Designed for Life

This 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 and the products 'over-engineered,' he set about designing and making his own solution. Much to the surprise of all involved, including his university tutor, he created a solution that worked well, and in a stroke, Mashoom was born. 

Jamie talks us through his journey through school and university, through DJ'ing at some of London's best-known clubs, to his position today as the owner of a successful and growing company. 

Through the podcast, Jamie is offering a trial of Mashoom to any schools out there that might find the product helpful. Detail on the product can be found at https://www.mashoom.co.uk/ and Jamie can be contacted on Twitter here @JamieTheMashMan

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support. 

In 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 generosity to her as a child, Dame Stephanie decided to give away her wealth. Now in her late 80s, she is driven by a lifetime of extraordinary experiences and achievements and still dedicates every day to making her life one that was worth saving.

We know that you will enjoy listening to Dame Steve's message for a day that is very close to her heart and one that the Design and Technology Association is proud to celebrate with female students and women across the UK. 

So sit back, relax in 30-minutes of 'me time' and enjoy Designed for Life, celebrating women's achievement across the UK with Dame Stephanie Shirley. 

PS. If you are inspired to read a signed copy of Dame Shirley's book 'Let it go', please email [email protected]. As stated in the podcast, it is a unique and inspirational read, and all proceeds from sales made through this link are sent directly to her charity Autistica. 

Imagine 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". 
 
Triple Double takes Paul's two passions in life, basketball and design and combines them in a way that empowers young people. In his words, "We are a creative studio that unleashes how youth engage in sport and education, using the power of design and creativity to transform their lives." 

Paul believes that if we listen, really listen to the needs, fears and aspirations of young people; we can work creatively with them to effect real change, a process that Paul calls Co-Creation. 

This is an inspirational story of a studio working differently and with a set of values running through its very core. So sit back, put your headphones on and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Paul Jenkins. 

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support. 

George 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. He then went on to work in design both in the UK and Austria, where he lived for over three years before setting out on his own with Interaction Magic. 

In the pod, we explore some of the many 'poke statements' on his personal website; statements designed to provocate and start a discussion, for example:

"Designers bring concepts but struggle to transform them from a sketch into the real world. Engineers execute the vision but often miss the understanding of why people behave the way they do. This is the gap I bridge. The engineer that designers want to work with."

George also talks us through his fairly recent appointment as a university lecturer at Salzburg University, where he teaches Interaction Design and Technologies. 

I found this to be a fascinating and stimulating conversation with a designer who by his own admission, feels he has yet to reach the top of his game but is clearly a major thought leader within the sector. 

So sit back, plug the earphones in and enjoy Designed for Life - In conversation with George Cave Interaction Technologist. 

We 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 vending machines, electric scooters, ceiling fans...the list goes on. 

In this podcast, we discuss the design process in some detail and how professional designers also experience the excitement of taking on a new brief, through to the sticky patch that inevitably hits most designers as they progress through an iterative design process, through to the joy of building and setting a design free into the market. 

Jonathan worked for Sapetti, a boutique design consultancy based in Switzerland where he worked for a number of international clients and worked on a range of designs, including working on an exoskeleton to support workers who routinely had to stand (or sit) in unorthodox positions that would otherwise result in back and repetitive strain issues. 

Jonathan currently works for GHD, a UK based brand that develops and commercialises consumer electronics for hairstyling and currently lives in the UK. He hopes to actually see some of London's sites as we finally exit from the COVID pandemic!

Jonathan's excellent work can be viewed on his microsite https://www.behance.net/jmedcalf
His contact details are on the site, and he is happy for any teachers or students to reach out to him to talk about industrial design either by email or through LinkedIn. 

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support. 

This 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 fine-tune his skills and vision before setting up his agency, 'Highgate' in 2002.

In this podcast, we follow Colin's journey from the UK to America, explore the work that he carries out through Highgate Agency, and touch on some of the differences that may exist between taking an entrepreneurial pathway in the UK and the USA.

Colins Bio

Specializing in developing sales and entertainment brands worldwide, Colin is an adventurer who enjoys defying the odds and conquering difficult situations. He started his career licensing sports programming to the Middle East and continued by creating branded blocks for MTV in eastern and southern Europe to promote awareness for the main channels. Originally from England but now lives in the US, he is ready to be dropped by parachute ( not quite..but close) into new areas or far-flung countries. Extensive experience in various genres, including sports, music, animation, drama and reality, as well as working with a range of companies such as IMG, MTV, NBA, Sony, Fuji and American Greetings. 

So sit back, put the earbuds firmly in place and enjoy Designed for Life - In conversation with Colin Mendoza. 

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support. 

Colin can be reached at [email protected]

From 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 coffee,  settle in a comfy chair and grab 52 minutes of 'me time' listening to some of the best bits of Designed for Life across 2021. 

Thank you so much for listening and we look forward to bringing you a string of new, exciting guests next year. Wishing you all a safe, happy and joy-filled holiday. 

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support. 

Andrew 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. 

After a few years of travelling that included some time spent in South Korea, it was Andrew's wife that suggested that he might want to take teaching seriously. It turns out this was not a bad idea and they returned to New Brunswick where Andrew qualified as a teacher and taught for two years in a local school. 

This experience was challenging, and in Andrew's own words the experience "took the shine off something that he loved" and Andrew returned to China and an educational institution but this time in a position within school communications and marketing. 

Once a teacher it sort of stays in the blood, and Andrew returned to teaching and is doing some amazing work with his students in Beijing. 

This conversation touches on personal growth, pedagogy, the need to acknowledge but then learn how to silence the inner critic that exists in us all, but mostly this is a powerful story of personal growth and how to become the very best that you can be. Huge thanks to Andrew for sparing us the time in a busy schedule to record this podcast. 

In the pod, we reference Andrew's website https://www.andrewwalton.ca/ We also mention the Nik Ramage and artist and sculptor, who can be found on Instagram or here at www.nikramage.com Finally we reference the Stoic Coffee Break podcast - available on all platforms.  

So sit back, relax and enjoy Designed for Life - In conversation with Andrew Walton. 

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support. 

We 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 think differently and change the way that they function as individuals, as part of a team and as part of an organisation. He’s a highly-regarded keynote speaker and host at events around the world, marrying intense prep work and a natural capacity to listen and shine a light on the best stories participants have to share.

As a French and German high school teacher in Scotland, Ewan wanted to find new ways to help students engage with learning – he felt strongly that technology was both critical to achieving this and remained underused in the classroom, so his classes were among the first in Europe to podcast and blog as part of their daily learning. The classroom also resembled a French cafe complete with coffee and the smell of warm patisserie. A hula hoop placed at the front of the classroom was the only place you could stand if you wanted to speak English...the same rules applied to the headteacher as they did the students, as he wanted them "immersed in language". 

Ewan spent three years taking these ideas to schools around Scotland, as National Advisor on Learning and Technology Futures for the Scottish Government. Joining Channel 4 as their Digital Commissioner in 2008 was a step in a different direction. But it was while he was with Channel 4 that he became fascinated by the strategies and tactics that his creative colleagues used to create imaginative and truly engaging digital services for young people. Could he take this insight and make it work in an education setting? Yes, I reckoned he could... and that’s how NoTosh came about.

This is a fascinating conversation with so many learning points for teachers, educators and leaders in any capacity. So grab yourself an hour of 'me time', find a chair, take a walk, take us to the gym and listen to Designed for Life; in conversation with Ewan McIntosh. 

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support. 

This 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 has just started a PhD is testament to the progress that she has made both personally and professionally over the last eight years.

On joining her school (Penryheol Comprehensive School, Swansea) she immediately set about introducing elements of sustainable thinking to her textiles classroom. Supported by an open-minded Head of Department this work has spread across all aspects of the departments work with the seventeen UN sustainability goals providing a framework for learning in D&T.

The introduction of the new Curriculum for Wales provided the opportunity for the school senior team to look at best-practice within the department and explore how this might influence the wider curriculum and whole school planning.

Helen has involved her students in outreach work, has recently started a PhD at Portsmouth University in the faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, looking at how sustainability can work better in primary schools through organised parental/family workshops. She has also been involved in the Chariocity Project instigated by the Centre for Circular Design https://www.circulardesign.org.uk/research/chariocity/

So if you ever wondered just how engaged young people can be in involving themselves in the worlds sustainability issues, then sit back, plug those earphones in and listen to Designed for Life - In conversation with Helen O'Sullivan.

Teachers can access free resources for Helen's projects and standalone activities (inc the garment worker profiles and SDG passport) from the SustFashWales Education pages on the website here: https://sustfashwales.org/education/ (primary is in progress, but there are resources on KS3 already).

This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors, The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education  https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge

We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support.