The concept of the Experience Economy was first used by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore in an article in 1998. While it has been around for a while, it is in the last five years that customer centricity and "everything UX" have seen a true takeoff.  While few can challenge the fact that good design centered in the user/customer supports successful innovation, does it also support operational efficiency? How can design, sometimes considered a “nonessential matter” in business, support growth?