Our annual research trip: this year London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Munich

In late June we’re heading to Europe on our annual research mission. For the past 20 years, we’ve combined travel with work. We work while holidaying, meeting with like-minded creatives to investigate what’s happening in design businesses in other parts of the world.

This year feels particularly important. While Australian studios grapple with tight budgets, AI disruption, and increased competition, we want to understand what’s working in other markets. Sometimes the best solutions come from stepping outside your immediate environment.

Three questions we’re investigating

1: How are European studios measuring (and proving) design impact to clients?

We’re meeting with researchers in London who’ve developed new approaches to demonstrating design value, particularly when traditional metrics aren’t available. With Australian clients increasingly demanding ROI evidence, we want to understand practical measurement techniques that work in real-world studio environments.

2: What can we learn from similar business models?

In Amsterdam, we’re visiting a consultancy that operates similarly to us: helping creative businesses with strategy and growth. They’ve been running for over a decade and have developed approaches we’re curious about.

We’re particularly interested in how they’ve adapted their model as the industry has evolved, and what they’re seeing work with their clients.

3: How is behavioural design being applied commercially?

Also in Amsterdam, we’re meeting with a team that specialises in using design to influence behaviour change. They’re working with commercial clients to create measurable behaviour shifts through design interventions.

Given our recent articles about moving beyond deliverables to outcomes, we want to understand how this approach works in practice.

Want to meet up?

We’re also looking for designers in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Munich who’d be interested in chatting. Whether you’re an Australian expat, a local designer curious about the Australian market, or someone working on interesting projects, we’d love to connect.

Coffee conversations with designers have always been the highlight of our research trips. Some of our best insights come from informal chats about what’s working, what’s not, and what’s changing.

If you’re in any of these cities and interested in meeting please email.

So what?

Over the coming weeks, we’ll share what we learn through practical articles and insights — intelligence about what’s working elsewhere and how it might apply to Australian studios.

We’ll also be honest about what doesn’t translate. Not every European approach will work here, and we’ll explain why.

The Australian design industry is adapting to significant changes. Rather than just analysing problems, we want to investigate potential solutions and share what we discover.

This research trip is our investment in understanding how the industry is evolving globally and what that might mean for Australian studios.

We’ll report back with what we learn.

As always, happy to discuss further, just email.

Carol Mackay

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About Carol Mackay

After 30+ years running a design studio, I accumulated a pretty special network of fellow designers. One thing most have in common: a need for more information about the ‘business’ side of design. Most are impatient with any task competing for time spent doing what they love – designing so they wanted more info about how to work more efficiently and effectively.

Not me. I love that intersection between design and business. I built a career working with Ombudsman schemes, the Emergency Services sector and the Courts. My special power has always been an ability to use design to translate the difficult to understand or the unpalatable message.

I now use exactly the same skills with creative business owners. I translate the indigestible into bite-sized chunks of information. I share insights, introduce tools and embed processes to help others build confidence business decision-making skills. More confidence makes it easier to grasp opportunities. More confidence makes it easier to recognise a good client from the bad.

Outside DBC I have mentored with Womentor, AGDA The Aunties, and most recently Regional Arts NSW.
And I’m a proud volunteer and board member of Never Not Creative.

Always happy to chat, I can be contacted here.