Shows
Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Helen Cuthill (CEO Smallpeice Trust)The Smallpeice Trust is a charity dedicated to inspiring young people to explore careers in science and engineering. It was founded in 1966 by the British engineer and entrepreneur Dr. Cosby Smallpeice (who invented the Smallpeice Lathe). The trust exists to help young people turn their passion and ideas into reality.In 1991, a group of committed headteachers came together, motivated by the conviction that Design & Technology was not receiving the profile it deserved as an incubator for future innovators, engineers, and technical designers (how I wish times had changed), and the Arkwright Engineering Scholarships began. In 2001, t...
2025-07-141h 01Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with STEM Racing's Andrew DenfordMany people familiar with this podcast will recognise the name 'F1 in Schools', a design, teamwork and engineering challenge that has existed in schools for over two decades. Some of you will have competed in either regional or, if you are fortunate enough, national finals. Others...I want to say the elite few, as getting there is some achievement, will have made it to the world finals, held to coincide with an F1 race somewhere in the world and closely aligned to the FIA. I would suggest very few of you know just how this design and e...
2025-06-231h 01Designed for LifeDesigned forn Life - Live at Newstead Wood SchoolHow do you build a successful design & technology department from the ground up with an entirely new staff? What curriculum changes should you make at KS3, KS4 and KS5 to ensure you stretch and challenge what are undoubtedly very bright students? What physical changes can you make to the department's look, feel and function when the budget is tight but you want to improve how students and parents view the subject? What role can external visitors and competitions play in building a successful curriculum offer and delivery?These are all questions that will be tackled in the...
2025-03-211h 16Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Marisa Kurimbokus IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2024In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Marisa Kurimbokus, who was announced as the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2024 at the end of last year. In the podcast, we follow Marisa's journey from primary school, where a teacher dropped what I can only assume was a casual comment, but it is one that sticks with her to this day. Through secondary school, where Marisa describes her journey through a range of subjects, including A Level design and technology. And chauffeuring her friend to a lecture only for serendipity to step in and have other i...
2025-03-1459 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - Live at Arts University BournemouthIn this episode, we take the podcast on the road to Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) and talk with YouTube stalwarts Brothers Make, Louise Dennis, Curator at MoDiP (Museum of Design in Plastics) and Will Strange, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader (Sustainable Design) at AUB. The podcast was recorded on February 5th in the main lecture theatre at the university with an audience comprising AUB students and lecturers and students and their D&T teacher from a local school. In this episode, we stray from the show's normal format as the Brothers Make take us on their journey f...
2025-02-191h 00Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Titi OliyideGrowing up with a love of mathematics, Titi thought a career as a maths teacher was beckoning until a conversation with one of her sister's friends opened up the possibility of becoming an engineer. A comment that stood out for me in this conversation was her sister's friend's statement, "You don't have to love chemistry or be brilliant at it to become a chemical engineer." It's not exactly the career advice we might all expect, but it's accurate nonetheless. Titi is a chartered engineer with experience providing safety assurance, risk and reliability management expertise for various engineering s...
2025-01-1355 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - 2024 Wrapped CompilationSomehow, another year has passed, and it's time to look back on Designed for Life across 2024. Over the year, we released sixteen new episodes, reached over 31,000 streams, reached new audiences in Asia and America and, most importantly, got to speak with some amazing and inspiring guests. In this end-of-year episode, we look back and have selected clips from a range of conversations, including fashion and textile expert Amanda Riley, AUB lecturer and modelmaker Claire Holman, Denimolite founder and designer Josh Myers, Marloe watch co-founder and designer Gordon Fraser, Pipsqueak founder and owner Nick Ford, Head of Learning an...
2024-12-301h 05Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Hepzi RattrayImagine accidentally being put off from a career in engineering by your brilliant grandfather who, without realising, made a career in the sector sound unreachable. Hepzi Rattray is a structural engineer with the global engineering company Ramboll, but for many years, she attempted to avoid following this career trajectory.In this penultimate podcast of 2024, we follow Hepzi's journey from school, where she turned down the offer of a top private school to attend Lady Margaret's, a church-state school in Parsons Green, West London. Some unexpected AS results forced something of a rethink and pointed her towards a...
2024-12-2951 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Barnabas ShelbourneBarnabas is the CEO of The Greenpower Education Trust. This charity works with young people nationally to introduce them to using their STEM education in a very practical way to create battery-driven vehicles that then compete in regional and national heats. Having experienced 'Greenpower' as a teacher, headteacher, and now as CEO of the Design & Technology Association, I was desperate to get behind the scenes with its new CEO and explore the people and passion that make Greenpower so compelling to so many students (and their parents nationally).In this podcast, we follow Barnabas through s...
2024-12-1358 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Maria Dunbar (Leith's Education)In this episode, we turn to Food and Nutrition in the school curriculum and look at the challenges facing this aspect of National Curriculum education. Over the last few weeks, I have been fortunate to be introduced to Leith's Education and walked through their curriculum resources from KS1 to Post 16 (and extracurricular). These come at a cost (see below), but having seen them, I believe these are resources that every school should at least consider. See https://leiths.com/We also discuss how Leith's has partnered with Roehampton University to create a new PGCE course aimed at...
2024-11-0859 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Dr. Hilary LeeversIn this week’s episode of Designed for Life, we are fortunate to speak with Dr Hilary Leevers, the Chief Executive of Engineering UK. We break from the usual show format to explore some of the data surrounding entry to engineering as a profession and discuss Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, which this year runs from November 11th to 15th. EngineeringUK drives change so that more young people choose engineering and technology careers. You can join us by getting involved in Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2024. This annual celebration is dedicated to showcasing the am...
2024-10-2855 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jonty Deeley WilliamsonTalk about battery power and people's attention automatically turns to electric vehicles, but in reality, this is one sector of a rapidly growing market. With this growth, there is an increasing need for young people to enter the sector and help design and make the power plants of the future. In this episode, we talk with Jonty Deely Williamson, who heads up learning and development at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) Previously a science teacher, he has worked in Learning & Development for more than a decade in the rail construction, high-speed rail, food manufacturing an...
2024-09-2057 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Nick FordIn this episode, we talk with Nick Ford, founder of the design studio Pipsqueak and IP development specialist. Nick talks us through his school education, which took place at a time when neurodiversity was not so easily recognised or accounted for. Several very diverse jobs followed as Nick sought to find his way in the world of work from a mechanics role that wasn't quite what he thought it would be to a cleaner in an engine machine shop and a motorcycle courier. Whilst it is safe to say that none of these roles offered Nick wh...
2024-09-0358 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Bill WilliamsIn this episode, we start a series in which we will talk with Design & Technology Association Trustees about their careers to date and the reasons why being a Trustee of the Association and being connected to its work is important to them. We start this series by talking with Bill Williams, Chair of D&TA Trustees.Bill is an experienced CEO across the manufacturing and engineering sectors. He was formerly a member of the Board of Group Lotus plc, the CEO of the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) in London, and is presently t...
2024-08-0951 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Alex Ball BA (Hons) New Designers 2024This is the first episode with young graduates met recently at New Designers 2024 in London. Alex graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a second-class BA (Hons) in Product Design. I was struck by the simplicity of his design project and the clear communication of intent within his work. It is clear that Alex is very passionate about combating climate change and helping people to live more sustainably; his comment that "I want to utilise my design background to help to bring solutions to this sector" is, in my experience, representative of a significant percentage of hi...
2024-08-0736 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Trudi BarrowIn this episode, we are delighted to converse with Design education specialist, advisor, teacher and CLEAPSS consultant Trudi Barrow. It seems like a strange statement, but we rarely have a design and technology teacher and leader on the podcast, so in this episode, we follow Trudi's journey into teaching but then spend a good part of the conversation talking about the subject, its challenges and where it may be heading to. I have to say it was a pleasure to hold this discussion with someone passionate about the value of design and technology education and what it c...
2024-06-1152 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with the Textiles Skills Centre (Report released April 24)In this episode, we are delighted to talk with Dawn Foxall and Roy Ballam about the recently released paper commissioned by the Textiles Skills Centre, 'Unravelling the Fabric of Textiles Education'. As we seek to move the subject forward, building from the bottom up being our approach at the Association, we need to carefully look at where textiles fits into primary and secondary education. Our view is that we want to keep textile education within design and technology, a position that is perhaps challenged by the large number of textile teachers who are n...
2024-04-2653 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Gordon Fraser (Marloe Watch Co)In this conversation, we follow Gordon Fraser, Co-founder of the Marloe Watch Company, on his journey from a difficult school experience to co-founding a successful British-designed watch company. With his Co-founder Oliver, whom he met online, the two founded The Marloe Watch Company and produced their first two watches without meeting (and living in two different countries). As the company grew, Oliver was the first to 'give up the day job' and concentrate 100% on the success of their venture, followed closely by Gordon. Gordon discusses the importance of understanding user requirements while designing a watch th...
2024-04-021h 02Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Claire HolmanIn this episode, we are in conversation with Claire Holman, modelmaking professional and lecturer at Arts University Bournemouth. We follow Claire's journey from a fairly nomadic start as her family moved first to Zambia and then to England, closely followed by Scotland as her father's work dictated their journey. This was followed at age sixteen by Claire leaving school and taking on a YTS course (if you are old enough, you know. If not, a government initiative to direct young people into training and employment). Here, she was subjected to some deplorable practice as the college concerned...
2024-02-061h 04Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Sophie HagueThis episode sees us in conversation with Sophie Hague - 2022 RSA Student Award winner and UX Designer. Sophie found school difficult, not so much academically, but she found it over-stimulating, crowded and overall, just not an enjoyable experience. The one exception to this was design and technology lessons, where she enjoyed the 'open-endedness' of problem-solving activities and just 'clicked'. As she progressed on her learning journey, Sophie found out just how she liked to learn. Experiential learning worked for her and she realised that to truly understand a topic, she needed to touch it, to...
2024-01-2655 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Josh Myers (Founder Denimolite)Denim jeans have become an integral part of modern-day life. The majority of us own at least one pair (I personally have to confess to seven)! But how are these garments made? At what cost to the environment? And when they reach end of life how many of us give proper thought to where our once-loved products end up?Josh Myers is on a mission to turn these discarded garments into aesthetically beautiful products that see the material being given a second life, good news for the environment, and with his patented product Denimolite providing beauty, strength a...
2024-01-2651 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Amanda RileyAmanda was somewhat destined to work in fashion from an early age. Influenced by her grandmother, who placed her in front of a sewing machine at age eight, she quickly learned how to use the machine and how to make her own clothes. Her grandmother's throwaway comment, having made her own dress only a short time after being introduced to the sewing machine, stuck, and Amanda's journey into the fashion industry was set. A combination of sheer determination, ability, grit, and, it has to be stated, a degree of bravery saw Amanda experience the industry from almost e...
2024-01-1256 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Reianna ShakilIn this first podcast of 2024, we are delighted to be in conversation with Reianna Shakil, UKRI Young Innovators Awards 22/23 Winner | Multidisciplinary Designer | Founder + Director of Studio ZRX.In this conversation, we cover Reianna's journey from school through how she overcame problems when her funding ran out part way through her sixth form course and then how she had to find ways to manage her way through her degree, being diagnosed with Combined Type ADHD part way through her studies.This is a story of perseverance. Many people, faced with some of the issues that Reianna h...
2024-01-031h 00Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - End of Year Compilation 2023So that was 2023! Twenty-four episodes of Designed for Life were recorded and published over the course of the year, fulfilling our promise of at least one podcast every two weeks. In these pods, I have been fortunate to speak with a wide range of innovators, founders, designers, engineers, academics, teachers and students, and here in this (admittedly longer than usual podcast), we pick out some of the best moments of 2023 and put them in one place for your listening delight.I would like to take this opportunity to thank every single guest from the almost e...
2023-12-281h 45Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Becky Pell, Sound EngineerWhere was the first music concert you ever attended? Who was the artist? Who did you see this artist/band with? And finally, how did you feel as you left the gig? If you are like me and love your live music, these are questions that will roll off the tongue. For me, it was the Police. I was fifteen years old and with my best mate from school, the gig was at Hammersmith Odean, and it left me buzzing and wanting more!In this podcast, we are in conversation with Becky Pell. Becky is a sound...
2023-12-0654 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - BBC/Beano episode with Mike Sterling and Alex HarrisHow many of you reading this have fond childhood memories of reading the Beano? I am guessing many of you could name most of the characters from the Beano now; some of you may still have Christmas Annuals tucked away somewhere in the loft. Well, the good news is the Beano is still alive and well...in fact, it is in rude health. So when I received an email asking if I would like to speak with Alex Harris (BBC Teach) and Mike Sterling (Creative Director at Beano...although he also has another job title), the answer w...
2023-11-231h 04Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - Hethersett Academy (Part Two)This is part two of a two-part mini-series in which we explore the development of the design and technology curriculum offer at Hethersett Academy in East Anglia. If you have not yet listened to part one, I suggest you go back and listen to this first, as there is something of a sequence. In this episode, we follow on from our conversation with Kate Finlay, Head of Department and Trust Curriculum Lead by talking with students, parents, the design and technology staff and the Headteacher. Through these conversations we gain a full picture of how the curriculum ha...
2023-11-161h 27Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - Hethersett Academy (Part one of two)In the second of our focus podcasts within a specific school, we are delighted to bring you 'Designed for Life' in conversation with Hethersett Academy in East Anglia. The intention within these podcasts is to provide listeners with a complete 360 journey around the design and technology department in the school, with interviews and thoughts from students, teachers, parents and senior leaders. From these conversations, you can piece together the value of the subject to the curriculum within these schools. This is part one of a two-episode podcast, and here we talk with Kate Finlay, the Cu...
2023-11-1452 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jenny Body CBEIn this episode, we are delighted to be joined in conversation by Jenny Body CBE. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Aerospace Bristol on the morning of our annual awards ceremony on the 13th of October this year. The recording was made almost within touching distance of Concorde, an aircraft that Jenny had the privilege of working on some years ago.Jenny Body is a British Aerospace engineer and former President (the first ever woman to hold this post) of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Jenny grew up in rural Gloucestershire; he...
2023-10-3156 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jennifer Campbell (MD Giles Agency)In this episode, I was delighted to be in conversation with Jennifer Campbell, Managing Director of Giles Agency Hong Kong. In the pod, we track Jen's journey from rural Berkshire through the discovery that her natural penchant to quickly strike up conversations with people, together with an ability to sell and the tenacity to hang on in there when sales didn't go as planned, could actually become a career. A move to a large agency in London (she wasn't aware quite how big a deal this was until friends were surprised that she had secured th...
2023-10-2458 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Charlotte ChapmanThis podcast was recorded in front of a live audience at The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. This is the first of a series of live podcasts to come as we take Designed for Life on the road to meet not only our stunning guests but also teachers, students and their parents.In this podcast, I was fortunate to be in conversation with Charlotte Chapman, CEng. MIMechE. Charlotte is a project manager at Royal IHC. In the pod, we follow Charlotte's journey through school to decide between a love of Engineering and a passion for English Literature. We...
2023-10-1249 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Larry SullivanLarry Sullivan is a serial entrepreneur, business founder, angel investor and social philanthropist. In this podcast, we track Larry's journey from humble beginnings growing up in Essex to a sudden awakening to academia in sixth form, leading him to be the first in his family to attend university. A chance conversation led him to travel to America during his summer break with BUNAC https://bunac.org an experience that he feels offered as much, or more, to his personal development than his university experience alone. This podcast has taught me that entrepreneurship can be taught, an...
2023-10-031h 15Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Joshua BruceThe joy of this podcast is that through it, we get to talk with designers, engineers and innovators at the very peak of their game and often informed by years or even decades of experience. At the same time, we have spoken with people at the very start of their careers, and are privileged to explore how they are shaping themselves and their careers for the future.In this episode of Designed for Life, I am privileged to talk with Joshua Bruce, Aeronautical Engineering undergraduate, Mission 44 Youth Advisory board member and founder of the Young Engineers Summit.
2023-09-0659 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Ben EdmondsBen Edmonds is a designer, inventor, entrepreneur, engineer and self-confessed 'tinkerer'. In this episode, we follow Ben from school where aged twelve and asked what he wanted to do when he grew up; he answered, "I want to be a lead designer for Dyson". Almost twenty years later, that's exactly what he did, becoming a Principal Designer at Dyson. But Ben's story is oh so much bigger than that. He has sold or donated almost every possession he owned twice as he upped sticks to start life elsewhere in the world. Left one job four times...yes, fo...
2023-08-151h 18Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Ifeoma OkolieIn this episode of Designed for Life, we speak with Ifeoma Noelin Okolie. Ify is a Chartered, FSEng (SIS) Certified, Product Safety Manager, Choral Singer, Poet & Abstract Photographer. Ify has 13 years experience delivering innovative state-of-the-art safety engineering solutions across a variety of safety-critical industries, where she has held various leadership positions. She devotes her time in and outside the workplace to sharing lessons learnt from her ‘Triple Minority Career’ as a Black, Female and Artistic Professional in Engineering and tech and de-bunking gender-career biases. Ify lends her voice to EDI and STEM campaigns by raising awaren...
2023-07-2658 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Clara ChuIn this latest episode of Designed for Life, you get to meet the Young V&A’s first designer in ‘The Shed’, Clara Chu. The Young V&A opened its doors on Saturday, 1 July 2023. Young V&A is a powerhouse of creativity for the young, from infants to early teens. It is a national museum dedicated to children and young people, a place to imagine, play, create, debate and design for tomorrow.Clara is the first designer placed within the Young V&A for a six-month term. Clara is a London-based multidisciplinary artist and designer. She cre...
2023-07-1246 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Alex Knight (STEMazing)In this latest podcast, we are in conversation with Alex Knight, award-winning founder and CEO of the amazing STEMazing initiative. The best way to introduce you to STEMazing's mission and work is to take this quote directly from their website:"STEMAZING is a Call to Action to collectively amplify the voice of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths so we can create a more diverse and inclusive STEM future".In the podcast, we track Alex's journey from school to a successful career as an engineering consultant. We explore the passion to m...
2023-06-2756 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - Baysgarth School An engineering journey (Part 2)This is the second part of a two-part series of podcasts, and the first of its kind recorded live in a school. We are excited to be able to bring you what we plan will be a series of spotlight sessions focused on D&T departments nationally. If you have stumbled across this episode without listening to Part One of the mini-series, I politely suggest you go back, as sequencing is quite essential. Baysgarth School is a Co-educational secondary school located in Barton-on-Humber, North Lincolnshire. The school was formed in 1975 by merging Barton Grammar School and Beretun S...
2023-06-161h 04Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - Baysgarth School An engineering journey (Part 1)This is the first in a two-part series of podcasts and the first recorded live in a school. We are excited to be able to bring you what we plan will be the first in a series of spotlight sessions focused on D&T departments nationally. Baysgarth School is a Co-educational secondary school located in Barton-on-Humber, North Lincolnshire. The school was formed in 1975 through the merger of Barton Grammar School and Beretun Secondary Modern School. The school moved into new buildings within the last seven years.Ofsted visited the school in January this year, and t...
2023-06-151h 03Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Gill FitzpatrickIn this episode, we follow Gill's journey from church school, where her dad was the local vicar and knew 'everyone', through to training as a structural engineer, a job that Gill loved and thought she would work in for the rest of her working life. As a young graduate engineer with a degree in applied geology and engineering, Gill took the first tentative steps into the adult world, testing, monitoring and evaluating the structural integrity of concrete structures and piled foundations. This job took her around the world, and she was involved in many prestigious projects, including t...
2023-06-091h 01Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Cecile Searle (CEO Magway)Magway is a values-driven startup technology business situated in Wembley, North West London. Started in 2017, their staged vision is to take cargo off our roads and instead run the bulk of this cargo emissions-free on magnetic motor-driven 'trains' either set above or below ground. They are working to drive an electrical revolution, unlock new economies and connect cities, towns and communities like never before.Cecile Searle took over as CEO in 2022, convinced by the founders that she "was already effectively doing the job anyway". In this podcast, we follow her journey from a degree in civil engineering th...
2023-04-2554 minDesigned for LifeTeachers in Residence Mini-Series (3) Stephanie TomlinsonThis is the third and final episode in our short mini-series on Teachers in Residence, the initiative within the Design and Technology Association that places teachers in business and industry placements, within which they gain a detailed perspective of the company, learn more about the sector that the business works within, thus allowing them to return to school empowered with this experience and with a knowledge base that enables them to answer that question "Miss/Sir, what's it like to work in..." This episode sees us catch up with Stephanie Tomlinson, Assistant Head of Technology at Queen E...
2023-03-0624 minDesigned for LifeTeachers in Residence Mini-series (2) Debbie Inman (Bulletproof)This is the second of three in our short mini-series on Teachers in Residence, the initiative within the Design and Technology Association that places teachers in business and industry placements, within which they gain a detailed perspective of the company, learn more about the sector that the business works within, thus allowing them to return to school empowered with this experience and with a knowledge base that enables them to answer that question "Miss/Sir, what's it like to work in...). This episode sees us catch up with Debbie Inman, talent partner at Bulletproof design agency, a l...
2023-02-2726 minDesigned for LifeTeachers in Residence Mini Series (1) Mario de FreitasAround three years ago, the Design and Technology Association recognised a problem which many teachers expressed. Many D&T teachers had entered the profession through the traditional route, school-university-school and as such had no experience of working in business or industry that could inform their teaching. We tried a few trials with teacher placements into industry. We instantly saw that there was gold dust within this work as both the teacher and the industry host came back with glowing accounts of what they gained from the placement, and so Teachers in Residence was born. This sh...
2023-02-2038 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Nick GreyIn this episode, we are delighted to be in conversation with Nick Grey, founder and Managing Director of Grey Technologies, better known to most of us as GTech. GTech manufactures cordless tools, with the range running from vacuum cleaners through to garden tools and equipment. In this podcast we follow Nick's journey from his earliest years and what sounds like a few idyllic years when his father's work brought Nick and his six siblings to Ireland, through a problematic secondary education and then a range of jobs that eventually led to a technicians role at vacuum manufacturer V...
2023-02-0159 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - in Conversation with Dr. Lynne BianchiIn this episode, we are delighted to be joined by Dr Lynne Bianchi. Lynne is Vice Dean for Social Responsibility, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility, Director of the Science & Engineering Education Research and Innovation Hub & Senior Lecturer at Manchester University. A staunch advocate of STEM and vocational education, we track Lynne's journey from her school days, which did not pass without challenge, to her current role at Manchester University and how this came to her through a slightly unorthodox process. We also dig deep into the outreach work Lynne is leading across a range of sectors and h...
2023-01-311h 03Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Richard JosephTwin brothers Richard and Antony Joseph are founders and owners of one of the world's most iconic and innovative kitchenware brands. In this podcast, we are fortunate to be in conversation with Richard Joseph, who takes us through his journey from school, where design and technology played a key role in setting his future direction as a designer, through the early days of Joseph Joseph selling glass chopping boards made from a raw material donation from their father's factory. Through to today and running a successful and innovative design business with over two-hundred mission-driven staff across continents.
2022-12-2352 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - 2022 CompilationIt's that time of year again when we track back over the nineteen podcasts released so far this year (with more still to come before 2023) and pick out some of the best bits to string together into an end-of-year compilation.This is always a difficult task, but this year it has proved to be even more so, with some amazing guests providing brilliant thought pieces within the pods. That said, I had to pick some favourite clips out, and this podcast takes you back through the year, starting in February 2022 and finishing with a clip from just...
2022-12-1946 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life Matt Hewison (+ Werkhouse Post-Event)Welcome into 2023, and on behalf of everyone at the D&T Association, I would like to wish you all a happy, healthy and peaceful new year! The First episode of 2023 and the first in season three welcomes Matt Hewison as our guest. Matt is the Co-founding Director of Cyberwhite, a disruptive provider of security services and risk mitigation technologies based in the North East but working with SMEs and larger organisations across the UK. This is the first time that Designed for Life has explored the world of cyber security as we seek to explore...
2022-12-151h 02Designed for LifeWill Butler Adams Part 2If you are intrigued by the art of leadership, especially how to lead an organisation through a period of profound change successfully, then you will love this podcast. If you are fascinated by the sheer art and skill required to manufacture anything that is high in quality and is designed and built to last, then you will love this podcast.If you find yourself conflicted between a societal push to consume more goods (requiring more 'stuff' to be manufactured) and the desire held by an increasing number of companies who are 'value led' and want t...
2022-11-2646 minDesigned for LifeWill Butler-Adams Part 1If you are intrigued by the art of leadership, especially how to lead an organisation through a period of profound change successfully, then you will love this podcast. If you are fascinated by the sheer art and skill required to manufacture anything that is high in quality and is designed and built to last, then you will love this podcast.If you find yourself conflicted between a societal push to consume more goods (requiring more 'stuff' to be manufactured) and the desire held by an increasing number of companies who are 'value led' and want t...
2022-11-2638 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life Lynne Elvins (Werkhouse)Six years ago, Lynne Elvins and some of her designer friends and colleagues were discussing life, work and, specifically, the challenges of onboarding juniors into their business. All agreed that some amazing young people were looking to enter the profession. Equally, all agreed that young people were, more often than not, not fully prepared for studio life when they entered employment; they brought energy, enthusiasm and often subject knowledge and skills but had minimal experience of putting all of this from theory into action. This conversation was different because this small group of professionals didn't just moan and...
2022-11-0400 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jason Yeung Co Founder PrintLabIn this episode, we are delighted to be in conversation with architect, entrepreneur and co-founder of PrintLab, a 3D printing business focused on providing hardware and curriculum content to educators within the UK and indeed worldwide. https://weareprintlab.com/This is a podcast that we have been chasing for a while now. PrintLabs curriculum content and resources are exceptional, and we have seen so many schools excited about what a well-constructed CAD/Manufacturing curriculum can do for their students. As always, we follow Jason from school as he transitioned to the architect he always thought h...
2022-10-1452 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - Live in conversation with Yewande Akinola MBE FIET HonFREngThis episode of Designed for Life was recorded live at the V&A London as part of the London Design Festival 2022. Yewande Akinola is one of the foremost design engineers in the UK today. Born and raised in Western Nigeria, she describes her interest in the built environment and bridges from an early age, intrigued by the beauty and structure of buildings around her. Her father was a Government Minister in Nigeria. He sadly passed when Yewande was very young, and her mother took over the task of ensuring that her children received the best ed...
2022-09-2240 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Kialy TihngangWe were fortunate to bump into Kialy at Young Designers this year and knew there and then that she had a story to tell that made her a perfect guest for this podcast. In this episode, we hear how Kialy set her heart and soul on working in fashion at a very young age, and when she secured a place on the foundation course at Central St. Martin's, this set the stage for her dream to come true. For many reasons, this did not provide the experience she sought, and she endured the course rather than thriving...
2022-08-1259 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Carra SantosIn this episode, we are delighted to be in conversation with Sustainable Futures Educator and Interpreter Carra Santos https://www.carrasantos.com Carra came from a rural upbringing in Northern Ireland. She was 'promoted' a year aged only four years old, a decision that, when played forward, saw her heading off to Leeds and a foundation course aged seventeen with a suitcase full of clothes and belongings and a bag of art brushes! In this podcast, we follow her journey from this rural upbringing to her current position influencing and educating business leaders to see th...
2022-08-111h 01Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Ruth AmosIn this episode, I am delighted to be in conversation with award-winning British inventor, YouTube Channel host, presenter and professional speaker Ruth Amos.Ruth's future took a massive diversion when she was tasked with designing a mobility aid for a member of her design and technology teachers' family who had suffered a stroke. The task quickly escalated from a school GCSE project to a potential business as it became evident that there was no equivalent solution on the market, and Ruth started to receive requests to buy a product that, at this stage, was in prototype form...
2022-07-081h 02Designed for LifeDesigned for life - In conversation with Professor Ian Green MBEHow do you move from 'table 6', the table at the back of the classroom for the lowest achievers, to being recognised in the New Year Honours List for "services to apprenticeships and STEM education"?Listen to the latest episode of Designed for Life, and you will find out! Ian Green is currently Learning Specialist at British Volt and a Professor of Practice at Newcastle University. These roles follow thirty years as Head of Global Training for Nissan. As part of his work, Ian set up one of the most impactful Industry/education programmes in t...
2022-06-151h 02Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Oyemen OkesWe are delighted to bounce back with this episode in conversation with Dyson Institute graduate Oyemen Okes after a short break. Oyemen's journey to Dyson was serendipitous. She overheard a conversation between a fellow student and a teacher and set off to learn more about what Dyson had to offer. We talk with her about her journey to the institute, navigating the detailed application process and what the experience has offered her in her professional journey to date. For those unfamiliar with the Dyson Institute, the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology is now a hi...
2022-05-1954 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Alison Hardy (EPI Paper discussion)In late February, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) released a research paper on the current plight of design and technology education in England, 'A spotlight on design and technology study in England'. The Design and Technology Association is proud to be one of the facilitating partners for this research alongside The IET, ERA Foundation, Foster and Partners Architects and the James Dyson Foundation. In truth, the paper does not tell us much that we did not already know or suspect of the subject's current position in English schools; what it does do is provide a so...
2022-04-131h 00Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Matthew CockerillIn this episode, we are privileged to be in conversation with independent strategic design consultant Matthew Cockerill. Matthew concentrates on helping companies accurately position their future direction and focus by identifying what he terms their 'near future' opportunities. Not crystal ball gazing into the future and predicting what lies ahead, more pinning a destination down to what is possible within a given time frame (normally 6/8 years) and then working back from point. Using his expertise and insight, Matthew has helped some of the world's biggest brands and some of the most ambitious startups solve complex and...
2022-04-061h 04Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jamie RobinsonThis episode represents a slightly different approach to the podcast as we look at the world of coding and data sharing through the eyes of an entrepreneur and business owner.Jamie Robinson is the founder and CEO of Mashoom, a solution that Jamie initially designed while he was a second-year student at UCL studying Mechanical Engineering; and needed a solution when all of the data for a Formula Student racing car that his team were designing and making was lost when a team member departed. After looking for a commercial solution and finding the cost-prohibitive a...
2022-04-0356 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - International Women's Day Speech - Dame Stephanie Shirley DBE, FREng, FRSA, FBCSIn this special episode of Designed for Life, we celebrate International Women's Day with a very special speech given by Dame Stephanie Shirley.Dame Stephanie (Steve) Shirley CH is an ardent venture philanthropist with an unrelenting energy for creating positive change. She arrived in England as an unaccompanied child refugee at the start of the Second World War, and in 1962 started a software business from her dining table, which grew to employ 8,500 people and was ultimately valued at almost $3 billion.Motivated to share the rewards of her success with a society that had extended such...
2022-03-0734 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Paul JenkinsImagine taking two of your passions in life and turning them into a successful business. This is what Triple Double Studio Founder and Creative Designer Paul Jenkins has achieved in many ways. Paul has always set his own path. A careers interview towards the end of his GCSEs did not go well. He went in with a plan and was bluntly informed that he would fail if he didn't drop this and take a more conventional route through A Levels. His response "I stopped listening before the end of the interview; I knew what I had to do...
2022-03-011h 02Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with George CaveGeorge Cave is an Interactive Technologist, Design Engineer, University Lecturer, TEDx Speaker, Team leader and founder of his own business, Interaction Magic https://interactionmagic.com/In this conversation, we explore George's journey from Reading School through Bristol University, where he gained an MEng in Engineering Design where he, and others, developed a re-configurable submarine weapon handling and discharge system as part of his final year work. George cut his teeth as a designer at DCS Studio in Warwick https://www.dca-design.com/ Where he worked on a wide range of products, specialising in pharmaceutical design. H...
2022-02-181h 00Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jonathan Robin Industrial DesignerWe love this episode with Industrial Designer Jonathan Robin. Jonathan was born in Rio da Janeiro and experienced a truly international upbringing with a French father and American mother. Following a relatively traditional educational experience in Rio, he transitioned to initially study Law before realising this was not for him and switching courses to Industrial Design, in which he graduated three years later. Since graduation, Jonathan has worked in small startups to more prominent design agencies across continents. He has designed everything from street furniture for a new tram system in Rio to ven...
2022-02-0458 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Colin MendozaThis episode of Designed for Life is with the entertainment-focused business developer, sales strategist, coach and team leader Colin Mendoza. Colin and I first met almost five years ago when we were introduced by a mutual friend who knew we were both interested in how mindfulness and meditation could bring greater levels of wellbeing to UK students. Colin was born and brought up in London, moved to Hull to attend university but has made his living in America, where he moved post-university. Salaried posts with MTV, NBA and Sony Music allowed him to learn and f...
2022-01-2852 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - End of Year Compilation 2021From a vague lockdown concept in summer 2020, it's difficult to believe that Designed for Life is now pushing 10,000 downloads, has been listened to in eighty-one countries across all six continents and we have plans to double that reach with higher download figures and more episodes next year.As an end of year treat for your ears, we thought that as an end of year gift to you, we would create a quick compilation featuring a few clips from some of our wonderful guests across 2021. I hope you find time over the break to grab a tea or...
2021-12-2352 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Andrew WaltonAndrew is a Design teacher who for the last four years has worked at Dulwich College Beijing. We reached out to Andrew having seen the quality of work produced by his students showcased on social media and this conversation has so much to offer, for educators and students worldwide. Born and raised in New Brunswick, Canada, Andrew followed an unconventional pathway to his teaching career, first following a route to engineering and, realising this was not for him, switching to EFL teaching and packing everything that he owned into a large rucksack and heading to China.
2021-12-0958 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Ewan McIntoshWe are delighted and privilidged to be able to talk with Ewan McIntosh in this Episode of Designed for Life, the podcast brought to you by the Design and Technology Association with the support of our friends and sponsors at The Edge Foundation and PTC Onshape. Ewan has built a reputation leading projects around the world for clients in education and industry, and is internationally reknown as a pioneer of design thinking for learning in the classroom. Ewan is the passionate and energising tour de force behind NoTosh a company that he founded to help people to th...
2021-11-161h 05Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Helen O'SullivanThis episode of Designed for Life follows the journey of a teacher who from day one of her career has worked tirelessly to make sustainability and conversation around this critical topic the very centre of her classroom practice. Introduced at a very young age to the concept of making her own clothes by her nan, Helen has always been motivated by the need to conserve resources and not buy into consumerist fashion trends. Helen has come to education and learning as a mature student following an underwhelming experience at school as a student. The fact that she...
2021-11-111h 01Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with WMG Academy (1)This podcast offers something a little different as we talk to staff and alumni students from WMG Academy for Young Engineers, a UTC situated in Coventry. For those unfamiliar, UTCs or 'University Technical Colleges' to give them their full title are government-funded schools with a heavy STEM curriculum focus. The original UTCs filled with students from age 13/14 (year 9) to the sixth form, although a small number have since received government permission to recruit from year 7 (11 years old). WMG Academy opened just a little over seven years ago and from day one set out to connect wi...
2021-11-111h 12Designed for LifeIn conversation with Richard HeayesThis episode was recorded some time ago but I have held it for release in the buildup to Christmas; so please do excuse the format not being quite the same as the latest pods. In this podcast, we are privileged to be in conversation with Richard Heayes a master of toy and games design. Richard trained in Industrial Design but, through a combination of chance and serendipity, transitioned over time into the guru of games and toys that he is today. Richard was Principal Designer and Global Design Director for over eight years for Hasbro, on...
2021-10-0757 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Hannah KeatingOne area that we perhaps did not explore enough in series one is the first steps that young people take into industry either through the degree route, apprenticeships or other employment with training. As the very purpose of these podcasts is to inspire, energise and help create the workforce of the future, it seems natural to explore the journey of some young people as they take their first tentative steps into work and a carefully chosen career. With this in mind, in this episode, I was delighted to be in conversation with Hannah Keating. When we recorded t...
2021-10-0646 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Ming Cheng (Urbanist)With some stating that the last eighteen months are simply a 'blip', a disruption of business as normal and expecting us all to quickly return to where we were in early March 2020; while others are stating that all that COVID-19 has done is speed up a change process that was already inevitable...just where does the truth lie?In this first episode of Season Two of Designed for Life, I talk with Planner, architect, urbanist and university lecturer Ming Cheng RIBA MRTP about his somewhat unorthodox journey to his current position and how he thinks we will...
2021-08-0555 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Sophie HarkerWhat happens when on a family holiday to Florida, you pop into the Kennedy Space Centre as a sixteen-year-old and there and then decide that you want to go to space?In Sophie Harker's case, you come back and get your head down to achieving academically what you are capable of. A love of Mathematics led to a Masters Degree course at Nottingham, where she met the first British astronaut, Helen Sharman. In conversation, Sophie was advised that engineering could be her route to space. And the rest is pretty much history. Sophie joined the B...
2021-07-301h 02Designed for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Dick PowellFor many of you tuning in to this episode, Richard Seymour and Dick Powell will need no introduction. For those of you who have not come across their work...you are in for a treat! As you will hear in this podcast, both partners brought (and continue to bring) very different skillsets to the business, advertising designer Richard Seymour and industrial designer Dick Powell were in different cohorts at the RCA and while their paths crossed, it was only a couple of years later while both lecturing in St.Albans that a common love of motorcycles brought these two...
2021-07-2350 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with David O'CoiminDavid is the founder and CEO of Do Company, a company founded in 2016 to "Deliver smart solutions to the challenges posed by rapidly changing living and working environments". He describes himself as a digital nomad and a serial entrepreneur. In this podcast, he talks us through his journey from school in rural Ireland to becoming a product designer, social visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Do Company is about product creation but also so much more. The company is focused on creating new ways of working while at the same time empowering more sustainable, inclusive and mindful work and l...
2021-06-3058 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Edna Reilly and Rose RussellOn International Women in Engineering Day, Designed for Life takes a moment to celebrate the work of two women who have made an amazing positive difference to girls exposure to STEM opportunities within their school. Rose Russell has been an outstanding Technician/Instructor/ STEM Coordinator at the Ursuline Academy Ilford (an all girl’s catholic school) for 29 years in both the art and design and design and technology departments. Trained in fashion, Rose is neither an engineer nor a scientist, but in the last decade, her enthusiasm for engineering developed into an ongoing dedication to encourage young wom...
2021-06-2359 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jason Reagin (Part 2)In this episode, I am delighted to bring you the second part of the conversation with International educator and leader, IB guru and podcast host Jason Reagin. Jason is currently the IBCP Coordinator at Chadwick International School, South Korea. Since completing his educational studies at the University of Georgia, USA. Jason has pretty much dedicated his career to teaching overseas with posts in China and Bermuda before taking up his current position in Korea. Jason is an IB Consultant and through this work has travelled and seen IB education in a number of countries worldwide including the USA...
2021-06-1433 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Jason Reagin (Part 1)In this episode, I am delighted to be in conversation with International educator and leader, IB guru and podcast host Jason Reagin. Jason is currently the IBCP Coordinator at Chadwick International School, South Korea. Since completing his educational studies at the University of Georgia, USA. Jason has pretty much dedicated his career to teaching overseas with posts in China and Bermuda before taking up his current position in Korea. Jason is an IB Consultant and through this work has travelled and seen IB education in a number of countries worldwide including the USA, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Ind...
2021-06-1440 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Jaamar Semper - Masterchef SemifinalistApprentice turned Masterchef!Jamaar, by his own admission, struggled at school. But through a combination of his mum, who led him to explore cooking at home and teachers who recognised his engagement and enthusiasm for the subject, Jamaar left school aged 16 and started a chef apprenticeship with study at Bristol City College. Jamaar is currently Junior Sous Chef at Michelin Starred Lucknam Park Hotel Restaurant and earlier this year was a Masterchef semifinalist at the age of 22. In this conversation, we follow Jamaar's journey from school, where a desire to work professionally with foo...
2021-05-1736 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Ella Podmore - IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2021Ella Podmore is still young but has already crammed an awful lot of professional experience into her short career. In this podcast, we track her journey from school to her current role as Materials Engineer at McLaren Automotive, a position that she convinced McLaren, needed to be created. Ella is involved in all material investigations, from first drawings through to the final product, Ella has worked on the McLaren 765LT, the Elva roadster and the recently revealed McLaren Artura, the first series-production, high-performance hybrid from the luxury, high-performance supercar company.Ella joined McLaren Automotive as a...
2021-05-0859 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Spencer Metzger Premier Sous Chef The RitzIn this, the second episode of Designed for Life released around a food theme in five days, we talk with Spencer Metzger Premier Sous Chef at the Ritz, London. In this conversation we follow Spencers journey from school where he enjoyed food design and preparation in his Food technology lessons making jam roly poly, to a work experience placement at the Ritz obtained by cold calling the restaurant and asking nicely if they would take a 'young lad' on a weeks placement. To his current role as Premier Sous Chef at one of the highest profile restaurants i...
2021-04-2959 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Torri StewartTorri describes himself as a 'multi-disciplined creative chameleon' with over 16 years experience of working with some of the worlds biggest brands across a wide range of media. In this wide-ranging and for me deeply fascinating discussion, Torri talks us through his journey from school where Art and creativity was a key outlet for him, how his art teacher worked to convince his parents that following his passion into a creative degree course would not be time wasted, to creating his first major music video using a shopping trolley as a camera dolly (which won an MTV award b...
2021-04-291h 13Designed for LifeIn conversation with Iolo JonesLolo Jones is chair of ELS, a company that describes itself as the expert in "experience learning". The company uses the latest technologies in XR, VR and AR to measure learners as they are experiencing learning, enabling better metrics and better learning outcomes. Lolo has founded a number of companies, including Sutton Jones Multimedia, leading system integrator Interactive 1, online video pioneer Narrowstep, and was most recently Chair of rights management cloud specialists, Rights Tracker. Lolo has degrees in Radio, Film & TV and Educational Broadcasting and sat on the Course Board at film & TV college Ravensbourne for nearly a...
2021-04-2350 minDesigned for LifeIn Conversation with Hayley Roy - Designer and entrepreneurHayley Roy is the founder and owner of Harp Design https://www.harpdesign.co.uk an interior design company working across residential and commercial sectors. Hayley left school at sixteen and decided to travel and see the world while working as a hostess on private yachts, including almost three years working on Sir Philip Green's yacht Lionheart. On her return to the UK, aged 21, she joined the family business and was trained as a buyer, importing furniture from across the world; she was a Director of the business aged 22. Hayley spent fourteen years in this ro...
2021-04-0150 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Nicky Lawler - Head of Footwear Vivienne WestwoodNicola Lawler has been designing shoes for over 20 years. The London born and based designer co-founded Lawler Duffy Shoes with Lori Duffy, while still at Cordwainers College and began her career by creating shoes for Joe Casely- Hayford. She has collaborated with many designers including Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan and Katharine Hamnett. Having consulted for a diverse portfolio of clients from Louis Vuitton & John Lobb (Hermes Group) to Marks and Spencer, Ghost and WGSN. Lawler has extensive experience across the Fashion and Footwear industries, from Luxury to high street and is equally confident designing for bo...
2021-03-2953 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Amanda McCourt - PanteeThis podcast takes Designed for Life in a slightly different direction as we seek to track the journey of a product from its original 'ideas phase' through product development, to manufacture, marketing and sales...All covered through https://pantee.co.uk/ Sustainable womens underwear made from surplus T-Shirts. Amanda McCourt and her sister Katie have spent the last 18 months bringing an idea to make comfortable, fashionable underwear made from unsold t-shirts to market. Along the way they met numerous challenges, but have remained true to their initial vision of what they believed possible and are set to fu...
2021-03-1757 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Robin Wight CBERobin Wight was a co-founder of the advertising agency Wight, Collins, Rutherford, Scott (WCRS) in 1979 and was President of its parent company Engine until 2019. WCRS and Robin were responsible for some of the most memorable advertising campaigns of the 80s and 90s including campaigns for Orange telecommunications "The future is bright, the future is Orange," the 118 118 adverts that people either loved or loathed at the time...either way there is no doubt they were memorable and effective. BMW sales in the UK overtook Audi for the first time as a result of a targeted advertising campaign that la...
2021-03-0853 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Zoe LaughlinZoe is a British artist, maker, self-confessed tinkerer and materials engineer. Perhaps best known to design and technology teachers for her part in the iconic BBC2 series 'Big Life Fix' this is only one of many TV appearances over the years including 'This Morning' with Philip Scofield and Holly Willoughby, The secret of landfill (2018), The secret story of stuff (2018) and most recently 'How to Make' first aired April 2020. Zoe is also the resident materials expert on BBC Radio 4's 'The Kitchen Cabinet'. In this podcast, Zoe's absolute obsession with the beauty and intrigue of materials comes across lo...
2021-02-111h 03Designed for LifeIn conversation with Professor Rebecca EarleyBecky is a design researcher and award-winning research team leader at the University of the Arts London. She is based at Chelsea College of Arts where she is Co-Director of Centre for Circular Design (CCD). In October 2021 she co-founded World Circular Textiles Day 2050 with a team of like-minded collaborators who all want to create clear roadmaps for circular textiles, by drawing together current academic and industry research into inspiring, shared visions.Becky's practise research encompasses making materials and prototypes, exhibition curation and writing. She is also a highly skilled workshop facilitator and communicator, specialising in t...
2021-02-041h 00Designed for LifeIn conversation with Invisible CreationsDescriptionIn this episode we are in conversation with Laura Wood and Paul Pentelow, Co-Founders of Invisible Creations a design company with a stated purpose to 'Design for Dignity'. The idea for Invisible Creations® was created in the National Housing Federation’s innovation programme in 2018. The initiative was supported by the social housing sector and the company was formally founded as a new startup in January 2020.Laura, Paul and the team are driven by a desire to bring dual purpose, high-quality thoughtfully and empathetically designed products to the homes of elderly peop...
2021-01-1453 minDesigned for LifeDesigned for Life - In conversation with Dids Macdonald OBE and Anne SampsonIn this, the fifth episode of Designed for Life, the podcast brought to you by The Design and Technology Association in partnership with The Edge Foundation, we talk with Dids Macdonald OBE Co-founder and Chief Executive of ACID (Anti-copying in Design). At the time of recording, Dids was also Master of The Furniture Makers Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furniture industry. We were joined in the conversation by Anne Sampson, who was the outgoing Educational Events and Campaigns Manager. Designers are notoriously bad at protecting their intellectual property, while some are v...
2020-12-1742 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Pim van BaarsenIn this episode of Designed for Life we are fortunate to be in conversation with Pim van Baarsen CEO of the Silverstone Technology Cluster, a high-tech business group situated geographically within an hours drive of the Silverstone race circuit.Pim joined the Motorsport Industry Association after completing a Master’s degree in business studies. During his time there he was presented with the AIM Young Business Person of the Year award for his efforts in helping the organisation grow.He subsequently joined transmission specialists Xtrac where he oversaw their sportscar activities. After two years there he...
2020-12-1043 minDesigned for LifeIn conversation with Jude PullenIn this episode, we are in conversation with designer and technologist Jude Pullen. Winner of the 2020 Alastair Graham-Bryce "Imagineering" Award (Institution of Mechanical Engineers), Jude is a Product Design Engineer with an unparalleled appetite to investigate each subject matter that crosses his path. With a passion for bridging seemingly disparate disciplines, he is fascinated by fresh design challenges, be they human, mechanical or virtual. Exceptionally skilled at creating physical prototypes, he uses these models to explore design ideas, be they concepts for Dyson, a medical device for NHS, a fire-fighting robot or a mini space-pod.
2020-11-161h 06