On design ambition

Originally published on Core77. As contrary as it sounds, in 2014 designers should be more ambitious and less worried about being socially responsible. That way, we will all get to benefit more from their efforts. Take the reaction to how India launched its probe to Mars in November. As soon as the Mangalyaan taken off, critics […]

Continue Reading

Intranets: Too Big to Fail?

Originally published on CMSwire. As contradictory as it sounds, some intranets, social platforms, knowledge exchanges and internal communities run the risk of being too successful. They’re in danger of reaching a stage in their development where their size, success and growth can cause complacency. Weighing the RisksThis problem could be summed up with the economic […]

Continue Reading

What does privacy mean in a connected world?

Originally published in Battle of Ideas. Zunftsaal, Blue Monkey, Zunfthaus zur Schneidern. Stüssihofstatt 3 – 8001 Zürich, Switzerland From Google and Facebook to government surveillance, our data is being mined behind our backs. But should we be surprised? When the product is free, we should realize we (in the form our data) are the product. […]

Continue Reading

Is Social Business All Talk and No Trousers?

Originally published on CMSwire. Measuring Inputs Rather than Outputs  If there is one thing we can be certain about, it is that many businesses appear uncertain about how to include social initiatives in their day-to-day operations. The recent NetStrategyJMC Digital Workplace Trends 2013 survey confirms this. Only one third of those surveyed have managed to align their […]

Continue Reading

What’s innovation good for?

Originally published on Battle of Ideas. Past innovations spawned whole new industries such as television, nuclear power, even fledgling bio-tech, capable of creating millions of new jobs and truly transforming society. Elsewhere, innovation has driven huge increases in productivity and revolutionised infrastructure. While UK manufacturing has recently been growing at its fastest rate for 15 […]

Continue Reading

Success is more than counting clicks

 Today things are reversed. Out: politicians with conviction; businesses who innovate with products and services. In: politicians who interpret opinion polls; businesses who make sure everything is ‘tested-to-death’ so it works technically.Voting by clicks offers engagement with a button not a political idea. Similarly, businesses who chase their customers for ideas will end up in […]

Continue Reading

Taking a shortcut around the digital divide

Nine other local government finalists were also awarded monies, all of whom, we are told, provided clear evidence of ‘cross-Government, cross-sector’ collaboration. Sunderland won, however, because it was ‘recognised as an example in how ICT technologies can be used to tackle social exclusion’. It had proposed ideas including ‘e-Champions’ designed to help vulnerable groups access […]

Continue Reading

Don’t curb design enthusiasm

Originally published in the Guardian. The idea of sustainable design is an oxymoron. Design is about exploring limits, not about imposing them. Energetic design … Tom Dixon’s New Light installation for the London Design Festival in Trafalgar Square last week. Last week’s London Design Festival showcased some great examples of contemporary design, with many exhibitions and events illustrating new […]

Continue Reading