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Guest comment: Creativity versus Counting
12 June 2008, Netimperative
Is the digital industry becoming too dependent on using web analytics to asses customer behaviour? Collecting too much data can cloud decision-making, even causing complacency when bolder decisions need to be made.

Can design cut crime?
22 May 2008, spiked
Government attempts to ‘design out’ crime by sticking anti-theft, noise-emitting devices around the country will make us feel less secure.

Winners and losers in a troubled economy
10 March 2008, The Telegraph Business Club [Registration required], Director of Finance online & iMedia Connection
Trendy online gadgets are no substitute for genuine innovation in products and services.

Why we should swat The Mosquito
13 Feburary 2008, spiked
The launch of the Buzz Off campaign to rid Britain’s streets of a screeching ‘anti-youth gadget’ should be welcomed - and built on.

Are marketers hiding behind UGC?
18 December 2007, netimperative
Does our infatuation with user-generated content betray a lack of creativity and conviction within the marketing industry?

Tracing the history of Helvetica
28 November 2007, spiked
A film about a font?! Yes, and it's gripping, too, showing how a sleek typeface has encouraged good design and helped to shape big ideas.

World Usability Day London - Positive Experiences in Healthcare
Thurday 8th November, London
Organised by design agency LBi and the Usability Professionals Association
Spoke on panel entitled Openness of information and communities in Healthcare discussing ways in which the internet offers opportunities for sharing information to inform the public, and to enable experiences to be shared and learned from within the NHS. Other speakers included Sir Muir Gray (Director of Clinical Knowledge for NHS), Julie Howell (Director of Accessibility at digital design agency Fortune Cookie and Founder of Jooly’s Joint, a Multiple Sclerosis community), Pete Gale (Head of User Experience at Cogapp)

Designing behaviour
Sunday 28th October, Battle of Ideas festival, RCA, London
Produced and spoke on a debate on why many now argue that design has a duty to promote wellbeing, responsible behaviour, and to make people think rather than just consume. Issues include health awareness and rebuilding community to reducing consumption and global warming. Speakers were Molly Webb, business engagement manager, the Climate Change group and Professor Anthony Dunne, head of RCA's Design Interactions. The debate was chaired by Austin Williams, director of the Future Cities Project.

Design in Denial
1st October, Design Museum, London (Produced & chaired event) Sell out capacity!
Why do few designers, if any, defend design for its own sake? Instead, many argue that design only has worth once it contributes toward social renewal, regeneration, the environent, sustainability and so on. But doesn't this mean that design as a result will suffer? Speakers were Martin Brown (Wolf Olins), Jonathan Barnbrook (UK's foremost political designer), Clive Grinyer (director of design Orange France Telecom), Tom Dunmore (editor of Stuff magazine) and Austin Williams (director of Future Cities Project). Part of the Battle of Ideas 2007 festival.

Comment: Design in denial
November 2007, Blueprint Issue 260
Design is about more than being sustainable or socially responsible--and its time to defend design for its own sake. Afraid only available in print

Don't curb design enthusiasm
26 September, the Guardian's arts&entertainment blog
The idea of sustainable design is an oxymoron. Design is about exploring limits, not about imposing them.

Claire Fox News on Design
24 September, 18 Doughty Street online Talk TV
Appeared as a guest to discuss design in Britain, including business, social engineering, green issues and innovation. The panel consisted of Angus Kennedy, IT Consultant, Nico MacDonald, Consultant and Author in the media sector and Vicky Richardson, Editor of Blueprint magazine. Hosted and presented by Claire Fox, Director of the Battle of Ideas festival.

What do you think you're doing?
21st September, Design Museum, London (Part of London Design Festival)
Was asked by Jonathan Barnbrook (currently exhibting his one-man retrospective Friendly Fire at the Design Museum) to chair this debate. It examined the role of ethics in design and how designers should respond. Speakers were Jonathan Barnbrook, Adrian shaughnessy - design commentator, author of How to Be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul and Teal Triggs - Professor of Graphic Design and Head of Research, School of Graphic Design, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London.

The confessions of a social networker
Monday 3rd September 2007, Barclays Global Investors, London
Gave a talk, as part of their Inspirational Speakers season on the opportunities and perils of online social networking. Federica Squadrilli Carr, Web Manager at BGI said my talk was 'very interesting, informative, lively and thought-provoking... you were very engaging.'

See all my writing and events.