In capital goods, can design pay for itself?
The question sounds financial—but in truth it’s strategic. Design is more than a cost item; it’s a value driver.
Yet in discussions with industry I sometimes hear: “Design is nice—but it mustn’t cost anything, because we don’t need it.” “Design is nice—but it mustn’t cost anything, because we don’t need it.”.
That sentence is expensive.
Because it’s short-sighted. What if good design pays off? What if a well-designed product generates fewer complaints, is quicker to understand, or simply stands out at trade fairs and in the market because it’s visibly well thought-out?
An ergonomic control panel saves training time and minimizes misuse. A positive product experience convinces. A well-conceived enclosure concept can shorten assembly processes and optimize the number of parts. Design supports by making product attributes visible. A clear design language signals competence and builds trust. Design contributes to the brand. Then design isn’t a luxury, but an investment with a return.
We live in a visual world—whether we like it or not. People believe what they see. And industry would be ill-advised to ignore that simple fact. If you want to create impact, you have to be seen. Design is the strategic tool for that.
So design can earn back its costs—not in cents per unit, but through lower downstream costs, differentiation, stronger brands and loyalty—in short: market success. Design pays off—when you give it the chance.
So we have to turn the question around:
How much does it cost to forgo design?