Writer and “optimistic doomer”, John Thackara is always good value. Here, he chats about the crisis (and opportunities) facing the design industry with Rob Huisman of the Association of Dutch Designers. I particularly liked his breakdown/definition of social innovation, a phrase that has become so ubiquitous as to become meaningless:

1. Use design skills to address social problems such as obesity, crime, looking after older people.


2. Develop services with a social need, such as ride-sharing or health applications on iphone. These services are social rather than commercial.


3. Create a new kind of society in which we get food, shelter, move around, look after our children in different, less costly ways.

Thackara confesses on multiple occasions that he hasn’t quite figured out the economics of this type of work for designers, which is clearly an issue. But he’s also clear on one point: designers can’t wait for people to come to them. See the work you want to do, he advises, and go and offer your services, explaining to would-be clients what you bring to the table and why they should bother to have you around. Right on.

[Story via Adrian Shaughnessy.]

1. nessaheartyou liked this
2. experiencethejourney liked this
3. surfaceresearch reblogged this from thoughtyoushouldseethis
4. melimahmuda liked this
5. benkraal liked this
6. panmesa liked this
7. getmetacos liked this
8. s--erendipity liked this
9. retumbados liked this
10. thoughtyoushouldseethis posted this