Category: Blog
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Researching makerspaces
Together with colleague Hannah Stewart, I’ve just started working on a new research project for Nesta. Our objective is to map the current state of makerspaces in the UK, to provide a resource for people running a makerspace (or thinking about starting one), for researchers, policy makers and users.
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Brighton Strategy and Planning Meetup
On Wednesday, I spoke at the Brighton Strategy and Planning Meetup, alongside Matthew Bagwell from AKQA, and Krystle Lampshire from Comic Relief.
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A Natural Fix for A.D.H.D.
Interesting piece on ADHD in the New York Times, suggesting that our brains are wired for more stimulation than our post-agricultural (and post-industrial) lives give us.
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99U Podcast: Gabe Weinberg on Getting Traction
A solid episode of the 99u podcast, featuring Gabe Weinberg, tackling that dilemma faced by anyone who makes (product, art, software – anything that;s intended for an audience): As a maker, you’d probably much rather be creating than selling. But, as we all know, marketing your work is just as important as making it. So how can we…
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Matt Locke on side projects
There’s a lot to love in this post about Matt’s experiences running The Story conference. But I’ll just quote this opener:
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Somewhere to_ create
I’ll be on a panel tonight with a bunch of smart people working in the creative/culture world, talking about the paths we took to get to where we are today. My path has been meandering, and rarely well-mapped in advance. I hope that will be some consolation to the young people in the audience, who…
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Marketing != Advertising
I love this line (emphasis mine) about marketing too often ending after purchase. It encapsulates something that I’ve always found frustrating about how many people try to connect people with products (or brands, or creative endeavours). So often, it’s just shouting at those people about your product. The other powerful question a marketer can ask…
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Playing by somebody else’s rules
In my last post, I argued that authenticity needs to be considered in the light of digital mediation. That while it’s always been important to speak with an authentic voice, algorithmic targeting and data-driven personalisation change the rules for writers, designers, and everyone involved in product development and marketing. Another big digital disruption with equally…
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Your brand is not my [$friend_name$]
It’s easy to blame Innocent smoothies, who might be the ones who started this trend, but I think the UX, brand, marketing and copywriting people at brands who are doing this now should take responsibility.
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What makes you come alive
What you want What opportunities technology affords What the world needs Don’t ask what the world needs; ask yourself What makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because the world Needs people who have come alive Harold Whitman.
Andrew Sleigh 