follow me on Twitter

    Arne van Oosterom's Posts - WENOVSKI design thinkers network

    Now on WENOVSKI design thinkers network

    Thursday, March 26, 2009

    How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer

    "How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer brings us a new view of the world, as we unfold the science behind the popular trivia game 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon'. Based on the idea that anyone on the planet can be connected in just a few steps of association, 'six-degrees of separation' was supposedly an urban myth. Through this documentary we discover it's at the heart of a major scientific breakthrough."


    How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer - Part 1 from gephi on Vimeo.


    How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer - Part 2 from gephi on Vimeo.


    How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer - Part 3 from gephi on Vimeo.

    Saturday, March 21, 2009

    DesignThinkers at the Academy of Design, Finland

    The Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Kuopio Academy of Design in Finland organises an event on sustainability, design and project management.

    I will give a lecture on the value of 'design thinking' for the development and success of sustainable designs.

    The lectures will be held on Monday March, 30, 2009.

    Get more more information on the event at the Akatemia website (in Finnish) .... or visit the Facebook page of the event..

    .

    Thursday, March 19, 2009

    Design Ignites Change

    "Creativity holds enormous power for fostering positive social change. Instilling this ideal in the next generation of creative professionals is core to Design Ignites Change, a collaboration

    Design Ignites Change promotes and encourages talented high school and college students across the country to use design thinking and innovation to create messages for, and solutions to, pressing social problems."

    More info...



    Thanks Derek

    Wednesday, March 18, 2009

    New World of Work

    "The world is changing at such rapid pace. We have entered a world where reality is no longer real, global institutions are going bust and CEO's are barely managing, let alone leading us through this change. However, opportunity is great and with this new world comes a new ethic of openness, sharing and collaboration..."



    Thanks Lauren!

    What The *#&! Is Social Design

    Softspot is an initiative that provides designers with the information and inspiration by which they can solve contemporary issues and educate the masses about the solutions designers provide for a more perfect and healthy world."

    "The opening night of the SoftSpot's first exhibition was a great success. This time lapse is of the first hour of the show, and shows how the place filled up and is a quick documentation of how people flow through the space."

    Monday, March 16, 2009

    Matthew effect

    I've been reading the book Outliers by Malcom Gladwell and was struck by his descriptions on how the Matthew Effect (the rich get richer and the poor get poorer) is effecting our changes of success.

    He unveils the important role 'relative age' plays in the lives and careers of successful people. And It's all about the system we use to find and select our biggest talents.

    This first example used in the book makes this very clear:
    In Canada young ice hockey players with talent are selected when they are 9 years old (not 10) for the all-starteams. The selections take place every year, at the beginning of the year. This simply means that if you are born in January your in luck. By the time the selection takes place, you are almost 10 years old. In your development you are way ahead of the kids born in December. Consequently they are selected and will enter special programs and receive extra training to further develop their talents. As a result most successful Ice Hockey players in Canada are born in January, February an March. This is a fact.

    The way almost all countries select their talents in sports and education is basically the same. And as a result there are a lot of talented people left behind.

    It makes you think. Why didn't anyone notice this before....?

    Read the book (besides the Matthew Effect he describes some other worthwhile ideas.)
    More on Outliers...

    Tuesday, March 10, 2009

    Core Principles

    Seedmagazine is publishing a new column by Paola Antonelli on design and science. Paola Antonelli is the senior curator of design and architecture at New York's Museum of Modern Art.

    Her column will focus on innovation and consider objects as gateways to information and services; as means rather than mere commodities.

    It struck a cord and left me hungry for more...

    " From chairs to interfaces, from food-delivery trucks to conceptual scenarios on the impact of nanotechnology — design takes into account people's needs and concerns, helping them live better within the broad context of the world; it maximizes the available means to achieve the most satisfying outcome, and produces culture in the process."

    "Designers stand between revolutions and everyday life."

    "They're able to grasp momentous changes in technology, science, and society and convert those changes into objects and ideas that people can understand."

    "Design is looking for a unified theory — or maybe just for a theory tout court — for, in spite of its permanence and inevitability, it is still a rather unexplored region of human creativity."

    "Science can teach design how to find its own core."

    "Designers find themselves today at the center of an extraordinary wave of cross-pollination.
    Because of their role as intermediaries between research and production, they often act as the primary interpreters in interdisciplinary teams, called upon not only to conceive objects, but also to devise scenarios and strategies."

    Read the article...

    Via Derek Stewart

    Friday, March 6, 2009

    Charles Ogilvie Talks About Service Innovation

    Charles Ogilvie speaks about service innovation, new revenue models, and the use of airborne technology throughout Asia and the world at large.

    Monday, March 2, 2009

    DesignThinkers at the Design Management Institute Conference in Milan

    I have been invited to give break-out sessions on Service Design at the Design Management Institute Conference in Milan.

    The theme of the conference: Facing/Changing – Changing/Facing REALITIES. "Let’s get real: the world of business is changing dramatically. Every day, we’re confronted with news of a rollercoaster economy, environmental actions and behaviors, and corporate pressure to succeed. Every day, we confront constantly evolving challenges that affect our roles as design leaders. What will have the biggest impact on our lives and work? How can we manage, meet, and change the future? "

    The conference will be held at the Designmuseum La Triennale Di Milano on 1-3 April 2009.

    Get more info...