It's pleasant to observe "design thinking" being utilized in industries outside the typical sectors.

Don't you agree? :)

As shared here, design is also becoming prevalent within the financial industry.
Is this normal? What's happening?!

Calm down, most likely you've used "design thinking" in some shape or way that steers from the unconventional. And that is music to my ears!

Back to finance...There is a movement from transaction to relationship.
Let's face it, finance doesn't have the best reputation at the moment. So financial institutions are exploring ways to improve branding and most importantly find ways to achieve a competitive advantage.

That's where "design thinking" is playing a major role in disrupting traditional industries.

• Invite you to watch this video. It's an excellent example of how the Australian banking business is getting creative. 
• Yes, brainstorming sessions involving color pens, post-its, and ideas being exposed.
• It's not about the numbers this time. It's about the customer journey. That goes beyond the bottom line.

Today, this phrase applies more than ever before: "Differentiated by design."   

Undoubtedly, the design of the human body sparks awe and wonder.

"The Human Bionic Project begs for the fundamental redefinition of disability, illness, and disease as we have known it throughout history. It dares us to imagine the seamless interaction between the human being and machines."

From far away, I've been keeping a close watch at the activities developing across the pond, miles away from where I'm typing, Bulgaria!


Sofia Design Week
started last Friday, 21 June, and extends until the 30th.

What is it?
An international festival of design and visual culture. Yesterday, I was talking about the importance of understanding and designing for culture (revisit here). This festival places that thought at the heart of its theme: The Balkan Date.

Objectives?
Initiate a discussion about Balkan design, to stimulate cultural exchange between the Balkan countries and to promote the presence of projects throughout the globe. Fantastic! 

You can't be there either?
Check out their instagram account or facebook page.

Once upon a time, I took Anthropology 101.

Design Thoughts

The corporate world has been investing into design thinking lately, revolutionizing documents with a certain stigma of boredom.

Don't misunderstand.

I enjoy reading annual reports and financials but realize that not everyone can maintain an interest on these pieces of literature.

Blame the layout and design.

When Airbnb developed a digital and fluid annual report (see here) people noticed and appreciated the skills of incorporating beautiful visual data. Other examples worth exploring: Warby Parker Annual Report (see here) and MailChimp (see here).

So when I heard AT&T designed a video format for customer's invoices, I decided to explore.

• Video: 
• People feel comfortable with the medium
• Information is easy to absorb
• Check out these statistics 
• Provides animation, narration & personalization
  
• Customization: 
• AT&T greets customer's by name
• Allows transparency behind the numbers
• Data shared in real time via SundaySky technology
  
• Optimization:
• Designing to streamline processes 
• Enhance new customer brand experience
• Reduce customer service delays & costs

By nature, a change request is declarative. Never addressing how the change needs to be effectuated, only underlining that it (change) must be carried out. It's part of a project's natural evolution process. Life is a project driven by goals and objectives.

Recently, I received a Design Change Request (DCR)-- prompting an immediate review. The source of the DCR? Internal, allow me to expand on this further... I've been thinking about design often, more than ever before actually. It's triggered an internal response to apply design thinking to invigorate and create a life that is more creative, rewarding, and fulfilling.

Welcome to EBENSOO, a response to DCR.

This will be a "live" creative process and all rules are unwritten.

Join me as I immerse completely into design. innovation. human behavior.

VVN

Spring did not arrive in NYC during the month of March.
Coats, gloves, hats, and layers were in bloom, brought about by snow.
Despite the unlikely weather, the city created a cozy and special environment for DigitalNY.

DigitalNY (or Digital Strategy Innovation Summit) was my escape from the cold and wind for two days. What happened there? Pure discussions focused on DIGITAL STRATEGY INNOVATION.
Although many of the advertised speakers did not join the event, we had some excellent speakers who shared with us their experiences, challenges, and successes within the digital landscape.

Conversation Highlights:

• Experiment with ideas: Failure is part of the discovery process
• Digital facilitates creativity: Medium of technology empowers 
• Make innovation tangible: Innovation matters when it makes an impact
• Measure & Measure: Digital initiatives MUST be measurable
• Future: 3D printing is creating disruption across all industries

We heard from industries such as the Automotive, Publishing, Comic, and Beauty.
The main message conveyed: digital is part of the marketer's tool box and requires planning, execution, and tracking.



Today, digital is traditional marketing!

Awesome, intelligent women I met at digitalNY.