Lockdown life isn’t easy and as so many of us face more lockdowns, it’s easy to lose motivation. So, to try and counter that and bring some positivity to the new year, we’ve put together a list design blogs, podcasts and more, that are helping inspire us during this difficult period.
These explore a variety of topics, helping us understand the new normal, see life from new perspectives and get our creativity flowing. Have a read and please share with us any content that you’ve been relying on during this period.
Hear how creative people navigate life
There is a whole array of great creative talks and podcasts out there on the web to delve in to. Design Matters was the world’s first podcast about design and creativity and features interviews with designers, writers, actors, entrepreneurs and ‘other luminaries of contemporary thought’. Listen in to be inspired by their creative stories.
Explore emerging trends Check out the Trendhunter website. It looks at the latest new products and services around the globe and emerging trends. The information is crowd-sourced and covers every different sector you can imagine relevant to life and business, from flat-pack cardboard workstations to new co-working spaces in cafés. Some ideas seem outlandish or niche, others seem like fantastic ideas that will flourish. It’s a great site to browse for inspiration and to keep up with what’s new in the world.
Understand the impact of the pandemic on everyday life
When the pandemic first arrived in Europe early in 2020, the Not Everyday Life project was kicked off by an ethnographic researcher hoping to understand how it might impact people’s outlook and behaviours. The first short report came out in the summer and was based on conversations with people from 35 countries, exploring changes in things like community and trust. It’s a great example of conducting ethnography in challenging circumstances.
McKinsey have also looked at consumer behaviour changes in Europe as a result of the pandemic. As well as identifying the trends, such as new home-based hobbies to shopping more locally, they also explore what’s likely to stick in the long term. Have you noticed similar trends?
Understand the effect of the pandemic on work
Digital experts ServiceNow, who have worked with our design consultancy, DK&A, have carried out a study on the impact of COVID-19 on innovation, business and the future of work. They surveyed employees and C-suite executives around the world and discovered there are still many businesses where routine services for customer and employees are not digitised – a clear issue when you’re working remotely. They also explored employee concerns about returning to the workplace. Have a read and see if it matches your own experiences.
Learn a new skill
Even if many of us are working remotely now, it doesn’t mean you can’t develop a new skill. Learning something new is a great way to keep our minds fresh and open to new ideas.
We teach many design thinking courses online, from understanding the fundamentals to facilitating your own projects to designing a service through service blueprinting. Get in touch today and we can talk you through the various course options.
Not all new skills have to be job related, however. Now is a great time to try something different, even if it’s just a way to unwind. We really like these courses from Jackson Art. They provide a fantastic range of painting and drawing courses, some pre-recorded, some live, for different abilities. A great way to relax and get creative. Check them out.