About BDI
What we do
BDI is the trade body representing Industrial Designers involved in product, service and interaction design. We promote their creative expertise, knowledge and experience. Our members’ work with large and small clients has generated billions of pounds in revenue through the creation and exploitation of IP in domestic and global markets.
Founded in 1993, BDI operates as a not-for-profit organisation and receiving no government funding or intervention, we are wholly financed by our members and run by voluntary national and regional boards of passionate professional designers.
As the skill sets of Industrial Designers is widening to meet a range of emerging challenges in the 21st century, from technology to environmental to social issues, one of our key roles is to communicate the value of Industrial Design to the UK economy. We do this by championing our industry to government, business and other trade bodies. With the rapid rate of change in best practice, we also help members with ongoing development to ensure we stay at the peak of our profession.
Another key function is to provide a range of platforms for Industrial Designers - be they consultancies, in-house teams or freelancers - to tell the world about what they do, how they do it and who they do it for. In this way we promote professional excellence and create effective partnerships between design and business.
Via UDIP - our University Industry Design Partnership - we enable more effective innovation through better talent development and collaborative development of intellectual property. The commercial and social benefit of this compelling partnership comes from the combined complementary skills, knowledge and experience of leading universities and design consultancies.
Although representing less than 20 per cent of the UK’s £15 billion commercial design industry, we estimate that our sector generates 80 per cent its value. Our voice has credibility because our members are practicing professionals with a long-proven track record of commercial success.
We are at the centre of British Industrial Design, with our members’ interests at the forefront of everything we do.