one idea i had recently for my sabbatical projects was to design a website with a social component that would allow people to input bike trips they've made and see how much gas, money, and emissions they've saved, as well as add up miles and calories burned. then you could share that info on FB and twitter. there could even be a challenge component to it, allowing friends, groups, or even cities to compete against each other. the point of it is to encourage people to use bikes for various trips (commuting, eating out, small errands, visiting friends) rather than cars.
sabbatical realizations
a little 2" x 2" card i designed, among other things, to promote 816's fundraising efforts. yeah, that's a big-ass image. photo by an unknown 816 fan or member.
currently on what i'm calling "day two" of my sabbatical. not knowing when the starting line was (last day of spring term? end of fiscal year? first day of fall term?), i decided it would be when lori and murphy started back to school – aug 15.
seeking collaborator
the new programme is undergoing exciting growth and change to re-focus exclusively on social change projects and incorporate student collaborators as active participants in that process.
occupy k.c. teach-in
download a pdf file of the talk “communication strategies for activists” formatted for smartphones.
also, a pdf of the physical handouts accompanying the talk.
from richard buchanan, in his essay “human dignity and human rights: thoughts on the principles of human-centered design” in looking closer 5. [emphasis mine, by design]
designmatters program at art center
an interesting story over at core 77 on a new concentration in design for social impact. it’s great to see a more holistic approach to these kinds of big-picture problems in the world of education.
being present
there i sat, staring this complete stranger straight in the eyes, my right hand on his left shoulder and his right hand on my left shoulder, for 30 seconds. it may have been the longest 30 seconds of my life.
tim brown on design thinking
"tim brown urges designers to think big" is the title of this TED talk, and of course it contains a lot of great ideas concerning the kinds of questions we are asking about how design can help people, the value of rapid prototyping, and the value of what our "priesthood of design" is currently making.