Filed under: design thinking, made me think, people I like, service design
“Journalists, politicians, academics, police and parents all have a point of view on what the ‘kids of today’ are like.
But has anyone ever asked the young people themselves, and not just in a focus group in Edmonton, but in an open and transparent way and on a national scale? And has anyone done anything smart, cool or fun with that data, that might, just might, make the truth about young people be heard?
These questions were the starting point for Voicebox; a project which aims to curate the views of 16-25s, visualise the results in creative ways, and then set that data free. Over the coming months, we’re going to try to find out how young people spend their time, what they care about, how many carry knives, what they really think about the area they live in and much more.
The more people take part, the more detailed picture we get. Each month, we’ll have new themes, and you’ll be able to play with the results by age, gender, location and ethnicity. And remember, this isn’t our data, this is your data. So we are inviting people to use our data and do fancy things like cross-tabbing, create their own visualisations, pick out random statistics for the community or get campaigning.
The project is being run by V, the national youth volunteers service who want to increase the number of 16-25s in the UK who volunteer. Our aim with Voicebox is to better understand young people, so we can deliver programmes better suited to their needs. For that reason, we are only ever going to use data for this age range and in the UK, but the project is open to everyone to take part, however old and wherever they live.”
These visuals are superb. They have 1000′s more on their Flickr! Follow these guys on twitter.
Filed under: made me think, people I like | Tags: design, experience, graduation, internships
Interns Anonymous has been set up by two graduates currently working as unpaid interns. Their website is a forum for interns to share their experiences and discuss the ethics of unpaid employment. Most importantly, this site is a place where YOU can tell your story.
This video is focused on internships within politics: “Youth unemployment is at record levels: young people across the UK are increasingly turning to internships to improve their chances of winning that lucrative first job. There are currently no rules governing internships in the UK, leading to accusations of exploitation and elitism. See what a few young people think about internships and employment in the UK.”
The topic of free internships is a conversation I often have. Every time a designer does works for free they are devaluing themselves and their discipline. It is a topical issue and unfortunately remains so in the field of Service Design. For example, Live|Work recently advertised for an intern to work unpaid on a social farming networking project.
However, Adrian Shaughnessy argued in Design Week this month that we shouldn’t forget to give something back:
We designers are quick to grumble about sharp practices – free-pitching and a cavalier approach towards intellectual property spring to mind. But we can only claim moral superiority if our attitude to interns is beyond reproach. If we refuse to pay for their services, or if we pay them a fee, but neglect to devote time or effort to advancing their knowledge, we are no better than Hammond or all those unscrupulous clients.
When I had a studio, I always paid interns. I didn’t pay much, but I paid something, and I always made sure that I spent time with each one. Sometimes they had to do the sandwich run or make the tea, but I never asked anyone to pick up my dry cleaning. I’m sure there are a few designers who didn’t get my full attention and left without much discernable increase in their knowledge. But I’ve met quite a few of them since and I haven’t been punched yet. There’s still time, I suppose.
Graduates, students, educators and employers please support these guys - follow them on twitter
Filed under: Red Jotter Work | Tags: future gov, london, mindapples, mypolice, redjotter, the bigger picture
As promised I would like to introduce you all to MyPolice. The video below tells the story of the web-based service that fosters constructive, collaborative communication between communities and the police forces which serve them.
You can follow MyPolice ventures on our blog. Sarah and I are traveling to Coventry to present at The Policing 2.o Conference:
“The NPIA Citizen Focus and Neighbourhood Policing Programme is organising the first national conference for the police service in England and Wales looking at the impact of social media.
‘Policing 2.0 – the Citizen and Social Media’ will include presentations from forces who have been early adopters in using social media and speakers from outside the world of policing who will discuss the wider impact.
The emergence of cheap and accessible information technology and the increasing importance of the Citizen Focus approach means that police forces are beginning to use social media sites such as facebook and twitter as part of their communications and engagement strategies. At the same time citizens are looking to social media as a platform to comment on, or engage with policing.”
I also have the Festival of Interdependence, Service Design Drinks, Future Gov and Mindapples to look forward to…and of course spending time with my most lovely London friends…you know who you are :)
I have been overwhelmed by the recent support I have received online and offline – huge big thank you to everyone for your advice, comments and RT’s :)
Filed under: made me think, people I like | Tags: anab jain, community, conversation, public, public engagement, the power of 8, this happened, vox popping
It was great to see Anab present The Power of 8 at This Happened.
I came across this when I was exploring the project’s site:
“Small part of this project is to try and engage in different ways with the ‘general public’ – with people down in the local pub, by the tube station, in the corner shop and so on. Its not always easy to go up to strangers and ask them about their personal dreams and about what the word “future” means to them, but hey, I love talking to people and am up for this challenge!
Doing interviews voxpops style is only one of the many ways that I want to explore, and I decided to give it a go yesterday. But how do you go up and talk to people, given the exposure to online video channels and a general understandable discomfort about being filmed? Not to mention the omnipresent ‘chuggers’ (charity muggers), who have created a complete distrust amongst people to talk to anyone who looks like he or she wants something out of you.”
Anab considered the following ideas for the sign: “Hi, I am NOT A CHUGGER and I don’t want your money. I AM A DESIGNER and I just want to ask you one question.”
Then, by asking twitter, Rory Hamilton suggested: “Hi, I AM A DESIGNER. I dont want your money, JUST YOUR MIND.”
Big thank you to Anab for sharing this – it is something I keep coming up against time and time again when I am trying to talk to the public.
Filed under: Red Jotter Work | Tags: creative, edinburgh, Lauren Currie, mypolice, sarah drummond, social innovation camp, story telling, this happened
Mypolice are presenting at This Happened tonight. It is taking place in The Wee Red bar in Edinburgh.
( rather apt considering the whole @redjotter thing :)
Hoping to meet new people and share our work and ideas. Fingers crossed we will get to put some faces to some tweeters.
This is the first official Mypolice presentation since Social Innovation Camp. We will talk for ten minutes about the service and the story behind it. As Sarah says:
“I think it’s very important to share your process with people as you work on projects, it’s never easy and other people can learn alot from how you got from nothing to finished product. You can also learn alot yourself, and importantly, gain feedback from people if you’re opening up your process as you go. There are always peaks and troughs, and mypolice has certainly had both with more to come I’m sure.”
If you are there be sure to say hello :) if not follow the goings on at the @mypolice twitter account.
p.s Follow This Happened on twitter too…
p.p.s very exciting post regarding mypolice and myfuture coming soon …
Filed under: made me think, people I like, Red Jotter Work | Tags: career, design education, design employment, experience, future, glasgow school of art, graduation, kate andrews, Lauren Currie, networking, relationship, sarah drummond, social media, studio unbound, tools, university of dundee
There has been chatter on twitter about Studio Unbound II, which is happening at Glasgow School of Art tonight.
For those of you who are new to this initiative you can watch the first Studio Unbound that happened in February at The University of Dundee.
Founded in 2009 by University of Dundee Master of Design graduate Lauren Currie (@Redjotter), and design writer and consultant Kate Andrews (@kateandrews), the Studio Unbound is an initiative aiming to introduce students, graduates and educators to the creative power of social media.
Together as Studio Unbound, Kate and Lauren explore the power of digital networking, demonstrating tools that students can use to move ideas forward, form networks with practitioners around the world, and build a reputation before and after graduation.
In highlighting creative people all over the world using social networking to their advantage, Studio Unbound discuss the dynamic, conversational value of new communication technologies and illustrate how ideas of teaching and learning need to move away from the confines of the classroom or studio towards other, often ad-hoc and virtual venues.
Focusing on the ever growing possibilities and opportunities that the digital world presents, Studio Unbound demonstrate that during a time of mass communication change, design courses must change with it if they are to stay relevant.
Studio Unbound is not all about Twitter or Facebook, but about breaking down preconceptions of social media technologies, into an incredible value system that can enable us all to find both an individual voice, and collaborative practice.
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“A great designer understands that search and discovery is an on-going process that is at the heart of what makes us human. We spend our lives searching for people we share a strong sense of connection with. Designers must join that search.” - Desiree Collier, 2009. Design Week. The Joy of Search.
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Joining Studio Unbound since October 2009, is Social Innovation Camp winner Sarah Drummond (@rufflemuffin). On October 8th 2009, Lauren and Sarah will run a Studio Unbound lecture at Glasgow School of Art, with Kate joining from London via Skype.
Join the conversation on twitter #studiounbound
Join our facebook group and keep an eye on our blog which is still in the making but looking promising… :)
Kate Pickering, a forward thinking jeweller will be tweeting from the audience tonight – join in on twitter with the tag #studiounbound and follow us live!
See you tonight at 6pm, Bourdon Lecture Theatre…
Filed under: design thinking, made me think, people I like, Red Jotter Work, service design | Tags: design thinking, Karelia, president obama, service design, theory143, USA
I would like to introduce Karelia:
“I’ve had a pretty clear idea of “it” ie. my big picture for a few years now. I knew that I simply wanted to help people via design. I just didn’t a) think an actual position/title of “it” existed, or b) knew exactly what “it” would be called, since it’s an amalgamation of so many things. but i’m pretty sure, as of yesterday, that i’ve found “it.”
*cue heavenly chorus*
And “it” is called SERVICE DESIGN.”
She is on a google frenzy, buying post-its and drinking coffee – becoming a service design sponge! With a background in Graphic Design, Karelia has connections with Design Ignites Change and Project M.
Karelia is a prime example of why there is a growing need for Making Service Sense. We had an exciting conversation over the weekend, she said ‘I don’t have a filter’.
Based in Chicago right now, Karelia is happy to move anywhere her service design journey may take her. So who’s doing what in America -
- Continuum
- Peer Insight
- Adaptive Path
- Ideo
- Frontier Service Design
- Pink Service Design
- Idea Couture
- U.S National Design Policy Initiative
And of course, not forgetting the fact President Obama needs service design!!
I would like to ask you all to post any links/ advice/ books/places/ people / opportunities you can think of to share with Karelia.
Filed under: design thinking, made me think, people I like | Tags: creative, crisis, design, festival of interdependence, inhabitat, NEF
Responding to current economic, social and environmental crises, London’s NEF (the new economics foundation) have recently launched plans for “The Bigger Picture: A Festival of Interdependence,” a series of creative activities and events, including lectures, film screenings and art exhibitions, beginning in autumn 2009. The festival will culminate in a large-scale, public event in central London on 24 October 2009 (11:00AM-18:00PM) when an interactive, living exhibition will be staged in the dramatic post-industrial setting of the Bargehouse on London’s South Bank.
Economic turmoil and social upheaval coupled with the threat of runaway climate change have revealed major failings in the current system. In response, nef has brought together a range of organisations and individuals to share a vision of the world as it could be. We believe that the great transition to a new economy begins with a potent mix of hope, creativity, practicality and fun. Collectively we already have many of the ideas, policies and resources that can deliver greater human well-being and social justice within environmental limits. But a huge shift is still needed to make change happen. We think 2009 will mark the start of that shift
With over twenty-five speakers from a range of backgrounds, The Bigger Picture offers visitors and audience a chance to actually join the conversations, learn, share and exchange skills and tell stories. Topics are big and far reaching, including the future of food and farming, the hidden costs of economic growth, civil liberties and climate change, local economics and how inequality leaves us all worse off.
“The Bigger Picture is about people coming together to produce a shared, coherent vision of a sustainable economy.”
Will you be going?
