Equinox 2011 Knowledge Harbours

Brand DNA
Objective:
Understanding it, Selling it, Practicing it
Content:
Traditional Branding approaches under-perform in Digital Media. This is
because traditional branding is tuned to broadcast channels that are visually
intense and non-interactive. Whereas digital channels are spatial and multiway, which means that visual identity needs to be light and modular,
interaction must be elevated to be recognisable and "of-the-brand" and
promised performance must be measurable. There is massive opportunity to
disrupt the established branding ecosystem which currently serves clients
spectacularly badly. This session will focus on the context of this opportunity,
the outline of our offering from a proposition perspective, and an interactive
session to explore how to approach these challenges in practice.
Format:
Short Context Presentation, followed by a workshop to explore the approach.
Masters: Scott Ewings, Steve Graham & Xavier Blanc Baudriller

Technology
Objective:
Understand how technology is shaping our business and how we can leverage
it in novel ways.
Content:
A brief history of technology development and predictions for platforms, The
Seven Myths about platforms
Design by Prototyping, or how to blow away clients and work less. Empirical
tutorial from our work in Helsinki.
Technology Management at Fjord. What kind of talent do we need, what is our
opportunity, what are the key developments.
Format:
An historical overview, a hands-on Q&A best practice session and information
sharing with Q&A
Masters: Christian Lindholm, Terho Niemi & Oezguer Demir

User Research & Insight

Objective:
Researching Equinox: A study to inform the Design of the Next Equinox
Introduce Fjordians to User Insights and engage them in research activity,
results of which are the outcome of the Harbour.
Content:
We will introduce Research and User Insights (Why we do it, How we do it).
Introduce the aims of the Human Trends Initiative (Observation Data Bank,
Insights Papers and Human Trends Report). Set attendees activities that are
part of an ongoing research study of Equinox, that will last the duration of our
time there. Output from the session (and activities that continue after the
session) will inform the design of the next Equinox and also be collected as the
first input into the Observation Data Bank.
Format:
35 minute session: Introduction to Design Research & User Insights
(Including Process & Value (Why we have to defend/justify Research),
Experiences & Case Studies
40 minute: Researching Equinox - Fjordians become both research teams and
participants, and are set with various tasks which will allow us to research
various aspects of Equinox. (Including food, accommodation, activities, travel,
connection, learning etc)
Masters: Eleanor Davies & Naomi Mas

Experience Design for Sensors, Spaces and Smart Objects

Objective:
To explore a key growth area in digital design.
Gather opinion and design expertise around how we can start shaping that
offering and take it to market.
Content:
For the last 18 months, Fjord has been actively involved in the Smarcos
project, exploring the Internet of Things, Smart Objects and Cloud-based
services.
Fjord is increasingly engaging with clients that are moving in this direction,
delivering design solutions for NFC, context-driven services and multiple
touchpoint ecosystems.
In this session we will look at key work we have been doing in this area and
workshop themes around data, spaces and ways in which people engage with
them.
Format:
Sketching, scenario-building, concept-modeling, case-studies
Masters: Rob Le Quesne, Abbie Walsh & Helen Le Voi

Designing for Business - design work in client and commercial

context
Objective:
To help us understand better the business aspects and the (for want of a better
word) 'strategic' skills that support, facilitate and enable our design process
from SoW to delivery.
Content:
Our design work at Fjord doesn't exist outside of the needs, wants and
(sometimes) mysterious and apparently whimsical motivations of our clients.
This can often be frustrating, and at worst can feel like too much of a
compromise on good design work. At best though, we can achieve great things
working with clients who feel like we're in tune with what they want, what
they have room to do, and where they're going. This session explores various
aspects of 'designing for business', including understanding how to pinpoint
business goals behind projects, how to measure a successful project and a
successful service, and understanding how to manage clients better by
thinking through some common assumptions.
This should all underpin our design projects, and we probably do a lot of this
without really thinking about it, so we've set up a workshop with as many
interactive exercises as possible. We'll also close by explaining a bit of what
our mysterious 'business design leads' actually do...
Format:
Short presentations broken up with four immersive group and individual
exercises
Masters: John Oswald & Louisa Heinrich

Selling your Design work to clients

Objective:
Learn new tricks to better plan and present design
Content:
We do great design work - and a big part of it is communicating our ideas and
solutions in person, which takes a completely different set of skills. This
session is intended to give you tools, pointers and tips on how to present your
work so that it connects with different kinds of audiences.
The session will cover two main themes of presentation skills:
The What: how to adapt to different audiences, making and telling a good
story, framing, presentation structure etc
The How: language, pacing, presentation technique tips, personal style,
rehearsing and preparing etc
Format:
Some 3-4 interactive breakout sessions focusing on content (what) as well as
delivery (how)
Masters: Matti Keltanen & Mike LaVigne