.

However, when an executive asks us, “What’s the ROI (Return on Investment) of that design system?” we may find ourselves in a bit of a fluster.

A study conducted by McKinsey & Company international consulting firm found that the best design performers with a design value culture increase their revenues and shareholder returns at nearly twice the rate of their industry counterparts.

While calculating design ROI can seem daunting, it’s a fairly linear process if you follow these four steps.

• Define your business goals
• Define your design project’s outcomes
• Identify measurable CX/UX metrics
• Calculate the ROI with an ROI model or using a formula.

Of course, there’s more to it, but we explain how to measure the value of design (ROI), diving deep into those four steps above.