I am focusing on the journey, not the destination. What I want and need is found not in finishing an activity but in the participation. Wish me luck in finding new shoes to continue on the next phase of my journey…

There has been chatter on twitter about Studio Unbound III, which is happening at Duncan of Jordanstone in Dundee, on Monday afternoon. I am co-presenting alongside Kate Pickering, known as Katesjewellery online, Kate is a forward thinking jeweller and a wonderful friend of mine. She has very openly shared her feelings about her first encounter with Studio Unbound and shared how her perception of networking online has changed…an amazing example of a jeweller from a traditional discipline is embracing what Studio Unbound stands for.

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. Read about the second Studio Unbound that happened last month at Glasgow School of Art

Kate Andrews and Sarah Drummond will be tweeting from our virtual audience  – join in on twitter with the tag #studiounbound and follow us live!

See you at 2pm on Monday, Matthew Building 5016…

Join our facebook group and keep an eye on our blog which is still in the making but looking promising… :) We are growing, students and educators are taking notice.

If you would like us to talk to your class or your students please get in touch and say hello.

At this very moment Service Designers from all over the world are voting, debating and discussing. Joel Bailey has set up a forum to capture the online conversation about next years Service Design Network Conference.

The location of the event, accessibility and content are the main thread of chatter. The way our online community lives and breathes is something that has been on my  mind alot lately. Particularly, as it was one of the main influences of MakingServiceSense and the reality that things are changing, the landscape is shifting at such a dramatic pace.

Here is a snapshot of a very insightful chat  Fergus Bisset and I had about this very topic…

“What of that value our networks provide? Beyond the obvious pleasure that sharing links, drinks and thoughts provide, or the joys of discoursing with like minded individuals? How are we formalising the value that each of us takes away from these interactions? How is it guiding our autonomous activities, how is it intertwining itself with our ‘personal’ thoughts, dreams and ambitions? As Shirky, Leadbetter and many others have highlighted, social connectivity can be such a powerful driver and influencer how can we be sure we’re heading in the right direction?”

I think this is brilliant and a definite leap in the right direction. Hopefully, the network is listening to this conversation – the overriding message to you is ‘practice what you preach’…

“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.

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

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 :)

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.

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 …

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…

The End of Design was the public lecture accompanying my recent Masters Exhibition.

“Modern design has run its course. The challenges of our age demands a new design; in place of designing for desire we should design for inclusion, understanding and real world problem solving. The power of design thinking presents us with new opportunities for the future.

As Scotland’s top rated institution for research design, the University of Dundee is uniquely placed to set out a new vision for the future of design. In this special lecture, Professors Tom Inns and Mike Press – both internationally acknowledged writers, researchers and broadcasters on design – provide a provocative and visionary of design in the 21st Century.

Evidence of this new design is seen in the work of this year’s graduating Masters of Design students. The lecture accompanies their masters exhibition, providing vital contexts and insights into their work. Together, the lecture and exhibition emphasise Dundee’s unique approach to the research and practice of design. “

Lasting around an hour this video is a deep insight into The Master of Design Course at Dundee and the work at our Masters exhibition. It is definitely one to watch for the students who have gotten in touch with me as they are considering applying for the course – and other Masters students who are embarking upon a design journey.

It should not be missed – design against crime | service design | co design | social design | transformation design | product design | interaction design | design for well being | design for disability | design thinking | design management | interdisciplinary…the list goes on….

Tom, who was my project mentor, recently shared his archipelago of design at a workshop in London. Lauren Tan documented the day really well, in particular her insights from Toms model.

I would like to introduce Karelia:

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?

via Inhabitat

Verygoodservice.com is a new service that finds companies with great products and good customer service.

This service is in it’s early stages but it’s simple – it works.

Follow them on twitter where they are looking around for very good companies, blogs, online boutiques from London and the whole of the UK.

Thanks to Kate for discovery

My breakfast reading was a little unusual this morning -  it was a newspaper from 128 years ago: The Times, Saturday the 19th of March 1881.

So what kind of services were on offer 105 years before I was born?

I wonder how different ‘the middle class and jobless’ would feel if they could sell themselves for work like this gentleman:

So we know the weather from yesterday … surely you want to  know the weather for the current day?

Sadly, some things never change…

I was fascinated by how people used to sell themselves, their products, services and organizations, particularly the language and tone they used. It seems that back then people offered their own skills and talents as individual services…

Last week I attended  The Peter Bates Lecture People or policy? How to bring about social change:

“Good leadership at every level is the key to bringing about real social change within communities.
Susan Deacon, Professor of Social Change at Queen Margaret University, will discuss this, and other factors effecting social change at the Peter Bates Lecture.

The Lecture, jointly hosted by the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside, will take place at the University of Dundee’s Dalhousie Building at 6pm on Wednesday, September 23rd.Professor Deacon, former MSP and Minister for Health and Community Care, will examine the influences effecting progressive social change in Scotland. She will examine whether government policy or community-level initiatives are more powerful drivers of social change.

In particular, she will discuss a failure to take account of the importance of leadership at every level in our communities, and suggest that we need to give more recognition to the power of individuals to bring about social change.”

Here are my notes from the talk…

It worries me that myself and my old design studies tutor, who I spotted across the room, were the only people in the entire lecture hall taking notes…

I was very excited about the way Susan spoke about the human condition and truly listening to people, claiming the NHS had ‘lost the plot and lost sight of what it means to be a person’. But there was no real conclusion as to how to achieve this – her ending phrase was ‘ we can make the world a better place by encouraging each other’. I’m not convinced. That’s not enough is it?