We Are The People We’ve Been Waiting For

Having spent over four years exploring the results of our flawed and non-creative education system, and subsequently inspired by the work and voice of Sir Ken Robinson, Lord Puttnam, Richard Gerver and others, I was excited to hear last week via Ken Robinson of a new film documentary that premiered in London last night, We Are The People We’ve Been Waiting For.

This landmark independent documentary, inspired and guided by Lord Puttnam and Sir Michael Barber, explores the education system in the UK and asks whether the current system provides young people with the opportunity to develop their talents. High-profile figures sharing their personal experiences and views include Sir Richard Branson, Germaine Greer, Henry Winkler, Bill Bryson, Sir Ken Robinson and a wide range of education experts from around the world.

This thought-provoking film offers unique insight across generations and nations, and reveals a very inconvenient truth about education. The world is changing rapidly but our education system is not keeping pace.

Sir Ken Robinson’s 2001 book “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative” was and remains one of my greatest working inspirations and his second book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, published this year adds to his belief that individual talent, human capacity and creativity should be enhanced in schools, not stifled.

Interestingly, only last month we heard Thomas Friedman offer his opinion as to the need to understand today’s education challenge and a new era of, what he describes as, ‘The New Untouchables’.

I do hope this film reaches everyone and not only asks if the current system is providing young people with the right opportunities (we know the answer to this one), but I hope it actually instigates the revolution we so desperately need. “We don’t need to reform education, we need to transform it”, explains Sir Ken Robinson.

For more information visit
+ WeArethePeopleMovie.com
+ EDGE: Education Revolution
+ Guardian: Welcome to the Real World

Filed under: On Culture, On Education, On People, On Society , Creative Intelligence, EDGE, Education, Human, individual, Innovation, Lord Puttnam, Movie, Sir Ken Robinson, Talent, We Are The People, We Are The People We've Been Waiting For

By/Association – Social Innovation Network

Earlier this week I stumbled on By/Association, the latest in a line of social innovation projects from alldaybuffet.

“Innovation is an emergent phenomenon that happens when a person or organization fosters interaction between different kinds of people and disparate forms of knowledge.” — Murray Gell-Mann

‘By/Association seeks to reinvent the traditional notion of “networking” by enabling substantive interactions and long-term relationships. By/Association is for people who want to make their lives, ideas, and networks richer by meeting other remarkable people. It’s not about getting help with your current need or project. It’s about connecting to people that make you better — to inspire more action, better ideas, and new ways of seeing the world.’

For all information about memberships, visit ByAssoc.com

Filed under: On Community, On People, On Social Design , All Day Buffet, By/Association, Network, Networking, Social Innovation

Alice Rawsthorn on Good Design

On Sunday 28 June 2009 at London’s Conway Hall, Alice Rawsthorn (design critic of the International Herald Tribune, columnist for the New York Times and a leading authority on contemporary design) will host a ’sermon’ at The School of Life entitled “Alice Rawsthorn on Good Design”.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Ethics, On Events, On People, On Social Design, On Writing & Criticism , Alice Rawsthorn, Good Design, Social Impact, The School of Life, What is Good Design

“Globalisation Era Spearheaded by Individuals”

Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman speaks on the MIT campus in a talk entitled The World is Flat 3.0, where he discusses the 2007 update to his bestseller The World is Flat and provides a preview of his latest book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded.

Filed under: On Culture, On People, On Social Design, On Society , Flatland, Globalisation, Hot Flat and Crowded, The World is Flat 3.0, Thomas Friedman

Waking Up Tomorrow…

Moving picture company Crush + Lovely have been asking hundreds of people one simple question.. see the project and responses here.

(Thanks to Ravensbourne undergraduate Megan Riera).

Filed under: On Community, On People , Fifty People One Question, Happiness, Social, Wake Up

An Unchained Interview

Back in December 2008, I interviewed Lea Simpson, co-founder of Unchained, the online guide to independent shopping in London and New York. Behance Magazine have published the interview today, so do take a look to find out more!

Filed under: On Ethics, On People, On Social Design, On Sustainability, On Writing & Criticism , Lea Simpson, Unchained

Tie Me To Your Favourite Thing

If you had to tie a red balloon to your favourite thing, what would you tie it to?

As part of her undergraduate project Douceurs, post graduate service designer Lauren Currie, (a.k.a Red Jotter), took a dozen red balloons to a park in Edinburgh, and to encourage traditional communication between the public asked people she met to tie them to their favourite thing.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Community, On Culture, On People, On Social Design, On Society , Balloons, Community, Design, Douceurs, Lauren Currie, RedJotter, Research

Education, Education, Education

A story worth learning, from the magnificent Richard Gerver.

Filed under: On Education, On People , Creative Intelligence, Creativity, Education, Intelligence, Richard Gerver, Sir Ken Robinson, Talent, The Element

Green Spin: Should we believe the hype?

On Friday evening, as part of the magnificent Greengaged hub of sustainability events (at London’s Design Council), a series of leading speakers will debate; “Should we believe the hype? Green Marketing, spin and substance.”

In 2007, 70% of the US’s GDP was generated from consumption. UK household waste has been growing by 2% – 3% per cent a year. The average shopper in the developed world shopper adds 3 tonnes of CO2 to their carbon footprint by simply buying stuff. Products and services are clicking on to the big sell of green. In the climate of economic down turn how can we create behaviour change in consumers who are bombarded by advertising and bored of green wash.

Chaired by Lucy Siegle from The Observer, the speakers include: Ed Gillespie (Futerra), Sophie Thomas (thomas.matthews), Stewart Rassier (Saatchi & Saatchi S), Richard George (Plane Stupid), Chris Sherwin (Forum for the Future), John Grant (author of The Green Marketing Manifesto).

To join the debate visit Greengaged.com and book your place! Kick off is at 6.30pm.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Culture, On Education, On Ethics, On People, On Research, On Social Design, On Society, On Sustainability , Green, greengaged, greenwash, London Design Festival 2008, sustainability, thomas matthews

Teal Triggs depicts ‘Scenes of Graphic London’

With the 2008 London Design Festival only a matter of days away, it is with great respect to read ‘Scenes of Graphic London’, an editorial piece written by Teal Triggs (Professor of Graphic Design, University of the Arts London). Highlighting the importance of Graphic Design to the UK capital, Triggs beautifully captures a timeline of the UK’s most iconic work, and intelligently pays respect to the changing faces of its future. You can download the full article from the London Design Festival website.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Culture, On Education, On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On People, On Research, On Social Design , creative, Design Writing, Graphic Design, london, London College of Communication, London Design Festival 2008, Scenes of Graphic London, Teal Triggs, UK

How Design Can Save Democracy

In conjunction with NYTimes.com, the AIGA’s Ric Grefé and Jessica Friedman Hewitt have developed an interactive demonstration of how good ballot design can improve the voting experience.

Filed under: On Graphic Design, On People, On Social Design, On Society , AIGA, Ballot, communication, Design, Good Design, Graphic Design, How Design Can Save Democracy, Jessica Friedman Hewitt, NYTimes.com, Ric Grefé, Typography, User Experience, Voting

Deborah Szebeko Shortlisted for British Council Award

Deborah Szebeko, Founding Director of Thinkpublic has been shortlisted for the British Council’s UK Young Design Entrepreneur Award 08.

Illustrating the power and potential of using design thinking to tackle some of the UK’s greatest social issues, Deborah and the team at Thinkpublic have helped make significant improvements to communications and patient experiences in the NHS.

“We are faced with a growing amount of social challenges, including an ageing population, social exclusion and global warming to name a few. Designers need to adapt their skills to play a role in helping solving these challenges. Not by designing posters or products, but by using their skills to involve people and communities in the problem solving process. Together we can understand how we can solve these big issues and design sustainable, useful and usable solutions that work in different households, communities, regions and counties.”* – Deborah Szebeko.

Alongside 5 other UK entrepreneurs Deborah has been shortlisted to the top six finalists. The winner will be announced at 100% Design, on 19th September 2008.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Ethics, On People, On Social Design, On Society , Award, British Council Award, Design Entrepreneur, Design Thinking, Entrepreneur, Improvement, NHS, Social, Social Change, UK, UK Young Design Entrepreneur Award 08

The ColaLife Campaign!

Over the last month, I have been helping Simon Berry (CEO, ruralnet|uk) promote his latest idea, and what an idea it is! “ColaLife” is a campaign aiming to leverage Coca Cola’s distribution muscle to distribute life saving medicines to children in developing countries. The idea is so simple, but until now has been difficult to evolve. The power of web 2.0 and social networking media however, has allowed Simon to digitally document his progress and to build a digital support network to develop the campaign.

“We can distribute Coca Cola all around the World but we can’t seem to get medication to save a child from something as simple as diarrhea and I think that that is wrong.” (Annie Lennox)

Since the launch of the campaign and due to the power of a Facebook group, Simon was invited by Salvatore Gabola, Coca-Cola’s Global Head of Stakeholder Relations, to a meeting to discuss the idea further at Coca-Cola’s European HQ in Brussels. The campaign’s Facebook group has reached over 3,890 members since its inception on 18 May 2008. It was nominated for the NewStatesman’s New Media Award in June and showcased at London’s 2gether08 festival on 3 July.

Filed under: On Ethics, On People, On Social Design, On Society, On Sustainability , Aid, Children, coca-cola, coke, ColaLife, Creativity, Kate Andrews, simon berry, social media, Social Networking

Orange RockCorps: Give, Get Given!

A new concept in community volunteering has arrived in the UK, explained The Guardian earlier this month. Orange RockCorps is asking you to give something back to your local community. ‘Give’ just 4 hours of your time to a community project, and you’ll ‘Get Given’ a ticket to the exclusive RockCorps gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall in September! The first confirmed guest in the line up, Busta Rhymes.

+ Orange RockCorps
+ Orange RockCorps – Flickr
+ Orange RockCorps – Facebook

Filed under: Art & Design, On People, On Social Design , Community, Community Engagement, creative, Give. Get Given., Local Community, Orange, Orange RockCorps, RockCorps, Volunteer, Volunteering

Can Coca Cola Save Children’s Lives?

David Wilcox reported this week about an inspiring initiative founded by Simon Berry:

Twenty years ago Simon Berry was a development worker in North Zambia, conscious that while he could buy a bottle of Coke anywhere, children were dying through inadequate distribution of simple medical treatments. In many cases they simply needed rehydration salts. Wouldn’t it be possible to reach an agreement by which Coca Cola used a small part of its superior distribution capacity to get the medicine to children?

Filed under: On People, On Social Design, On Society , campaign, Children, coca-cola, coke, Distribution, facebook, Health, Humanitarian, media, simon berry, social media

The State of Design Criticism Today

To launch the much anticipated MA in Design Writing/Criticism at London College of Communication, Stephen Bayley (design critic for The Observer) presents the first of a series of new talks this month, surrounding the current state of design writing and criticism.

EVENT: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. For more information visit, The State of Design Criticism Today

Filed under: Art & Design, On Graphic Design, On People, On Research, On Social Design, On Society , Anna Gerber, Design Criticism, Design Writing, Design Writing Criticism, London College of Communication, Stephen Bayley, Teal Triggs, The State of Design Criticism Today

Social Design: We Cannot Not Change the World

It has been some time coming but it is here, a comprehensive exploration into what is ‘Social Design’. This great (if promotional) video comes from the team at the socialdesignsite.com.

Filed under: On Ethics, On People, On Social Design, On Society , Design, Social Design, socialdesignsite, Society, video, what is social design?

The (Overdue) Review: Sustainability and Graphic Design

During the first few months writing for sustainability design blog Inhabitat.com, it became immediately and increasingly evident how many designers were bathing in the new challenges of sustainability. The worlds of fashion, architecture, interior and product design continued to excel with an ecological conscience, launching countless contemporary designs every week. Although not focused to the work of Graphic Design, taking a quick look around Inhabitat it is evident a sense of contemporary Communication Design is appreciated. Critical dialogue however, discussing the relevant relationships between sustainability and graphic design, is almost vacant (with no more than 15-20 graphic-related features). This, it would seem is a recurring trend in the sustainable design communities.

“I wish I could report that it [graphic design] was doing its bit. Trouble is, tap “sustainable graphic design” into Google and you get a thousand suggested links. But, tap “Helvetica Movie” in, and guess what, you get fifteen thousand. So in cyberspace at least, that makes people 15 times as interested in a movie about a typeface than how to design responsibly. Great.” [Johnson Banks]

I am therefore, excited to have read this week that respectable designer, writer and critic Anna Gerber is currently writing a new book on Graphic Design and Sustainability, scheduled for publication by Laurence King in Spring 2009. I hope this book will give the Communication Designer a friendly kick in a sustainable direction and ultimately help our discipline play catch up to the rest of the creative industry.

Designer and author of the 2004 publication All Messed Up, Unpredictable-Graphics, Anna Gerber continues to write extensively for the likes of Creative Review, Print, Varoom, Idea and Eye. Furthermore, in collaboration with Teal Triggs, Gerber also wrote a dialogue for Blueprint last year, introducing the new postgraduate course, MA Design Writing Criticism at London College of Communications, which is scheduled to start this fall.

Resources:

Anna Gerber

Anna Gerber: London College of Communication

All-Messed-Up-Unpredictable-Graphics, Anna Gerber, 2004

Filed under: On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On People, On Sustainability , Anna Gerber, Graphic Design, Graphic Design and Sustainability, london, London College of Communication, MA Design Writing Criticism, sustainability, Teal Triggs, Visual Communication

2008 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award Results

The 2008 National Design Awards, by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum have announced this years winners. I am not overly surprised to see that Michael Bierut (DesignObserver / Pentagram) has been awarded the Design MInd Award (a well-earned achievement all the same), but it’s great to see that Scott Stowell (of the cleverly branded studio Open) has been awarded the Communications Design Award. Congratulations chaps, I look forward to seeing some females in the shortlist next year though.

Via. DesignObserver

Filed under: On Graphic Design, On People , Communication Designers, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards 2008, Michael Bierut, New York, Scott Stowell

GDUSA Questions Designers About the Future

Whilst admiring the work and words of C&G Partners graphic designer Scott Ballum (aka. Sheepless) this evening, I soon found myself exploring the online pages of GDUSA’s January issue, “People to Watch in 2008″, where Ballum was featured. The 2008 annual feature of “newsworthy designers”, asked each designer about the future of their profession, the health of the economy and the state of planet Earth. The responses are certainly worth a browse.

Filed under: On Graphic Design, On People, On Social Design , Designers, Future of Graphic Design, GDUSA, Graphic Design, Magazine, profession, Social Design, Talent, Visual Communication

Creative For A Cause

Last night I came across a magnificent online resource and initiative dedicated to socially conscious design, its name Creative For A Cause. Founded and set up by Denver based Graphic Designer Heidi Cies, Creative For A Cause (A Resource for Visual Communications Educators) aims to assist teaching social responsibility in design education.

“While social responsibility is being discussed more and more frequently within the Visual Communications industry and among educators today, no standards or guidelines currently exist to aid in the implementation of these concepts into the higher education curriculum. Where social responsibility is not already part of a Visual Communications program, and there is little or no administrative support for inclusion, it is left to individual instructors to decide how to best integrate this topic into their syllabi.

This site is a collaborative resource for educators of Visual Communications who wish to instruct their students on the importance of adopting a social and ethical approach to their work. If you know of additional resources that you feel would be of value, please contact us.” (Heidi Cies, Creative For A Cause).

Heidi, well done – this is a fantastic project that is certainly going to prove useful. I look forward to our future conversations.

+ Creative For A Cause
+ Via. Randy J. Hunt

Filed under: Art & Design, On Education, On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On People, On Research, On Social Design, On Society , Creative For A Cause, design education, ethical, heidi cies, Randy Hunt, resources, Social, Social Design, social responsibility, Syracuse, Visual Communication

Citizen Scholar, Inc

In my search for socially-based designers, working with contemporary and intelligent design thinking, I have come across a number of inspiring U.S based designers/agencies/projects this evening.

The first I am going to mention has to be, Citizen Scholar, Inc, founded by designer Randy J. Hunt. This New York design consultancy specialise “in creative services for cultural institutions, educators, artists, non-profits and social entrepreneurs.” Although the website only profiles the work in a blog format, it is worth a look around.

Hunt also blogs on design, for UnderConsideration and AIGA/NY at Designy.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On People, On Social Design, On Society , AIGA/NY, Citizen Scholar, Creative For A Cause, Designer, Designy, New York, Randy Hunt, Social, Social Design, Society

Communication Designers Need to Catch Up Fast

Article for DesignSessions: Are You a Good Designer?

When I was first asked to contribute a piece on design ethics to Design Sessions: Notes on Design, I wondered how I could credibly comment on such a complex and highly academic topic. Whilst sitting at the early stages of my creative career, I wondered how many of us really understand what it means to be a “good” designer, and asked myself, if and how, I am a “good” (socially-responsible) designer?

Design Ethics

Throughout every stage of my creative training, I have echoed the belief that design is “quintessentially an ethical process” (Devon and Poel 2002). I strongly believe that Communication Design has a positive and negative ability to affect social change, but recognize that its influential power should be treated with respect and careful consideration, of its use, from all its designers.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Culture, On Education, On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On People, On Research, On Social Design, On Society, On Sustainability , Communication Design, design ethics, Ethics, future, Graphic Design, Kate Andrews, Social Design, Visual Communication

John Thackara on Wodcast

Forever an inspiration voice, John Thackara is a symposiarch who designs events, projects, and organizations. Director of Doors of Perception (Doors), and author of the awe-inspiring publication, In the Bubble, John has for the last two years lead the Design of the Times (dott 07) project in North East England.

“If you attend certain events, read certain books or policy papers it is possible at the minute, to formulate a world view whereby design is the panacea of all ills.” Wodcast.

Recorded at Intersections07, Wodcast recently caught up with John to discuss the dott 07 project, design and social change, sustainability, and design education. Thackara explains how designers should not see themselves as the cause of social problems, or pretend to have all the answers to solve them. The interview is short but definately worth listening to.

All the Intersections Conference podcasts can be found at The Design Council website.

Filed under: On Education, On Ethics, On People, On Social Design, On Society, On Sustainability , Change, Culture, Design, design education, DOTT07, Intersections, interview, John Thackara, podcast, Social Change, Social Design, Society, sustainability, wodcast

Interview: Deborah Szebeko

I have just listened to an interesting interview with Think Public’s Deborah Szebeko, via Wodcast.

Szebeko opens the discussion to talk through her definition of “Public Service Design”. She continues to discuss Think Public’s recent project “The Real Work Experience” – which I am ever more inspired by having (like many of those involved) left my BA degree in Graphic Design a bit lost at how to vehicle my work/skills/education toward positive change, rather than choosing a career path toward the more typical designer routes of advertising, for example. Szebeko further explains her motivation for starting Think Public and the Real Work Experience to have been driven from a frustration that designers have so little awareness as to where they can use their communication skills to design for greater good. Worth taking 12 mins to listen to the interview, if you haven’t come across Szebeko’s work yet.

Wodcast_thinkpublic.mp3

Filed under: On Education, On Ethics, On People, On Social Design, On Society , Deborah Szebeko, Ethics, Health, NHS, Public Service Design, Social Design, Think Public

Water Poster, by Alex Jarvis

This poster by 23 yr old UK designer Alex Jarvis explains the advantages of drinking tap water as opposed to buying bottled water.

Filed under: On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On People, On Social Design, On Sustainability , Alex Jarvis, design ethics, Graphic Design, Social Design

Enough is Enough, by Chris Thompson

I just came across a really great portfolio of socially responsible communication design, from Glasgow graduate Chris Thompson. Plenty of great work Chris, I can’t wait to see more.

Via. The Serif.

Filed under: On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On People, On Social Design, On Typography , chris thompson, design ethic, Graphic Design, Social Design

Building on the Green Agenda

Great TED talk from Norman Foster, Building on the Green Agenda.

Recorded at the DLD Conference, Munich, Architect Norman Foster discusses his own work to show how computers can help architects design buildings that are green, beautiful and “basically pollution-free.” He shares projects from throughout his career, from the pioneering roof-gardened Willis Building (1975) to the London Gherkin (2004). He also comments on two upcoming megaprojects: a pipe to bring water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, and the new Beijing airport.

The DLD (Digital Life Design) Conference, in Munich, Germany, is hosted by publisher Hubert Burda and Israeli investor Yossi Vardi, covering digital innovation, media and design.

Filed under: On Culture, On Ethics, On People, On Social Design, On Sustainability , buckminster fuller, digital world, DLD, Environment, green agenda, norman foster, sustainability, TED

Design21 Feature: Emily Pilloton

It’s been a long time coming, but my very first “feature” article for Design21 is live today! Having interviewed Emily Pilloton, Founder of the magnificent non-profit Project H Design (and colleague at Inhabitat.com), I am also pleased to share some of the images Emily has recently sent me, from her trip to South Africa.

Read the Design21 interview here.

Filed under: On Ethics, On People, On Social Design , Aid, Design21, Emily Pilloton, Ethics, Kate Andrews, poverty, Project H Design, Social Design, South Africa

Steven Heller Masters Series

“If you missed Steven Heller’s exhibition and lectures at the School of Visual Arts last year, this site is almost as good as the real thing” [Michael Bierut]. 

Via MB on DesignObsever

Filed under: On Events, On Graphic Design, On People , Exhibition, Graphic Design, Michael Bierut, Steven Heller, Steven Heller Masters Series