Jumo, The Social Network for Change

Chris Hughes (26), co-founder of Facebook and director of My.BarackObama.com, announced the ‘soft launch’ of Jumo.com yesterday – a social networking site that pitches to ‘connect individuals and organisations working to change the world’. Jumo, which, in the African language of Yoruba, translates to “together in concert”, is set to launch fully between September and October 2010. Until then, you can follow the project on Twitter @jumoconnect and Facebook, naturally.

Filed under: On Community, On Social Design, On Social Media, Change, Chris Hughes, Jumo, Jumo.com, social media, Social Network

Plan B Studio: Project 10

To celebrate 10 years of running Plan-B Studio, Steve Price has embarked on a big challenge for 2010; to work on 10 projects/collaborations, over 10 months, with 10 NFP/NGO organisations. The aptly named Project 10 will culminate in an exhibition and a book to celebrate the work, the process, and the people involved, and a very special event with guest speakers on October 10th 2010 (yes, 10.10.10).

Already in its second month Steve explains how the response to Project10 has already been immense. I’m happy to say one of the ‘can’t yet talk about’ projects Steve will be working on for Project10 is a collaboration with myself, Hege Sæbjørnsen and Matthew Knight. More on that soon!

Check out the latest news on the Project 10 blog and follow Steve on twitter @PlanBStudio.

Filed under: On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On Social Design, 10.10.10, Art Direction, Graphic Design, non-profit, Plan B Studio, Project 10, Social, Steve Price

Because Studio Updates

Loz Ives, of the brilliant Because Studio, has updated his website this week! Lots of new socially-minded projects to flick through, including client work for Carbon Co-op, Communities for Change and The New Economics Foundation. Congratulations Loz on the beautiful work!

Filed under: On Community, On Graphic Design, On Social Design, Because Studio, Branding, Graphic Design, Loz Ives, Social, Society

Waterfall on Digital Communications

Last year, Simon Waterfall, former Creative Director and Founding Partner of Poke London, spoke about his creative journey and the importance of a cross-disciplinary approach in creating successful, cohesive design and communication solutions. Commenting on how he got his position as D&AD’s first ever ‘Digital President’ and the bridging role of ‘digital’, he offers further insight of communities, collaboration and human creativity.

“How you get your messages out these days colours the importance, the order and how you react to them, and I think you can use that in your design. The web doesn’t work in isolation. That’s because people don’t watch and retrieve information, in isolation. People watch the TV, they’ve got the phone in their pocket and they are on their computers chatting to their mates. People do things in a multidisciplinary way now and expect branding and communications to join up. It would be considered lazy if an advert was out of sync with its website, which was out of sync with its twitter.”

Via. Steve Price: Pillars of Inspiration.

Filed under: On Social Design, Collaboration, communication, Cross-disciplinary, D&AD, Design, Digital Communications, digital media, poke, Simon Waterfall

This is Service Design Thinking

As the practice and discipline of service design continues to explode, Marc Stickdorn and a team of Service Designers have set out to synthesize best practice and catalogue methodologies. To be published later this year, his new book, This is Service Design Thinking intends to explore “basics, tools and cases” and find a concise approach to recap the concept of ‘service design thinking’.

The book will feature contributions from Simon Clatworthy, Ralf Beuker, Satu Miettinen, Mikko Koivisto, Fergus Bisset, Lauren Currie, myself and others. You can follow the books progress on twitter @This_Is_SDT and find out more at This is Service Design Thinking.

Filed under: On Social Design, Marc Stickdorn, Service Design, Service Design Thinking, This is Service Design Thinking

The Bigger Picture: Festival of Interdependence

Responding to current economic, social and environmental crises, London’s NEF (New Economics Foundation) are this month running “The Bigger Picture”, a series of creative activities and events, exploring the possibilities of ‘a new kind of economy’, an economy which is low in carbon and high in well-being.

The event series culminates in a large-scale, public “Festival of Interdependence” in central London on 24 October 2009 when an interactive, living exhibition will be staged in the dramatic post-industrial setting of the Bargehouse on London’s South Bank.

Filed under: On Culture, On Ethics, On Events, On Social Design, On Society, climate change, Festival of Interdependence, NEF, New Economics Foundation, The Bigger Picture, Well-being

Studio Unbound

Are you a design student or graduate finding it hard to access or find your place in industry? Well, with over 185,500 [1] design practitioners in the UK alone that’s not surprising!

“For the designer to become a producer, she must have the skills to begin directing content, by critically navigating the social, aesthetic, and technological systems across which communications flow.” - Ellen Lupton, 1998. The Designer as Producer. [2]

Welcome to the Studio Unbound!

Filed under: On Social Design, Design, Graduates, Network, Studio Unbound

Greengaged – Sustainable Design

After an energetic ten days during London Design Festival 2008, the sustainable design hub – Greengaged is making a big return for 2009. Co-designed with thomas.matthews and web designer Daniel Howells, I’m pleased to announce that Greengaged.com has had a big makeover this year!

With an intent to advance the designs industry’s capacity to respond positively to climate change, Greengaged was founded in 2008, by Sophie Thomas from thomas.matthews, Sarah Johnson from [re]design and Anne Chick from The Sustainable Design Research Centre at Kingston University.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Education, On Events, On Graphic Design, On Social Design, On Sustainability, Design Council, Greengaged.com Greengaged, Kate Andrews, London Design Festival, Sophie Thomas, sustainability, Sustainable Design, thomas matthews

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

The Age of Stupid at RSA

Pitched to be this year’s most talked-about climate change film, The Age of Stupid is a new movie from director Franny Armstrong (of McLibel) and producer John Battsek (of One Day In September). In this epic tale, Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

Filed under: On Events, On Social Design, On Sustainability, age of stupid, climate change, Film, Franny Armstrong, RSA, sustainability

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

Cumulus Conference: Confronting Challenge with Change

Asking how technology, globalisation and sustainability will impact the creative sector? And, further, how they impact the education sector? Ravensbourne College of Design & Communication presents the 2009 Cumulus Conference: ‘Confronting Challenge with Change’ at the O2, on 27 – 30 May 2009. Key note speakers include Lord David Puttnam, Dr Angela Dumas, Sir Ken Robinson, Prof. Robin Baker OBE and many other industry and education leaders.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Education, On Events, On Social Design, On Sustainability, Confronting Challenge with Change, Cumulus Conference, Design, Globalisation, sustainability, Technology

Bruce Mau: In Good We Trust 2010

In Good We Trust

Filed under: On Community, On Culture, On Ethics, On Events, On Social Design, On Society, Bruce Mau, In Good We Trust, Massive Change

We Live Now, by Eric Smith

After being diagnosed with a life threatening disease, Washington based artist and illustrator Eric Smith set up We Live Now, a project consisting of a growing collection of quotes, thoughts, stories, lyrics, creations and other various mediums that pursue the idea of living now and inspiring each of us to grow, live meaningful lives and be happy! “Our lives are only in the moments right in front of us.”

Thanks to Chris Clarke for this discovery!

Filed under: On Graphic Design, On Social Design, On Writing & Criticism, Chris Clarke, Eric Smith, Graphic Design, Social Design, We Live Now

Blank Canvas

On April 30th, in the heart of London, four students from London’s Ravensbourne College of Design will present Blank Canvas, a silent auction of customised design work by the likes of Milton Glaser, Ken Garland, Non-Format, Jonathan Barnbrook, Si Scott, Julien Vallee, James Goggin, Graphic Thought Facility and many more!

Blank Canvas is an event organised by the students on the BA (hons) Design for Moving Image and Graphic Design course to raise funds for their graduation show. They will be sending a list of top designers and illustrators random items, found in various jumble sales and charity shops across London (anything from an old teapot, to a rusty cog, to a vintage suitcase). They will then be asked to customise these items to then be collected and put to auction on April 30th at the Vibe Bar on London’s Brick Lane.

Brilliant idea guys, I’m looking forward to seeing some old stuff made new!

Filed under: On Education, On Events, On Graphic Design, On Social Design, Auction, Barnbrook, Blank Canvas, Graphic Design, Ken Garland, london, Megan Riera, Milton Glaser, Ravensbourne, Si Scott

“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

Consurgo: Inspiring Creative Futures

As many of you will know, for over a year now, I have spent a great deal of time mentoring graduate designers and creatives, offering them advice, connections and often helping them to gain working placements. Today, one 2008 graduate forwarded me news of a new social enterprise that’s been launched in North London. Consurgo is an initiative that gives exciting opportunities to design students and graduates through a range of pioneering schemes such as portfolio reviews and remote placements. Brilliant, schemes like this are vital.

Filed under: Art & Design, On Graphic Design, On Social Design, Consurgo, Design Graduates, Designer, Education, Graduates, Inspiring Creative Futures, Placements

The Crisis of Perception

In this short video Dr Deepak Chopra, renowned physician and best-selling author, suggests how the environmental crisis stems from humanity’s flawed perception of reality. “The earth is your body, the air is your breath… There is a single reality”, he comments. See the full video at Big Picture TV.

Filed under: On Social Design, climate change, Deepak Chopra, Environment, Perception

Design (writing) matters, like never before.

(Image: Formulaic by Frank Chimero)

Borrowing five powerful words from David Berman’s new book “Do Good Design: How Designers Can Change the World”, I recently wrote a short essay exploring the relationship of design writing, criticism and the concept of ‘good’ design. Today, Berlin’s new SocialDesignBlog.org have published the feature – Design matters, like never before.

Great to see Lauren Tan already picking up on the discussion.

Filed under: On Ethics, On Graphic Design, On Social Design, On Writing & Criticism, Design, Design Criticism, Design Writing, Do Good Design, Kate Andrews, Online Writing

Helping the World’s Poor See Better

Having founded the company Adaptive Eyecare in 1996, British inventor Joshua Silver has embarked on an ambitious quest – to offer glasses to a billion of the world’s poorest people by 2020. Full news report at the Guardian.

Filed under: On Ethics, On Social Design, Adaptive Eyecare, Joshua Silver

What is the Future of Social Media?

Following on from my review of Us Now published on Eye Magazine last Friday, Red Jotter has uncovered an interesting video by Christian Payne at NESTA Connect. The video is a simple compilation of short interviews carried out at Amplified08 in November, asking “What is the Future of Social Media?”

Filed under: On Social Design, NESTA, social media

Berman on Design And Social Responsibility

Whilst learning about David Berman and his new book ‘Do Good Design‘ I came across this speech, which he gave at the 2006 Icograda Design Week in Hong Kong.

Filed under: On Graphic Design, On Social Design, David Berman, social responsibility

Us Now documentary

Launched late last year, UsNow is a documentary film by Ivo Gormley, that set out to explore the political power of social media collaboration. With thanks to John Walters, you can read my full review over at Eye Magazine today.

Filed under: On Social Design, Eye Magazine, Kate Andrews, Us Now

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

Design Writing Criticism: Seminar

Following the first seminar with Stephen Bayley, the school of Graphic Design at London College of Communication are holding the second event of the series, a presentation by students on the MA Design Writing Criticism course.

Please join us on Wednesday 4th February 2009, from 5:30-6:30pm. There will also be a general talk about the postgraduate courses at LCC from 4:30-5:00pm. Room locations will be provided by the guides at the door. The event is ‘free’ but advanced booking is recommended.

Filed under: On Social Design, Design Writing Criticism

Do Good Design

Early this month ICOGRADA’s David Berman launched his new book “Do Good Design: How Designers Can Save the World”. Unlike other socially or ethically dedicated design texts Do Good Design is focused on advertising, brand and graphic design.

“Design matters, like never before. Designers create so much of what we see, what we use, and what we experience. In this time of unprecedented environmental, social, and economic crises, designers will choose what their young profession will be about: inventing deceptions that encourage overconsumption – or helping repair the world. Today, everyone is a designer. And the future of civilization is our common design project.”

You can find out more about the book here. And please support the Do Good Do Good Design project on FACEBOOK, take the professional social responsibility pledge, and view or post your “Doing Good” design examples on the FLICKR group.

Filed under: On Social Design, David Berman, Do Good, Do Good Design

The Service and Social Design Future

Discussing the emerging need (and trend) for social and service design, Alice Rawsthorn has this week published Creative Solutions in Tough Times, a prominent feature for the International Herald Tribune.

“Another question is whether designers are ready to respond to these challenges, as “service” and “social” design involve very different skills to conventional design practice. The 20th-century notion of the lone “designer-hero” (there were depressingly few “heroines”) shaping his projects from start to finish was always illusory, but the new approaches to design require far greater collaboration, not just with fellow designers but with experts from other disciplines like economists, social scientists, anthropologists and programmers too. Designers also have to make the leap from a material culture where their work generally had a definitive outcome, such as an object or image, to one in which they are applying design thinking to analyze problems and develop solutions that are neither visible nor tangible.

Filed under: On Social Design, Alice Rawsthorn, Creative solutions in Tough Times, Humanitarian, Service Design, Social Design

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

Service Design Project nominated for Design of the Year Award

Last Tuesday the UK Design Museum announced the nominations for the 2009 Brit Insurance Design of the Year award, including a nomination for the first EVER service design project to be included in the awards – The Social Innovation Lab for Kent (SILK), by Engine.

SILK is a project and a platform Engine have been developing with Kent County Council (a local government authority in the UK) that helps users and providers of public services create better services together using design tools and processes.

Read the full story at Engine and see a video here.

Filed under: On Community, On Culture, On Ethics, On Social Design, On Society, 2008, Award, Brit Insurance, Design Museum, Design of the Year, Engine, Service Design, SILK, UK

The Guardian and IDEO “Inspire and Innovate”

In collaboration with IDEO, The Guardian newspaper have launched “Inspire and Innovate”, a column focused on innovative thinking and innovation. This exciting partnership and its discourse is evident of how creative processes, thinking and methods are valuable to social and economic arenas.

Via. Redjotter

Filed under: On Social Design, Design, guardian, IDEO, Inspire and Innovate, media