Strategic design: a learning mindset. — In a field like strategic design that operates at intersections, across disciplines, and through change and uncertainty, it is useful to think of the process as a state of mind, rather than seek a formula for success. While a learning mindset, as a practice, can benefit many, its specific application…

What we can learn from the dynamics of the greatest basketball team — It’s a story of growth, both personal and collective, from one superstar operating independent of the other dozen players, to a team of synchronized collaborators. The team values of the 1990s Chicago Bulls are legendary not just in theory, but because they won. Again and again. I watched the docuseries…

A (mostly) blank slate to create designs and infrastructure for inclusion — During the first On The Media episode of 2021, The World, Remade, Bob Garfield revisited a segment from earlier in the year on designing for access and inclusivity. The term, universal design, stems from programs, products and systems that were designed for a niche group, but find further useful applications…

With the help of frog’s Hartmut Esslinger. — In his book, A Fine Line: How design strategists are shaping the future of business, Hartmut Esslinger defines four schools of design. “Classic design,” he defines as output that appeals to both the heart and the mind of the user. Products are more human-centered but are not inherently linked to…

An analysis of engagement with SDGs 1–5 — Each day for 17 days I am releasing an analysis of how the fashion and space industries engage with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Below are the infographics from the first week, SDGs 1–5. While these lists aren’t comprehensive, the goal is to demonstrate the potential impact through…

The case for designers doing when everyone is design thinking — In Travis J. Brown’s article “Strategic Design or Design Strategy? Effectively Positioning Designers as Strategists,” from April 2019, he questions the lack of perceived value of design in the context of business. As strategists, he says, “there appears to be increasing pressure on designers to distance themselves from design doing…

This is a story about how ideas come into our busy minds, plant themselves, and become a guiding light for us to focus on. — 1. There is a light above. A small opening through which *stuff* is pouring down on you. All of it pouring down, distracting and confusing, and unclear. You look up towards the light coming through from above, but the debris and clutter fall around you and into your eyes. …

How space assets and space-generated data can impact Earth’s sustainability goals — A principle of FAAR is advocacy for sustainability on Earth and in space. Both classifications of sustainability, longevity and environmental protection, are interrelated and require the same commitment to long-term thinking grounded in resiliency. By looking at the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established in 2015, alongside activity in space…

And how you can apply them to create products that stand the test of time. — The fashion industry is changing. From new business models to new buying calendars, virtual runway shows, and even PPE supply chains popping up overnight, there is room for reimaging the product development process. It is rare in the business of physical products not to have rigorous testing and user feedback…