Gemma Jones from School of Critical Design discusses their excitement about developing toolkits and methods in future, speculative, and critical design. They also talk about the challenges of using design methods in organizational contexts and the importance of engagement, collaboration, and coordination within the School of Critical Design.
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Quick takeaways
Established by Gemma Jones and Jay Paul Nealey, the School of Critical Design aims to explore futures, speculative design, and critical design, and has experienced significant growth during COVID.
The School of Critical Design provides a space for intentional conversations, fostering emotional connections, and aims to make futures methods more practical and applicable in organizational contexts.
Deep dives
The Origins and Development of School of Critical Design
Gemma Jones and Jay Paul Nealey established the School of Critical Design as a collaborative venture focusing on emerging methods for insight, strategy, and design. They aimed to explore futures, speculative design, and critical design, developing toolkits and methods in these areas. The school grew organically, offering courses, talks, and building a community. During COVID, the school experienced a boost in its audience, leading to a move towards offering written courses as well. The School of Critical Design is a passion project with great potential for growth and impact.
Creating Spaces for Intentional Conversations
The School of Critical Design provided a space for intentional conversations, especially during chaotic and complex times. They organized a design meditation online, where participants shared their projects and perspectives, fostering emotional and personal connections. The School of Critical Design aims to create spaces for genuine connections and discussions that are not driven by client briefs or networking opportunities.
Expanding the Methods of Futures and Speculative Design
One of the challenges faced by the School of Critical Design is the difficulty of using futures and speculative design methods within organizational contexts. They hope to make these methods more accessible and palatable to organizational culture, without sacrificing their philosophy and nuance. The school aims to bring joy and optimism to their work, leveraging prototypes, artifacts, and the language of branding to make futures methods more practical and applicable in innovation teams and strategic meetings.
Embracing Imagination and Possibility
The School of Critical Design explores the power of imagination, creativity, and the rebellious spirit to envision alternative futures. They emphasize the importance of embracing the possibility of other realities and adjacent worlds, without being constrained by strict time horizons. By focusing on culture, subcultures, and youthful movements like Alte, the school seeks to tap into the engine of imagination and possibility that can inspire meaningful transitions and more vibrant futures.
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