We returned from Euro IA summit last Saturday. We have been busy since then. That is the reason why we have not published our thoughts about it before now.

However there”™s plenty of good reasons to spread the message: The conference this year was a great succes. Both in terms of content and quality, atmosphere, people and location there is no doubt that this was the best summit so far. The only thing to point fingers at – seen from our very narrow danish perspective – is the number of danish attendants. Last year Denmark was surprisingly well represented, this year we were very few.

Of course some presentations were more relevant to us than others, but generally speaking the professional/academic level was just perfect. I will not go through all the insights (and we did not go to all presentations), so this is just a brief note on the speakers who gave new ideas to include in our next projects.

Playful IA (Kars Alfrink)

Extremely interesting presentation on adapting ideas from game design to IA. We are currently designing a new intranet for a big danish company, and I believe we are going to adapt some of the ideas ““ eg. what happens when you think of an intranet as a game, with real challenges, tokens, rewards etc.? This could be a very obvious way to motivate users to participate and take ownership of the site.

How to (Really) localize an Information Architecture (Peter Van Dijck)

Peter presented a simple framework to address the questions that always arise when creating internatioal sites. It”™s not that the content of the presentation was new to us, but it was the kind of presentation that inspired me to go back home to produce the 6 generic questions and slides to use at client presentations.

Service Design (Claire Rowland)

Service Design is in growing demand in Denmark. It was very interesting to hear that the same is true outside Denmark ““ or at least in the UK. Just like the presentation Peter gave, the most interesting part of Claires presentation was the methods and the way of presenting them to clients.

There was many other presentations that deserves to be mentioned: The Core and paths: Designing from the inside out by Are Halland and the one about the new site for Heathrow Airport by Georgio Venturi and Jonathan Culling were also excellent”¦ and all the rest was good too”¦But this is all for now”¦ :-)

Enjoy the EuroIA2008 photoset on Flickr

At the moment, we are working on some cool projects, where we are introducing some new kinds of design methods. Of course we will write about them on this blog as soon we have relevant references.

Soon you will hear a lot about our huge web project for Carlsberg, and how we have been working with the blue ocean strategy developing the design concept. You will also be filled in on an interesting identity project for the new biotech company, Symphogen that is approaching IPO status.

We are also working on a project in the field of service design, which is becoming one of our prominent areas of expertise. It”™s a challenge because this business area is in progress all over. One should perhaps say beta-mode.

In England, several design firms have worked with service design for some years.  One of the good ones is Live Work manage by Lavrans Lovlie, who is really a capacity in the field of service design.

In March, the Design Management Institute is having a design conference “œ11th DMI European Design Management Conference“ here in Copenhagen. At this conference, Lavrans Lovlie will talk about service design. Unfortunately, the crew from 1508 will not be around, because we all are going to NY on a research trip. Well”¦ that will also be interesting, and we will do some anthropological work looking for some new projects in the field of service design :-)

By The researching Rix

Hey everybody in Copenhagen (and vicinity),

this might be short notice but tonight there’s going to be an event at Republikken on Vesterbrogade, if you want see and hear some nice work come and take part. Sweet Talk is happening in Dublin, New York & Copenhagen. Just to get an idea here are some pictures for you to view

Here is what Richard Seabrooke from Sweet Talk has to say about it:

WHAT IS SWEETTALK?_ SweetTalk started over a year, and 17 editions, ago to encourage stimulating conversations about Design, Illustration, Motion Graphics, Fine Art, Animation, Photography and all those excellent disciplines in between that make up the fantastic creative world around us.

SweetTalk is about seeing the people LIVE onstage who practice these disciplines best… Pioneers, Legends and forthright thinkers. They are there so you can hear them firsthand in a relaxed, enthusiastic atmosphere,not a stuffy cold conference style format. People who attend get to make up their own minds on what the speakers have to say about their work and working process. We try as much as possible too not to tax the patrons, preferring to charge the minimum amount to cover costs and keep this going, something that has stood as we’ve moved out of Irish only editions to the UK, Scandinavia and now the States…

SWEETTALK 18. COPENHAGEN Candy in association with Tiger Beer present Sweettalk 18, Copenhagen.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8TH 2007. Venue: RUMMET IN REPUBLIKKEN. 24 VESTERBROGADE. COPENHAGEN. Admission: 75DKR. Tiger Beer reception from 7pm, first speaker 8pm. Limited edition treats for early arrivers!

Speakers: Bleed (Norway). http://www.bleed.no Martin De Thurah (Denmark). http://www.dethurah.dk Ingen Frygt (Denmark). http://www.ingenfrygt.dk

Hope to see you there - Shaft

At our previous after-work meeting here at 1508 the creators of www.mitkbh.dk presented the ideas and strategy behind their new user driven website. To put it simple: The logic behind the site is that 10 Copenhageners know more about their own city than one journalist Рso why not let them share their own reviews on restaurants, caf̩ and other places with each other!

But mitkbh.dk is more than just written reviews. It is also an intelligent database that compares user information. Thereby mitkbh.dk is capable of providing the users with suggestions for new places to go according to their individual taste and preferences.

It was inspiring to experience to the thoughts, drive and energy that these guys had invested in the project, and it will be interesting to see how the site will develop in the future. According to the focus that mitkbh.dk has already received in the media it won”™t be long before everybody knows about the site. But in order for the site to become a real success people need to actively participate by writing their own reviews. 

So if you haven”™t already visited mitkbh.dk now is the time to do it. ““ And don”™t forget to write a review about your favorite ““ or worst ““ place in Copenhagen. 

 PH.   

I just couldn’t help but put this one out there, not just because it has a Japanese video intro but also because the works are pretty damn good. If you dont believe me go look at it for yourself and be impressed! i know some of you certainly have seen some of the work in the portfolio.

• S

iPhone, AppleTV, Airport Express – all hot off the MacWord conference.

iPhone. iPhone..

Apple, Inc stocks will soar.

iPhone, it’s the iPhone!

The definitive keynote experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8L39UwOS-Y

A wanna-be princess visited Frog Design in New York as a part of the Gain Conference. Frog Design is one of the leading design companies in the world. The reason why they are top of the design business is because of their ability to perform multidisciplinary functions.

The visit contained an interesting presentation of their working methods. They are working in the field of innovation and design – and they seem to manage to work in between many fields of expertise.

Read more about their methods of working here.

By the very green Ms Rix

A few weeks ago, 1508 had sent Ms Rix to New York to join a very interesting conference “AIGA Gain Conference” about design and business.

It really was an exciting conference. It”™s major theme was how design makes a difference. A differentiating factor which makes a significant difference on the bottom line. This point of view towards the design business is not common ““ but really relevant!

Here are some highlights from the conference:

A man called Tom That man ““ Tom Kelley – really is something. Not only has he developed the well-known design company IDEO, but he has also written some really interesting books about design and innovation. The latest one is “œThe Ten Faces of Innovation“. You must read this one! Sustainability One of the main issues at the conference was sustainability. When will we Danish start thinking ““ seriously ““ about these things..? In the States, they are ahead of us in Denmark ““ and presumably in the rest of Europe.

Design changes business A guy from The British Council, Harry Rich, presented a very interesting ““ and non-academic – report on how design makes a difference for the companies using design. The Council has through the last 5-6 years proceeded methodically with how the business use design as a strategic tool ““ and what the factual results are. They can document how companies who are investing in design create a better result on the bottom line ““ or a bigger return of investment.

Selling by Design The last ““ but absolutely best ““ speaker was Blair Enns. An expert on how to sell design ““ and most interesting how you can avoid to pitch. Enns was an oracle ““ and his models and ways of managing the selling process will soon reflect our business!

If you work in the field of design, then you have to join the conference next year. It was really something.

By the selling Ms Rix