The People, place and space newsletter #23
Building social capital, frameworks for prioritising research, and designing for world peace.
This month I have been absolutely floored by Covid, the first time I’ve had it, and probably why it hit me so hard. It’s given me plenty of reading time though, so every cloud has a silver lining and all that! If you really enjoy reading this, please think about subscribing, I promise I won’t spam you (mainly because I don’t have time for those sorts of shenanigans).
What is social capital, and why is it so important in delivering project work?
By Joe Bramall for TPXImpact
Picture credit: TPXImpact
I worked with Joe for a while, and really enjoyed watching how he managed to slowly bring project teams round to buy into design, building advocacy for his work and forming good relationships in the teams to act as amplifiers in the organisation. Off the back of one of our conversations he has written what his secrets to building social capital as a designer are.
Building a framework for prioritising user research
By Jeanette Fuccella
Picture credit: Jeanette Fuccella
A great article explaining how the risks and clarity that surround a problem will inform the breadth and depth of research required. I really like the quadrant/matrix for making an initial assessment, but the rest of the article forms a great framework for when you want to create a research strategy.
Designers build a provocative roadmap for world peace
By Wendy Moonan, writing for The Smithsonian
Picture credit SSP3/ Juan Pablo Garcia, Carlos Andrés Rodriguez
Design can often be seen as an aesthetic “nice to have”, an end point, a noun, but when Design (with a capital D) is done as a verb, it can change the world. This article is a great example of the impact well thought out design can have - from persuading rebel troops to stand down with homecoming messages in glowing orbs sent down the river to them, to see-saws (teeter totters to my American friends!) placed across the fence between the America and Mexican border to promote play across boundaries and conflicts. An inspiring read.
Also worth your time
I’ve been following with complete fascination the “behind the scenes” work for the funeral of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, so this write up of how “The Queue” for the Queens lying in state was brilliant to read. Ingenuity and adaptability at it’s finest. Definitely the most British bit of internet, ever.
Some blasts from the past about clippy and early explorations of metaphor in design with Microsoft Bob, interesting when held in direct comparison to Zuckerberg’s Metaverse - we haven’t really come all that far…
This really delightful site is super useful if you are learning music theory. I played with this for longer than was necessary!
I wrote something myself about how to control the never ending flow of information you might be subjected too. Obviously it has Seinfeld in it…
An interesting read on the strategies available for paying off design debt
This is a really good write up on objective setting for designers, and guidance for those that are line managing. Great stuff from Jaskiran as always!
What I’ve been up to
Once Covid passed I’ve tried to get out and about in the last few sunny day’s we’ll get in the UK before the darker months come. I’m currently surfing the high you get after feeling ill, and you’ve recovered.
I’ve also been sitting on some exciting news that I’ll be leaving my current job in the middle of November, before starting something new in December - where that is I will announce very soon!
That’s all for this month, take care folks and see you next month.
Laura