Unlearning the Learning One interesting way to judge an innovation’s impact is to examine its linguistic influence. It’s a bit like the ripples made by a pebble dropped into a pond, the force and scale of the ripples say something about the pebble. The Hoover brand not only became synonymous with vacuum cleaners in general …
You can’t design guaranteed outcomes in a complex living system but you can maximise the likelihood of a good experience. The challenge for the designer is this: experience is highly subjective and filtered through an emotional lens over which we rarely (if ever) have complete control. With practice, we can tune into this “engine” and …
Seasonally Adjusted If you experience low mood and drops in energy levels at a particular time of the year, you could be one of the 33% of people in the UK affected by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). It happens in all seasons but more often when the trees have shed their leaves, the autumn sunshine …
The Science of Improvisation When you hold space for others you are holding space for yourself at the same time, because you are fully present in the moment and open to emerging possibilities. It’s not about planning every last detail because there is no “plan” as such in the here and now; there is only …
The Creativity Conundrum We’ve previously blogged about the idea that we’re all born with the instinct to make sense of the world around us by practising playful creativity. That’s all well and good but where does the sustained need come from and what it has to do with our health and state of mind? By …
Language Creates Reality Have you ever paused to consider what is language? It’s clearly more than just the articulation of spoken and written words. Language elucidates the unimaginable; triggers and soothes feelings; connects minds. It can open doors and burn bridges. In fact, the way we use language shapes our world in so many ways …
Navigating Stress We are designed to cope with stress in short bursts. However, with prolonged exposure, our body’s physiological system pivots into survival mode and acts as a kind of tachometer, keeping the score along our chosen path towards either illness or sustained wellbeing. In this state, we are prone to subconsciously triggered reactions that …
