Fixing Conferences: Six Lessons From the Designers Accord Summit

Valerie Casey — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:25:50 -0500

I've realized that I can't stand conferences. To me, conferences are akin to watching television without Tivo, or going to AAA to get a triptik instead of mapping a journey on Google. Conferences are an old workhorse model--a mix of passive consumption and fluorescent lighting--that is at odds with the seeds of inspiration they are supposed to inspire.

Comment on Node ant

Valerie Casey — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:40:22 -0400

Thank you for the thoughtful comments. Obviously the piece is not an attack, but an observation. I was a judge for the 2009 IDEA awards, and I discussed and voted on each of the winners. I truly believe that the 2000 and 2009 winners are highly deserving for overall creative value and excellence.

Why Does the Best Design of 2009 Still Look Like 2000?

Valerie Casey — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:01:07 -0400

"Cocksure: The Psychology of Overconfidence" is the title of Malcolm Gladwell's recent piece in the New Yorker, where he investigates the mental-space of decision-making. Gladwell analyzes financial collapse and war, arguing that beyond the conventional explanations of those predicaments (structural mishap and cognitive deficit), there is a psychological dimension at play. In high-stakes situations, we suffer from a more deeply rooted conundrum: a crisis of overconfidence.

Case Studies in Sustainability from the Designers Accord: An Introduction

Valerie Casey — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:38:53 -0400

In July 2007, with a call-to-action dubbed the Kyoto Treaty for design, the Designers Accord was founded as a global coalition of designers, educators, and corporate leaders, working together to create positive environmental and social impact.