Nordic Rebels: Learning in the time of Corona

LEARNING IN THE TIME OF CORONA

NORDIC REBELS 1

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NORDIC REBELS LEARNING IN THE TIME OF CORONA Miikka J. Lehtonen Katharina S. Schilli Adithya Varadarajan

Layout: JiaYing Chew Visual design: Parvati Pillai Photo credits: the authors

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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MANIFESTO

NORDIC REBELS IS: LEARNER-CENTERED & INSPIRING Goosebumps. Passion. Provocative content.

INCLUSIVE & RESPECTFUL Leave no one behind!

TRANSDISCIPLINARY Innovation thrives when multiple disciplines converge.

EMPOWERING Experience. Reflect. Improve.

A PLAYFUL & SAFE SPACE Learn from and respect failures, combined with a pinch of fun!

EMBODIED LEARNING/ ACTIONABLE THEORY Articulate knowledge and train your muscle memory.

LEARNING IN THE TIME OF CORONA The Nordic Rebels’ award-winning blended learning approach was created with the understanding that learner engagement requires leveraging multiple modalities. For this, we have created three seasons, consisting of both videos and podcasts, which support flexible learning while providing modular content from a range of inspiring speakers from around the world.

Ever since we started planning our first season we wanted to make our episodes publicly available simply because we have learned so much from others and this was one way for us to give back to the global educator community. Episodes in the first season focus on multidisciplinary teamwork, whilst the second one dissects a design process, and our latest season looks to the future by covering skills relevant in the upcoming years.

But when we released our third season, we realized others have not gone through the same process as we, and as such it might not be so straight-forward for others to utilize our content. We created the episodes with our courses in mind, but we started thinking how we could make it as easy as possible for others to utilize our episodes in their courses.

As we pondered this, the world has been plunged into a global pandemic that affects one and all. That is why this manual was created with a title that isn’t just about the obvious wordplay to reflect the current global situation. It encapsulates the Nordic Rebels vision that effective, goosebumpifying learning can happen even during this phase of physical distancing and remote learning.

In addition, to provide more flesh around the bones, we have started structuring our episodes from each season that are covered in this manual, into micromodules - you can find more information about them on our website www.nordicrebels.com.

Are you ready to bend your skills?

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SEASON I MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK

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Season 1, episode 1: Honoring yourself

In this episode, Katharina talks to Emilia who highlights the importance of honoring yourself. She also touches on the Finnish notion of “sisu�, and how you can become the hero of your own life.

Starting on an intense journey like this challenge, you get deeply focused on the wicked problems you are tackling. Emilia provides a gentle reminder at the start of this journey that you have to take care of yourself too.

Emilia Lahti (MSc, MAPP) is an international presenter on topics related to positive psychology such as the power of fostering psychological safety through our daily encounter and developing excellence in leadership within ourselves and in the many domains of human life (work, entrepreneurship, coaching, sports, activism, and community building).

Suggested readings and methods: Failure CV

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Season 1, episode 2: Philosophy of teams

In this episode, Katha and Esa talk about teams, courage, compassion and living the good life.

It can often be a challenge to taken on wicked problems while working with new people from a variety of backgrounds and in a new environment. So how do you ensure you keep an open mind and work effectively together? Esa provides his perspective on how to navigate this.

Esa Saarinen would prefer to be called a regular guy, but he’s best known as Finland’s most recognizable philosopher. Since 2000, he’s also been a professor at Aalto University where he has channeled his interests into developing “Systems Intelligence”.

His key goal is to understand human behaviors from the kind of “optimistic and realistic” viewpoint he prefers, and combining engineering thinking that seeks results with the humanistic

Suggested readings and methods: Team roles and skills mapping

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Season 1, episode 3: The truth that hurts

In this episode, Theresa and Miikka sit down with Jani to discuss blind spots (such as privilege) and the need to burst bubbles in design. Jani also talks about how we need to choose between “the truth that hurts” and “the lie that comforts”.

When taking on wicked problems, this is the same choice that you’ll face. How do you become aware of your blind spots? How do you face “the truth that hurts?

Jani Leinonen is a Finnish artist and political activist. Jani is known of his public artworks criticising capitalism by using the imagery and icons of corporate brands. He has had enough of a world where recycling Coke cans, giving a couple of euros for charity or buying a Fazer chocolate bar where 5 cents goes to third world starving children is enough to make us feel good. He has had enough of a world where real alternatives are impossible to imagine. Why is it so easy for us to imagine the end of the world, an asteroid destroying all life on earth, but we cannot imagine the end of capitalism?

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Season 1, episode 4: Rethinking progress

In this episode, Miikka talks to Johnathyn about his work with the Sentient Collective and about how the goal shouldn’t be about tweaking the system but creating a new one.

The discussion features straight talk about systems, their flaws and the way things are interconnected in the Capitalist model. It also touches on how taking on wicked problems needs a shift from individual to collective mindsets.

Johnathyn is an award winning designer, speaker, and photographer specializing in social impact design and sustainable development.

Graduated with a MA/MSc in Innovation Design & Engineering from the Royal College of Art, and Imperial College London UK, Johnathyn fulfills his life passion through design projects which empower individuals and communities to take positive change into their own hands. Previously he has worked on design innovations for Philips, Fuseproject, and Salus.

Suggested readings and methods: Grant, A. (2013). Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success. Penguin Books.

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Season 1, episode 5: Dangerous ideas

In this episode, Theresa talks to Alf Rehn as he busts myths related to creativity and innovation whether it comes to ways of thinking, or the way we approach teams.

Taking on wicked problems in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, there can be a tendency to be well behaved (and in turn, leading to limiting ourselves). Alf talks about the importance of acknowledging the novel and the way friction can spark interesting ideas.

In 2016, Thinkers50, the pre-eminent listing of management thinkers, included Alf Rehn on their Guru Radar, a list of “the 30 management thinkers most likely to shape the future�. Alf (47), is a Professor of Innovation, Design, and Management at the University of Southern Denmark, sits on numerous boards of directors, and is in addition a bestselling author and a strategic advisor for everything from hot new startups to Fortune 500-companies.

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Season 1, episode 6: Navigating complexity

In this episode, Theresa talks to Paula about design and management and what design management means.

Taking on wicked problems requires the ability to navigate complexity and uncertainty. Paulo provides a few tips on how to embrace and approach these, starting with a positive, “can do� attitude.

Paula Bello has a doctorate degree in global design processes (University of Art and Design Helsinki, now Aalto University) and long experience in product and service design management. She worked as design manager at KONE Corporation for over 7 years, where she built both global offerings and design competences for products and services. Currently, Paula is a business partner and design consultant for the international design agency Livework.

Suggested readings and methods: ATLAS game

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Season 1, episode 7: Design and uncertainty

In this episode, Theresa engages in an inspiring discussion on design thinking with Lotta Hassi. They touch on the attributes of a great design thinker, as well as the importance of intellectual humility and fearlessness.

Taking on wicked problems requires becoming comfortable with uncertainty and indecisiveness and in this discussion, Lotta provides advice on how to leverage the fundamentals of design thinking to make the most of the journey.

Lotta Hassi is a lecturer of innovation in the department of Operations, Innovation and Data Sciences at ESADE in Barcelona.

She has over 10 years of experience working in the fields of innovation and design, as an entrepreneur, consultant, researcher and lecturer. Having completed her education in Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Art and Design and in the Design Innovation program at Stanford University, she is pursuing a doctoral degree in Aalto University focusing on the management of explorative innovation projects of high uncertainty.

Suggested readings and methods: Edmondson, A. C. (2011).

Strategies for Learning from Failure. Harvard Business Review.

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Season 1, episode 8: Design and technology

In this episode, Miikka and Ksenia talk about organizations, disruptive technologies, and changes. They touch on how design thinking can be done in large organizations as part of larger ecosystems.

In the age of artificial intelligence, taking on wicked problems often leverages these for disruptive solutions. Ksenia provides some suggestions around the thinking that must accompany the integration of these cutting edge technologies with solutions.

With a background in user experience and digital service design, Ksenia is driven by bringing the human perspective to disruptive tech innovation. In her current role as Head of Enhanced Reality Lab at Tieto, she’s combining innovative ways of working and design thinking methods to enable companies across multiple industries to collaborate, innovate and deliver outstanding results using the latest advancements in technology such as machine learning, machine vision, advanced automation systems, and virtual reality.

Suggested readings and methods: Kudarawalli et al. (2017). How to Get Experts to Work Together Effectively. Harvard Bus. Review.

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Season 1, episode 9: Change in organizations

In this episode, Miikka talks to Kevin about his experiences at ANA as an example for how to bring change and transformation to organizations to make them more innovative.

Solving wicked problems has to happen in collaboration with large organizations sometimes, and in these situations trying to do something new can get a lot of opposition. Kevin touches on the various ways that he approached this challenge to create lasting change in how his organization did things.

Kevin Kajitani is passionate about improving the world through new business ecosystem models that aim to close socio-economic gaps around the world. After graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors from the University of Washington with a degree in Aeronautics & Astronautics, Kevin worked as an aerodynamics engineer in the US before relocating to Japan. He now works in the Digital Design Lab at All Nippon Airways (ANA) as a innovation researcher.

Suggested readings and methods: Murphy, M. & Dweck, C. (2016).

Mindsets shape consumer behavior. J. Consum. Psychol.

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Season 1, episode 10: Authenticity and meaning

In this episode, Katharina has a chat with Paul D. Savage about authenticity and meaningful actions. Together they discuss the way narratives shape our reality.

Paul also provides advice about risk and ambiguity, and leveraging authenticity.

Paul started off in 1990 with a theatre group and his journey so far has led him through logistics, radio, mutual funds, construction and oil field work, and back to logistics – a bit of everything. He leverages these varied experiences in his role as a researcher at Aalto within Organization & Management Studies, with an interest in entrepreneurship and fictions. Hw is particularly focused on how narratives are woven into many aspects of our organizational lives and how our speech creates our reality.

Suggested readings and methods: Christensen, C. M. (2010). How Will You Measure Your Life? Harvard Bus. Review.

Season 1, episode 11: Designing politics

In this episode of “In Front of the Window”, Miikka and Juska talk about dreaming and design.

Juska uses the example of a presidential campaign to highlight how a design thinking approach and process can be useful to take on any kind of problem.

Juska J. Teittinen is a design director and Fjord alumnus who is currently teaching strategy and experience design at Aalto University. His major influences are the design thinking framework, Toyota Production System and rhetorical theory. He believes design is just “formalized common sense” and is looking to reintroduce rhetorical theory back to the design discipline, to return to the Renaissance way when it was an integral part of visual arts and music.

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Season 1, episode 12: Learning from Slush

In this episode, Miikka and Yoshi talk about courage, student-led movements, and broadening your horizon.

When taking on wicked problems, showcasing your concepts is an important part of it. Yoshi talks about what it takes to organize events like Slush that can help spark evolutions in attitudes and mindset that can translate into large scale change.

Yoshiyuki Taguchi is one of the key organizers of Slush’s activities in Asia. Focusing on partnerships and leveraging co-creation to help craft the Asian editions of the amazing annual event of Slush. His goal is to look at Slush Asia as a platform to spark entrepreneurial aspirations and enhance the entrepreneurial mindset in Japan and the rest of Asia.

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Season 1, episode 13: Augmented reality

New technologies are worth nothing without compelling content, they say. Emmi, CEO of Arilyn, and Miikka explore this idea in this episode.

Communicating the importance of wicked problems requires creative ways of telling that story and engaging with the audience.

Emmi provides some suggestions on how leveraging augmented reality could be one way of sparking this engagement.

Emmi Jouslehto is the CEO and co-founder of the Nordics leading Augmented Reality company Arilyn. Her journey into AR started with a keen interest in the power of imagination and storytelling, combined with education in geography and geoinformatics. With her company, Arilyn, she now leverages the power of storytelling in providing high end tools for virtual customer engagement for brands.

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Season 1, episode 14: Design and business

In today’s episode, Johannes and Miikka explore storytelling and aesthetic entrepreneurship.

Wicked problems don’t exist in isolation and are often influenced by factors like business logic and larger cultural shifts. Johannes highlights this by showcasing his experiences and learnings from his journey.

Johannes has an extensive background in business and entrepreneurship, particularly with Finnish consumer lifestyle companies, having founded and exited Karhu Originals and Royal Majestics. He is now focused on reasons behind the catatonia and inability for Finnish companies to compete in the open world. His research focuses on understanding the relationship with current macro and microeconomic drivers and cultural drivers of Finland and its actors in an attempt to find a model better suited for today’s global commercial activities than the existing ones.

Suggested readings and methods: Nordic Rebels Cooking Slam

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Season 1, episode 15: A bird’s eye view

In this episode, Miikka and Aleksi have a cosy chat about societies and possible futures.

Aleksi provides a birds eye view of the various tools and skills required in one’s repertoire when taking on wicked problems starting from developing one’s imagination, to highlighting the role of collaboration and the importance of thinking collectively.

Aleksi Neuvonen is the co-founder of Demos Helsinki. His work focuses on understanding change (and unchange) of societies and organisations. As a futures researcher his main interests are technology and human behaviour and creating Demos Helsinki’s vision on social change. Aleksi has also built a societal vision on sustainable well-being in Next Era program together with Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund. In addition, he has taught future studies in the University of Helsinki and Aalto University.

Suggested readings and methods: Neuvonen et al. (2014). Lowcarbon futures and sustainable lifestyles. Futures.

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Season 1, podcast 1: Respectful design

In this episode, Miikka and Dori discuss respectful design - what it is and why it is important.

It’s often easy, when taking on wicked problems to make assumptions and look at things from a narrow perspective. Dori touches on the importance of looking at one’s self in relation to others and having a respect driven framework to design for humanity.

Elizabeth (Dori) Tunstall is a design anthropologist, public intellectual, and design advocate who works at the intersections of critical theory, culture, and design. As Dean of Design at Ontario College of Art and Design University, she is the first black female dean of a faculty of design. Tunstall has held academic and industry positions worldwide and holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Stanford University and a BA in Anthropology from Bryn Mawr College.

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Season 1, podcast 2: Slush Tokyo

In this episode, Miikka and Antti discuss Slush Tokyo.

Tackling wicked problems sometimes requires bringing radical changes to environments that are often resistant to it. Antti showcases his experiences with Slush Tokyo and highlights how even small things can snowball into creating the atmosphere for larger scale changes.

Antti is a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about building unstoppable teams. He is the co-founder and Chairman of Slush Tokyo and is also currently the co-founder of Day One Tech.

He has an educational background in design and management and was formerly the country director for Rovio in Japan.

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Season 1, podcast 3: Ghost Company

In this episode, Miikka (Ghost Company) and Miikka (Nordic Rebels) discuss about Ghost Company and what it means to futureproof organizations in the age of turmoils and uncertainty.

Miikka is a Strategic Innovation Advisor at Ghost Company, a company that helps organizations find hidden value and think beyond their digital business. They focus on leveraging their knowledge of the future to help companies get there faster.

Miikka sees the growing complexity of our world as simple patterns and has written a book about how material and immaterial worlds are melting and what the repercussions are for all businesses.

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SEASON II A DESIGN PROCESS

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Season 2, episode 1: High-performing teams

In this episode, Antti and Maikki Merilehto discuss high performing teams, crab walk, and much more. They cover what makes teams effective, how to manage them, psychological safety and also touch on Google’s Project Aristotle.

When taking on any complex project, understanding the nature of the team and how to get the most out of diverse teams is important.

Both Maikki and Antti bring their perspectives to this topic drawing from their own diverse experiences.

Maikki Merilehto is a 3-time world champion in skating and is now a synchronized skating coach who has been coaching in the US and Finland.

Antti Merilehto is a bestselling author in Artificial Intelligence, tour guide for Machine learning and now a CEO at an AI Strategy Company.

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Season 2, episode 2: Diversity

In this episode, Akshan and Barbara from IDEO Munich talk about diversity and how it connects to design.

When tackling complex projects it’s important to avoid the tunnel vision that can emerge from our own experiences and biases.

Barbara and Akshan talk about how having a diverse team that blends different demographics can help overcome this and create greater inclusiveness in the solutions and even create greater business opportunities.

Akshan Ish is a design lead with IDEO’s Munich studio, working at the intersection of research and interaction design. He focuses on helping companies leverage digital technology to serve people’s constantly evolving needs and expectations.

Barbara Franz is a Design Director at IDEO’s Munich studio. A problem solver by nature, she is passionate about meeting complex challenges head-on, and is constantly in search of those solutions that will ultimately improve lives.

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Season 2, episode 3: Client and change management

In this episode, Miikka sits down with Johannes Nuutinen from Demos Effect to discuss client and change management. Occasional connections to service design are also made while providing various tips for managing clients and change.

Taking on any complex project requires bringing people on board whether they’re clients, partners or any other stakeholders. This episode touches on why it’s important for everyone to trust the process and trust that it’s leading to a good outcome at the end.

Johannes Nuutinen is a Lead at Demos Helsinki who works with their Radical Strategy team, to define new roles and ways of value creation for large corporations working in a rapid transformation of their business environment. Johannes is specialized in understanding societal change and helps corporations answer societal challenges. Prior to Demos Helsinki was a co-founder of Avanto Helsinki, which was acquired by Demos Helsinki in 2015.

He is a social scientist and approaches his work from the viewpoint of societal transformation.

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Season 2, episode 4: The project plan

In this episode, Miikka sits down with Vilma Viiala to discuss project planning, design briefs and being flexible when working on plans.

The start of any project starts with a brief that helps define key elements like the stakeholders, and also understand and set their expectations. The conversation also touches on the importance for teams to be aligned on their goals when creating plans, as well as executing them Vilma Viiala is currently channeling her passion about mental health and overall well-being into her role at Meru Health. She has an extensive background in the retail industry and business design, helping private and public organizations unfold their curiosity and creating user-friendly products and services as well as succeed in the digital era. She is also a former director of Kiuas Accelerator where she helped startups go from early stage to first revenue.

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Season 2, episode 5: Videographic research

In today’s episode, Hannu from Sailer Research gives us a brief hands-on introduction to videographic research.

Research is an essential part of taking on any complex project. Using a model case study, the episode shows how videographic research in particular, can prove powerful, both from the perspective of providing actionable insights but also in communicating them in an impactful, visual way.

Hannu Uotila is the CEO and co-founder of Sailer Research which specializes in videography. He is passionate about inspiring management to be human-centric through visual insight.

He believes that an insight is only as valuable as the impact it creates and through his company, they create this impact using videographic research that’s based on a combination of market research and professional video production. On a fun side note, his thesis was likely the first in any business school made in a video format.

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Season 2, episode 6: Design research Q&A

Bet you have many questions about design research, don’t you?

Then we have something for you right here!

In this episode, Barbara and Akshan use a Q & A format to provide their insights and tips on not just design research and testing hypotheses, but also topics like transdisciplinary teamwork, sharing a common language on projects, creating an environment of psychological safety, and more.

Akshan Ish is a design lead with IDEO’s Munich studio, working at the intersection of research and interaction design. He focuses on helping companies leverage digital technology to serve people’s constantly evolving needs and expectations.

Barbara Franz is a Design Director at IDEO’s Munich studio. A problem solver by nature, she is passionate about meeting complex challenges head-on, and is constantly in search of those solutions that will ultimately improve lives.

Suggested readings and methods: Muratovski, G. (2016). Research for Designers. SAGE. 35

Season 2, episode 7: Design thinking and beyond

Design Thinking is nice, but what else is out there? That’s what Panu (Nordkapp) and Jia are about to find out in this episode!

Design thinking is but one way of approaching a complex project.

In this episode, Panu introduces one way that his organization has attempted to evolve the process beyond the limitations of design thinking to better tackle these complex problems - with the design arena canvas.

Formerly a managing director at Nordkapp, Panu Korhonen is currently a design lead at VR Group. He’s an experienced designer, researcher and leader in concept design, interaction design, user experience, design direction, and HCI research.

Over the course of his vast experience, he has worked with leading companies and brands, including F-Secure, Nokia, Polar, Santander, and Telia.

Suggested readings and methods: Re-thinking design thinking part V 36

Season 2, episode 8: Prototyping

In this episode, Timo and Matti from Flavour Ventures discuss how they prototype flavours. As you will see, connections to design are apparent and fascinating.

Tackling a complex project requires some level of validation and iteration before any possible solution is ready for release. Using their experience with flavours, this episode highlights how testing experiences and even testing the narratives is an important element.

Matti and Timo are co-founders of A21. Together they combine their experience and passion for flavors with service design principles to deliver fascinating experiments at the intersection of design and cuisine.

Matti is driven by the big picture and a belief in the entrepreneurial mindset of questioning beyond the obvious. Timo is a “flavor architect�, Nordic cocktail pioneer, international competition judge and a cocktail trainer in Finland and abroad.

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Season 2, episode 9: Consequences

In this episode Adithya has a chat with Jenna LähdemäkiPekkinen from Sitra and Eeva Berglund from Aalto University on consequences in design.

When taking on complex projects, it’s easy to get hyper-focused on solving one particular problem without considering the way it can impact other entities in the ecosystem. This discussion touches on the importance of taking a step back and thinking about the consequences of design decisions.

Eeva Berglund - Adjunct Professor (Environmental Policy), Department of Design, Aalto. She has written and taught on grassroots urbanism, environmental social movements, urban development and transformations.

Jenna Lähdemäki-Pekkinen is a Specialist in Foresight and Insight at Finnish Innovation Fund, Sitra. She focuses on the future of well-being, megatrends and sustainable education.

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Season 2, episode 10: The story

Three speakers, three stories. Each told differently, yet connected by passion. What is your design story that gets others excited?

A big part of successfully taking on a project is being able to tell the story around the solution and effectively communicate it. Using these three stories and styles as examples, this episode highlights how effective stories can be told in an impactful way.

Ali Jahangiri is an Iranian-born radio presenter and a stand-up comedian. As a comedian, he is known as a political satirist.

Peta Partanen is best characterised as a hybrid between design and business that’s strengthened over years of experience on both sides of the pendulum.

Anna Vavilova is one of the organizers of “Talk the Talk”, an initiative to train the next generation of public speakers.

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SEASON III SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE

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Season 3, episode 1: Organizational transformation I

If we are to create a better world, we should start by transforming organizations: public, private, third sector. At first, this might feel daunting from an individual’s perspective, but throughout this third season we offer examples how it can be done.

In this episode we talk to Dr. Jung-Joo Lee, Director of Service Design Lab Singapore and Assistant Professor at National University of Singapore, about organizational transformation.

Dr. Jung-Joo Lee is the Director of Service Design Lab Singapore and Assistant Professor at National University of Singapore. Her current research interests focus on 1) organisational transformation through Service Design and 2) Service Design for aging.

JJ received her Ph.D from Aalto University in Finland and has worked on various service design and interaction design projects in collaboration with global companies like Microsoft, Samsung, and Rolls-Royce (Marine).

Suggested readings and methods: Next Era Scanning Cards

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Season 3, episode 2: Sustainable transitions

If we are to create a better world, sustainable transitions should be among our highest priorities. Whether approaching this as an individual’s or from an organization’s perspective, this might feel daunting, but there are ways through which it can be done.

In this episode, our partners from CINRA talk to Masaki Takao about his company’s work within circular economy, a call for action toward sustainable transitions, and the role that we as individuals can play in fueling these transitions.

Masaki Takao is CEO and Co-Founder at JEPLAN, a startup that’s part of the “Unreasonable Group”, and is focused on fostering a circular economy by collecting used clothing and household items to recycle and re-sell. In his role as the CEO, Masaki Takao leverages his background in Chemical Engineering and Technology Management to push the entire operations of JEPLAN, which includes technology development, factory operation, finance and management.

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Season 3, episode 3: How do I stay ahead of the machines?

If we are to create a better world, we need to prepare for the future by adapting our understanding for potential disruptions that will change how we work. Re-skilling and rethinking our understanding of the unknown future that is yet to come can be challenging, but it can be done.

In this episode, Etsuko Ichihara talks about her work with robots at the intersection of culture, beliefs and technology to answer the question - “how can humans stay ahead of machines”.

Etsuko Ichihara has been creating artworks that interpret Japanese culture, customs and beliefs from a unique point of view, and present new, technology-based approaches. Some of her main works include “Sekuhara Interface,” a device featuring a seductively moaning radish; the “SRxSI system that substitutes reality with delusion” in which users can meet a fictional beautiful woman; and the “Digital Shaman Project” spending 49 days with household robots endowed with impressions of deceased people.

Suggested readings and methods: the Digital Shaman Project https://vimeo.com/157890881 44

Season 3, episode 4: Channeling your unique vision

If we are to create a better world, part of the challenge is how we even get started with innovating towards that change. Whether approaching this as an individual or from an organization’s perspective, this might feel daunting, but there are ways that it can be done.

In this episode, our partners from CINRA talk to Kunitake Saso about challenges related to change and how tapping into one’s vision can be a catalyst to drive that change.

Kunitake Saso is the founder and CEO of biotope, a co-creative strategic firm based in Tokyo, Japan. He holds a Masters of Design Methods from Illinois Institute of Technology, and a Graduate degree from University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law. His professional accomplishments include the successful product launches of hit products, Febreze and Lenor, at Procter and Gamble (P&G). He then worked as the brand manager of Gillette in Japan. Later, he moved on to Sony where he launched the Sony Seed Acceleration Program.

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Season 3, episode 5: Individual champions

Given the urgent need for sustainable transformation during the climate crisis, it is important to emphasize how, even as individuals, we have the power to do something to change organizations towards sustainability.

In this episode, Tia focuses on the ingredients that go into sustainable living, the consequences of continuing with our existing systems, and the patterns of sense making and meaning in our lives, all as a way of shifting and generating change.

Tia Kansara is an award-winning entrepreneur and sustainable design expert. She has been recognized as one of the Top 100 most influential Financial Times tech leaders in the UK & Europe.

She is the founder and director of Kansara Hackney Ltd. (KH), a partnership with Dr Rod Hackney.

Tia’s mission is to give guidance to help governments, companies and individuals to make fulfilling commitments that benefit the world around us.

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Season 3, episode 6: Little change agent’s toolbox

Now that you’re inspired by the previous episode and ready to channel your agency as an individual to push these transformations forward - what kind of tactics can you employ to drive change?

In this episode, Levi Yosef from Nordic Rebels talks with Anne Dencker Bædkel, a sociologist and futurist from Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, about future, change, and much much more!

Anne Dencker Bædkel is s a futurist and sociologist at the fifty-yearold independent and apolitical think tank Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS). CIFS works with a multidisciplinary approach to strategy and futures studies and aims to reduce complexity and navigate uncertainty. Anne has been a keynote speaker and advisor at CIFS for five years; she also manages the CIFS Global Scanning Network and is part of the editing team of CIFS’s award winning SCENARIO Magazine, where she has published a large number of articles.

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Season 3, episode 7: The dark side of design

As we set out to create a better world, it’s important to understand our role as change makers or designers and face the reality of how it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. This needs some straight talk on design and the dark patterns of innovation that we can get trapped into during these processes to drive change.

In this episode, we talk to Rama about thie dark side of design and how we can leverage empathy, the human experience, and inclusive design to break these patterns.

Rama Gheerawo is the Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design and the RCA Reader in Inclusive Design. He is an international figure within inclusive design and creative leadership, and a serial innovator in the fields of technology, services and transport with over 100 projects to his name over his 20 year track record in using Design to improve people’s lives. He was named a Creative Leader 2018 by Creative Review magazine and inducted into Design Week’s 2019 Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Jony Ive and Margaret Calvert.

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Season 3, episode 8: Finding clarity

Given the urgent need for sustainable transformation during the climate crisis, it is important to emphasize how, even as individuals, we have the power to do something to change organizations towards sustainability.

In this episode, Tia focuses on the ingredients that go into sustainable living, the consequences of continuing with our existing systems, and the patterns of sense making and meaning in our lives, all as a way of shifting and generating change.

Along with creating the “Clearing Purpose Framework�, Joana Mao specializes in strategic design and creative facilitation. She is dedicated to understanding how design enables innovation as we work together in this unique moment of great mindset renewal in business with unprecedented and immense possibilities of transformation. She created the framework to help people understand how they perceive the world and structure an ideation process to help people connect with their observation of the world’s needs.

Suggested readings and methods: Clearing Purpose Framework

Season 3, episode 9: Imagining alternate futures

Sure, everything we’ve covered so far about change and transformation, especially sustainable transitions, sounds all idealistic and we might be feeling comfortable now. In some cases it might be easy to slip into thinking “oh, so many people are working on this, so why should we care?”.

The reality in this era of the climate crisis is that we cannot afford to be passive and do nothing. So in this episode, İdil roasts teddy about the perils of not driving change towards a better future.

Dr. İdil Gaziulusoy is a Professor of Sustainable Design at the Department of Design, Aalto University. She’s a sustainability scientist and a design researcher, developing a teaching and research portfolio for imagining sustainable, equitable and resilient future systems through various approaches in design research and developing interventions to achieve these proposals. Her work is concerned with socio-technical and socio-ecological systems with a particular focus on production-consumption systems and cities,

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Season 3, episode 10: Organizational transformation II

We’ve talked about the nature of transformation, the need for it, the challenges we face when pursuing it and the various ways in which we can influence and drive that change as individuals. So the next question that is likely to arise is “can this really be done?”.

In this season finale, Levi talks with Christina about examples of actual organizational transformation. Over the course of the conversation, she showcases how change is absolutely possible as long as we collaborate and utilize our vast variety of skills.

Rama Gheerawo is the Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design and the RCA Reader in Inclusive Design. He is an international figure within inclusive design and creative leadership, and a serial innovator in the fields of technology, services and transport with over 100 projects to his name over his 20 year track record in using Design to improve people’s lives. He was named a Creative Leader 2018 by Creative Review magazine and inducted into Design Week’s 2019 Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Jony Ive and Margaret Calvert.

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A note to our pals

We’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to all our partners who have been supporting Nordic Rebels, powering our activities.

Helsinki ThinkCo, Maria01, Flavour Studio, Futurice, Hellon & Games Factory for welcoming us with open arms- providing us with amazing venues to take classes to where the students are.

City of Helsinki, Ohjaamo, Uusix-verstaat, Plan International & Inland Design for enabling our field research through visits and adding a layer of tangiblity and realism to the students’ understanding of the real societal challenges.

Aalto Teaching Lab, Aalto Sustainability Hub and Sitra for sharing your perspective and tools for implementable outcomes.

A!Ole for believing in our mission and for the continuous support.

Kyrö Distillery for providing some stress relief.

Tuborgfondet and Otto Mønsteds Fond for supporting Student & Innovation House’s work with prototyping and testing new ways of engaging student and creating innovative learning environments

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CINRA CINRA is a multilingual creative agency based in Tokyo, consisting of diverse group of producers, planners, directors, designers, engineers, editors that are committed to building new solutions for the world’s top brands.

CINRA will meet all your bicultural communications needs through digital marketing and web site production in combination with its core competence: owned media brands and agency services.

With our web magazine CINRA.NET, CINRA is also the go-to information hub for creative culture in Japan. CINRA has just about everything connected to culture and entertainment covered: from music, art and design, and literature, to theater, film and television.

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Student & Innovation House Student & Innovation House is a Danish association that consists of young professionals and students, that has the humble ambition to change the world through student engagement.

In collaboration with Copenhagen Business School, they have bought the great old beautiful Police Station placed in the heart of Frederiksberg, Denmark and since then single-handedly fundraised a huge amount of money to transform it into a student-driven Innovation house.

Today their focus is on building bridges between students from different universities and disciplines, as well as between students and the private, public, and civic sector. In other words, Student & Innovation House is a place where different learning formats, business models and partnerships are being developed, prototyped and scaled, in order to find out how to create the most positive impact in society. The house is supported by a range of different actors within the public, private, and civic sectors. In regards to the Nordic Rebels movement, the house has partnered up with Tuborgfondet and Otto Mønsteds Fond.

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Aalto University, Graduate Program in International Design Business Management International Design Business Management (IDBM) is an interdisciplinary graduate program at Aalto University. Since 1995, IDBM has delivered world-class multidisciplinary and systemic education in global business development through design and technology. A core aspect of the program is the strong element of diversity, as students represent multiple nationalities and disciplinary backgrounds, as well as have varying degrees of prior work experience.

The program’s pedagogy has strong focus on challenge-based learning in the fields of management, business modeling, and product and service design. Students develop the skillsets and knowledge necessary to manage interdisciplinary teams dealing with complex challenges. The learning experience is supported by real-life industry projects in which students use their previously acquired knowledge and expand their professional capabilities through intensive teamwork. Partners of the program include the City of Helsinki, KONE, and Unicef.

The International Design Business Management program is a joint offering between the Aalto University School of Art, Design, and Architecture, School of Science and School of Business. In addition, IDBM can also be taken as a minor program and in 2018 we piloted two new customized ways to attend the minor program: FITech (https://fitech.io/) and Slush (https://www.slush.org).

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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