Embrace ... the $25 "incubator"

A student project from Standford Institute of Design. Their 'extreme affordability' class, which focuses on challenges in the developing world, were working with a partner in Nepal looking at developing a lower cost incubator for premature babies. Through spending time with families in Nepal they were able to reframe the problem and come up with this simple low-cost solution...



Empathy is they key to their solution!

From ForaTV via BoingBoing

One thing about being a designer

Just found this fascinating series of videos featuring a whole host of digital designers who had been asked to give just one piece of advice to anyone entering the field of design. Their responses vary from the very practical "having a camera, taking it everywhere, taking pictures" to the subtle "find the middle ground between clever and stupid." They are here on a blog from the School of Visual Arts, New York.

Bobby McFerrin and the pentatonic scale

A joyful video ... but also a fine example of communication skills:



World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

See how little he had to do and the audience just 'got it'. Inspirational!

Dunne & Raby

Dunne & Raby - Huggable atomic mushroom
I just rediscovered Dunne & Raby whilst looking for some material for a new 'Design Thinking' course I am doing some work on for Open University. They use design as a medium to promote debate between designers, industry and the public in a way that is provocative and often humorous. I am also fascinated by their web site because it does not behave in a way you think it should ... take a look and see http://www.dunneandraby.co.uk/