Making positive change by design

Some of us loved it, some loathed it, and many people around the world still fight for the right to access it — school is a universal…

Think about the last time you purchased something that you don’t buy often, like a washing machine, a cell phone, or even a sheet set. What…

We live in a world made up of complex interconnected systems — natural, industrial, and social. Industrial systems involve all the…

We have a collective global challenge unprecedented in the history of humans on this Earth. We have designed ourselves into a tightly wound…

Absolutely everything that is created goes through a series of life cycle stages, from material extraction through to end of life. The…

I’m writing a book on the ubiquitous influence of design on our everyday lives and the systems that sustain the planet. It looks at how…

Design influences all of us in profound and often unnoticeable ways. From the subtle shifts in our society to the overt impacts that…

Design is one of the most powerful forces humans have created. Why? Because it influences every single part of our lives — no matter who…

Last year I was bestowed the title of Champions of the Earth from the United Nations Environment Programme, and in honor of the champions…

For people who are concerned about the impacts of consumption, this time of year is extremely painful for both us and our families and…

I have a very distinct memory from when I was around six years old: I was riding in the back of my friend’s mum’s car, and she told us all…

Nearly everything that is created has waste designed into it. Be it in the manufacturing, packaging or the product itself, disposability…

The United Nations estimates that at the current rate of pollution, by 2050, the ocean will be home to more plastic than fish. Studies have…

Over the last five chapters in this series on tools for systems thinkers, I have looked at fundamental concepts, feedback loops, dominant…

In the previous four chapters of this series, I discussed the different concepts, approaches, and tools for activating systems thinking…

Archetypes are recurring patterns of behavior that give insights into the structures that drive systems. They offer a way of deciphering…

Systems thinking requires a shift in our perception of the world around us. In order to build a new multidimensional thinking framework, we…

In the last chapter of this series, The 6 Fundamental Concepts of Systems Thinking, I explored some of the key concepts of systems thinking…

In this series on systems thinking, I share the key insights and tools needed to develop and advance a systems mindset for dealing with…

One of the aims of my work is decoupling the word “fashion” from “clothing”. We all wear clothes — but we care about fashion to varying…

Design is a powerful tool to change the world. Humans have been constructing their experience of the world to meet their needs by design…

As designers we know how beautifully-designed things make us feel, but, so many of the critical thinking tools for concepts like Systems…

Twenty three thousand times a day. That’s how often, on average, a human breathes. Consider that as 23,000 reminders that every day is…

This week I was invited to present at the United Nations Partnership For Action on the Green Economy (PAGE) Ministerial Conference in…