Research

Description: I am a design advocate focusing on social innovation through design and user partiicpation methodologies. Currently a research fellow at the Helen Hamlyn Center at the Royal College of Art, London, UK, I completed her PhD in design (entitled ‘Design Participation Tactics’) at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with Professor John Fraser in 2007. I have participated in action-research projects and case studies in Asia and the UK focused on developing tools for designers to design with people especially including those that are older or disabled. I lead student programs and judges design awards at the RCA, where I also initiated the Methods Lab. I am active in designing and curating exhibitions both internationally and in my own community-interest gallery in London. Recent works include ‘Constant Stream’, aimed at stimulating dialog between cultures as well as disciplines, and ‘Design Facilitation for Heartlands’ for Cornwall in 2008, idea baker for the British Council and developing a webtool for inclusive design, www.designingwithpeople.com.

Description: I am a PhD student, researcher, social activist and Web 2.0 enthusiast coming from Moscow, Russia and currently based in Berlin, Germany. My PhD is exploring knowledge sharing as a paradigm of social activism in complex cultural scenarios of the contemporary digital culture. I am a member of IPMA Young Crew, a volunteer for SocialDesignSite.com and an enthusiastic member of Coaching for Development - a project seeking to bring project management knowledge to developing countries.

Description: A father of two who lives by the sea in the North of England. A collaboration consultant and process designer with experience across multiple sectors. Inspired by music, passion and movement.

Description: Shawn Theunissen has extensive experience in Organisational Development, Strategic Management, Customer Service and Social and Enterprise Development. He obtained his BCom (Industrial Psychology) degree from University of Johannesburg. . He has a vast amount of knowledge regarding the human resource legislation in South Africa, having been accredited as a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF), an Assessor and an Education, Development and Training Practitioner (EDTP) with the South African Qualifications Authority. He also holds an Advanced Diploma in Project Management and a Diploma in Financial Management from Damelin. In 2006 he completed the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Young Professionals Forum programme. In 2007 he was awarded a scholarship to study his Master degree in People Centric Innovation at 180 Academy in Denmark, an achievement he completed in June 2009. Shawn’s experience spans over a period of 13 years across various sectors. He has worked with some of South Africa’s largest commercial concerns, including Edcon, MTN, Dimension Data-Merchants, Investec and Growthpoint Properties. He was also a founding member of a training consultancy, GLO Consulting. As a training consultant he is able to adequately move through all the phases of training from proposal writing, business development and sales presentations and implementation to client relations. He is also well versed in material development, needs analysis, facilitation and assessments. Shawn has provided Leadership training, Entrepreneurial training, Project Management training and Soft Skills training. When he joined Dimension Data-Merchants he was tasked to set up the training division for a 1200 seater international outsourced call centre. He worked closely with his client American Online and also attended various train-the-trainer programmes in Arizona, USA. Shawn’s experience extends to the strategic role of Key Account Manager where he assisted in the creation of outsource call centre projects, maintained international client relations and managed a $25 million account with UK client – Carphone Warehouse Shawn’s diverse skill set includes experience in Corporate Social Responsibility, having held the position of CSR Manager at Dimension Data-Merchants. His focus included strategy development, programme marketing, implementation, impact monitoring and building and maintaining multiple stakeholder relations. Shawn pioneered in the establishment of the employee volunteering programme at Dimension Data–Merchants, which provided training to primary school children and leadership development for employees. This programme sought and created a business case that proved to have a win-win scenario for the business. Shawn distinguished himself in this portfolio and won the international chairman’s award for the project. For the past three years, Shawn has worked in the field of transformation and implementation of BBBEE advising various stakeholders on their alignment to the act. He has designed and managed various enterprise development programmes for The Business Place, an entrepreneurial support centre with 9 offices across Southern Africa. He is currently responsible for managing Growthpoint Properties enterprise development initiative, Property Point. The Property Point initiative gives small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) operating in South Africa’s listed property sector a toehold in a highly competitive marketplace. The initiative provides entrepreneurs with training and support, to enable them to develop their enterprises into fully independent companies. Property Point also provides procurement opportunities and mentoring for participants. Shawn is also on the board of directors of Twenty30, an NGO which runs volunteerism programmes with an aim to address socio-economic needs in our country.

Description: Economist, musician, citizen - in varying, but nonrandom, order.

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Description: I am the Director of Operations at Cardus. I'm very interested in exploring and developing organizational practices based on adaptive leadership approaches.The theoretical roots of this approach can be found in complex systems theory applied to organizational design. I have taught a number of undergraduate courses in history, culture, theology, and science as well as seminars on writing, social media and the history of computing. My graduate work included a philosophy of language thesis on the theory of words and objects - an intriguing balance between adaptation and rule-driven process. My past work includes corporate communications projects encompassing development of marketing collateral, presentations, magazine editing, writing, interviewing, political campaign development, web strategies and content development, creative team leadership and other capacity-building projects. I have also served a three-year term as an elected municipal official.