The Latest

May 16th, 2012

Good for Nothing and Designers Accord!

Good for nothings do exactly what they say on the tin. We get together a group of creative thinkers, doers, makers and hackers and over the course of a weekend, help three social causes achieve a set (by the causes) brief. Everything is free and the aim of the event is to help great innovative causes that need a proper hand in developing and growing but would not be able to do it, or even afford to do it on their own. Check it out! (and if you want to organize something like this in your area, email: info@designersaccord.org)
May 13th, 2012

How can we use design to positively impact society?

Join Designers Accord fav Catapult Design on May 19th for a full-day of labs led by nine of the Bay Area’s leading design talent to learn and practice new tools and methods in design that can spark social change. There are three 90-min tracks in the day: Each track features three labs with topics ranging from sustainability to gamification to visualizing data. An 'All-Access Pass' get you access to all three tracks -- a 'Half-Day Pass' get you access to two concurrent tracks. All ticket holders are invited to join us for lunch and a post-event networking session with tasty treats and drinks. Each lab will be small and personal -- space is limited! Register today to secure your spot. 100% of event proceeds go towards supporting design work in marginalized communities. Register today at catapultlabs-2012.eventbrite.com
May 1st, 2012

Welcome to the Datasphere – Noise 13 opens up the LIS

LIS --the Luxembourg Income Study-- is a nonprofit organization that houses massive databases of micro- and macro-data on socio-economic conditions worldwide. Originally a website just for economists and students of economics, LIS has partnered with Noise 13 Design to rebrand their organization and make their data more accessible to a wider range of users thereby encouraging broader research and study into the factors that shape our socio-economic landscape. Check out the site and the data!
April 3rd, 2012

The Youngblood Group sparks innovation in higher education

Almost half of all US college students fail to complete their degree. Design anthropologist Mike Youngblood of The Youngblood Group and collaborators at KvJ & Company, CEOs for Cities, and The Lumina Foundation have challenged higher education leaders and innovators to get more student-centric in a freely accessible, two-volume publication called “101 Wacky Ideas: Reclaiming a Nation of Pre-Graduates.” The two volumes summarize the complex barriers students face on the road to a degree, and offer unorthodox thought-starters for designing college experiences that better serve students and communities. View "101 Wacky Ideas"
April 2nd, 2012

Photos from the SAIC AIGA Town Hall in Chicago!

Check out the photos from Design Overflow, the student-led Chicago Designers Accord Town Hall, held on March 13, 2012. IDEO's Jerry O’leary, Linda Keane from NECT.cc and Studio 1032 Architecture, Michael Renaud and Zach Dodson from Show n’ Tell Show, James Goggin from the MCA Chicago, and George Aye from Greater Good Studio shared their ideas around inspiration, ethical imagination, communication, design process, and the progression from research to influence to impact. Kudos to the SAIC AIGA and the SAIC’s student organization for hosting their second Designers Accord Town Hall meeting!
April 1st, 2012

Recommended Book: The Jungle School

The Orang Rimba (People of the Forest) are nomadic tribes living in the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia as hunter-gatherers. Today, the outside world has arrived at their doorstep. From illegal loggers chain-sawing the jungle to government-sponsored transmigrants working in palm oil plantations, the outsiders are encroaching upon the rainforest. In The Jungle School, author Butet Manurung shares the journal she kept during her first year in the jungle. Butet tells the story of her journey from anthropologist to educator to activist. The work of SOKOLA foundation and its adventurous volunteers is an excellent example of how a small number of individuals can effect change. Buy the book: 100% of proceeds go to bringing literacy for Indigenous and marginalized Indonesians
March 19th, 2012

Healthcare Innovation: A time for design(ers)

The overall cost of healthcare in the U.S. has reached a whopping $2.6 trillion, up from $256 billion in 1980, and $724 billion in 1990. In many ways, it seems that the rate of innovation in healthcare is moving in inverse proportion, with fewer truly significant interventions being created to tackle our collective health issues. Read about several innovation challenges that are focused on tackling some of the most pressing health concerns in the US, and are simultaneously supporting radical entrepreneurship. This is the perfect time for design thinking to tackle healthcare issues. Read the entire post on Core77
March 12th, 2012

Notre Dame Students Fight Xenophobia in South Africa

University of Notre Dame faculty, students and alumni, Kgosi Neighbourhood Foundation (KNF), and Pellegrino Collaborative have joined forces to develop together+, a multi-faceted campaign to unite a South African community divided by xenophobia, and empower its most marginalized citizens. Through on-the-ground design research and analysis, the team is finding opportunities for design to actively change xenophobic beliefs and perceptions. The primary intervention is together +, an educational and awareness campaign, which includes a curriculum-based children’s story with a core message of strength and unity through diversity, and a visual identity that fluidly communicates across South African language barriers. Learn more about the project and view more images
March 6th, 2012

Angaza tackles energy poverty with Pay-As-You-Go solar power

Globally, over 1.5 billion people lack access to electricity. The majority of these people live in rural areas and make less than $2/day. These "base of the economic pyramid households" may spend up to 30% of their income on expensive disposable batteries and kerosene fuel. Angaza Design recognized that addressing energy poverty in these markets meant rethinking financing to make alternative energy products affordable to those with limited means. Using human-centered design principles, Angaza developed innovative Pay-As-You-Go technology that is fully integrated into their solar home systems, and allows families to pay for energy at their own pace. Find out more on the Angaza site
March 1st, 2012

VOZ: Indigenous Fair Trade Fashion Through Collaborative Design

VOZ – “voice” in Spanish – is an inclusive fair trade fashion company that uses design innovation to aid indigenous artisans out of poverty by connecting them to the global apparel industry. Currently working with Mapuche weavers in Chile, VOZ designers collaborate with local artisans to produce modern, sustainable pieces that represent their ethnic culture and appeal to a luxury boutique market. VOZ teaches artisans design as well as adapting their ideas into collections, and awards them royalties for their designs. Check out VOZ to learn more