After the international success of Design Indaba 1999, the fourth Design Indaba Conference in 2001 refined its ideals by promoting more discussion of issues and trends relevant to design in the service of communication. The conference exposed its delegates to cutting-edge design trends, opinions and techniques to enhance skills in assessing design and building brands through effective design management.

However, the fourth Design Indaba also realised the need to grow its audiences and share its insights with a general public previously indifferent to good design. To these ends, the quarterly Design Indaba magazine was launched in January 2001, as well as the Design Indaba Trust and Design Indaba Workshop Series.