Hasta La Ideas

Market shockwaves are all around. The exchange place has never been so liquid and vulnerable. In this scenario, intuition gains momentum when compared to the sciences because everybody knows that to act instantly one needs to learn how to let instincts take over.

The temple of the technological wonders that used to be called R&D opens space for the search of a new construction mechanism, more human, collaborative, and decentralized inside organizations.

Call this what you may, a New Design, Design Thinking, it doesn’t matter… The only approach fit to deliver such a human and business balance to these companies is Design.

And don’t be fooled. I’m writing from Brazil and the winds of change that bring these shockwaves, have already swept through our shores as well, it started long ago, and culminated yesterday at the historical 16th of June night, when hundreds of thousands of people took the streets and the congress, to protest against corruption, lack of public services infrastructure, and an forthcoming World Cup that is causing the government to deviate money that should be used to improve health, education and other basic services.

But the implementation of a culture that allows companies and governments to adopt a Design-—like mindset isn’t child’s play. Neither can it be done overnight. Since I’ve started Livework in Brazil, I’ve been involved in projects directed towards the implementation of a culture of innovation through the lens of Design in several organizations, among them Itau, the biggest bank of the southern hemisphere, Bradesco, its biggest competitor, Petrobras—yes, the oil giant is also interested in Design—and many other clients.

This means we ‘vehelped those organizations learn how to think Design, not only use it into their projects, but also make good use of it in their small day-­to‐day decisions. It was Paul Hawken in his book Natural Capitalism who said, “Natural Capitalism is not about making sudden changes, uprooting institutions, or fomenting upheaval for a new social order, Natural Capitalism is about making small, critical choices that can tip the economic and social factors in positive ways.”

(more…)