Talking About Design & Healthcare

Some months ago I was approached by Rolake Ojo, a young doctor who realised she’s a designer at heart and had the guts to follow her passion, inviting me to chat about the many overlaps between design and healthcare on her podcast Brand New Dr. You can listen to our conversation here, discussing, amongst many interesting … Continue reading “Talking About Design & Healthcare”

Changing behaviour through design

If you’ve read some of my blog posts you’ll know I believe in the power of design; that design can solve problems, make things work better for us, bring pleasure and beauty to everyday things. But can design also change how we behave? This bench can. How? I’ve received a variety of answers from students … Continue reading “Changing behaviour through design”

Can you teach empathy?

“Empathy is the capacity to step into other people’s shoes, to understand their lives, and start to solve problems from their perspectives. Human-centered design is premised on empathy, on the idea that the people you’re designing for are your roadmap to innovative solutions…” Emi Kolawole, Editor-in-Residence, Stanford University d.school We ask students to consider who … Continue reading “Can you teach empathy?”

Design in the age of Covid

When the UK went in to lockdown in March, the creative industries were hit hard, throwing many in to professional uncertainty and financial stress. This  inadvertently conveyed the message that although the sector’s contribution to society may be ‘nice to have’, it is surely also ‘non essential’. But the global crisis brought by the Covid-19 … Continue reading “Design in the age of Covid”