Rise and Design :  Design as a Driver of Change

Design Network North supports innovative companies, helping them to utilise high quality design skills and processes.We accomplish this by offering specialised product design, industrial design and new product development support.Good design is the key to future competitiveness. At a time when product quality standards are universally high and costs have been driven relentlessly downward, design and improved functionality have become the most important factors in the marketplace.Intended to enhance regional companies’ ability to employ high-quality design, skills and processes, Design Network North works closely with other regional, national and international design projects, and helps those without access to the relevant design skills, achieve their aspirations for growth. Design Network North also holds regular networking events, 'Rise & Design', and delivers onsite Design Performance Workshops to embed good design within your business.The Northern Design Centre is a  regional focal point for use of design by North East England’s businesses and service providers. Throughout each year, the Design Centre will feature work not just from local product designers but examples from all areas of design.Funded by the EUropean Union, the network is co-ordinated by RTC North Ltd in Sunderland.To become a member or to get involved, visit our websitewww.designnetworknorth.org

Design Network North

How designers are leading the way in tackling world changing issues

Northern Design Centre

<p> <em>Please Note - this is a hybrid event so we'll be in person at Northern Design Centre and on Zoom. The ticket options reflect this so please choose according to your own preferences. We will endeavour to ensure that the online event is just as enjoyable and useful as being there in person.</em></p><h3></h3><h3><strong>Design can be about the little things, like fonts, buttons and widgets. But it can also be about tackling the really big issues - climate change, global food shortages, ocean plastic. </strong></h3><h3><strong>And all designers love to be changing the world in some way.</strong></h3><h3>So we'll be hearing  from designers and innovators who are doing just that, and learning about what motivates them, how they motivate others, and some of their many successes.</h3><h3></h3><h3><em>Speakers include - </em></h3><h3><strong>Angela MacOscar, Northumbrian Water Group</strong></h3><h3>Following an almost 20 career as an R&D scientist for Procter &amp; Gamble, Angela has for the last three years been Head of Innovation at Northumbrian Water, and one of the key people behind their annual Innovation Festival, which brings people together from around the world to tackle global challenges.</h3><h3>Angela and her team have a real focus on the innovation culture within and around the business, and a passion for  ensuring that everyone is included in this, not the <em>'the designers'</em>. </h3><h3>Angela will share some of this passion, and the lessons she's learned along the way.</h3><h3></h3><h3><strong>Richard Hall, pd-m </strong></h3><h3>Richard has been a designer for over thirty years , as well as being a tutor and mentor for the Design Council, Royal College of Arts, Leeds Universities and the NHS. As well as designing amazing products for a wide range of clients, he's a genuine design leader, both within his company and in the wider design community.   </h3><h3>Richard will share some of the challenges and highlights of managing the organisational structure, culture, internal and external dynamics.  </h3><h3></h3><h3><strong>Tim Stern, biild</strong></h3><h3><strong><em>biild</em></strong> is a new product design agency launched by the team at the AME Group in Sheffield. Customers are demanding innovative products that respond to the social, environmental and economic challenges we all face, and <em><strong>biild</strong></em> work with those companies that are seeking to respond to this, to create products that enable responsible and sustainable growth. Tim will tell us more about what led them down this road, and how they are approaching this new challenge.</h3><h3></h3><h3><em>Additional speakers will be announced soon</em></h3><p></p><h3><strong>And as always there will be lots of opportunities for networking with a great bunch of  like minded people.</strong></h3><p></p>