CATALYST Strategic Design Review: Issue 4

Issue 4 I suMMeR 2010

Tools for CATALYZING Change CATALYSTS: News from Members and Friends of the Pratt Design Management Program

Minding Your Business Motivating Wellbeing Riding to Confidence

Chief Culture Officer: Designing a Culture of Choice From the CATALYST Blog

Designing Wellbeing:Re-focus. Re-invent. Rejuvenate.

Chief Culture Officer Riding to Wellbeing

Israel

Austria

Brooklyn

Minding Your Business:Motivating Wellbeing

2 CATALYSTsdr.com Re-focus. Re-invent. Rejuvenate 3

What to ExpectCATALYST was designed to stimulate thinking and encourage conversation about the role of strategic design in defining and developing an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future. We have included numerous external links throughout the text and in the form of “related resources” at the end of each article. CATALYST is accompanied by a blog that is our means of continuing the conversation between publications. Blog posts are related to, as well as, unique from those in the digital publication. You can find the CATALYST blog on our website:

http://www.CATALYSTsdr.com

The next CATALYST theme will beDesigning Desire Please submit article concepts andrecommendations for resources to:[email protected]

Table of Contents

Re-focus.Re-invent.Rejuvenate.

CATAlYsT Perspective1From the CATAlYsT blog

4

CATAlYZing theConversation

6

Tools for CATAlYZing ChangeSuper Natural Home by Beth GreerThe Happiness Project by Gretchen RubinLEED for Healthcare

52

infographic: Food and HealthDirect from CATALYSTsdr.com, a visual depiction of the connections between food, health and government spending.

54

CATAlYsTsNews from Alumni and Staff of the Pratt Design Management Program.Anke Stohlmann, Richard Green & Diane Ruengsorn

56

8 Minding Your Business: Profits that Restore the PlanetA conversation with Horst Rechelbacher, founder of Intelligent Nutrients and Aveda

18 Motivating WellbeingAn overview of behavioral theory and design strategies and how they can influence better behaviors

CATALYST VoicesDestination: WellbeingAn introduction to how bicycling can support confidence in the individual and communities

28

Chief Culture Officer: Designing a Culture of ChoiceAn conversation with Lahav Gil, President and CEO, Kangaroo Design

38

Reflections PieceLessons for the RoadErin looks back on what she learned in her timeas Executive Editor of CATALYST

48

Executive Editor: Adam Zoltowski

Managing Editor: Kevin Rorick

Editorial Board: Erin Weber

Holly Burns Dante Clemons

Maggie de la Vega Maren Maier

Mary McBride Denise Tahara

Visual Design: Aditi Mukherjee Adam Zoltowski

Kevin Rorick

Illustrations: Aditi Mukherjee

Editors: Eileen Kiley & Denise

Tahara

Cover Design: Adam Zoltowski

CATALYST Perspective

The Director of the Pratt Design Management Program introduces the significance of this issue of CATALYST

Designing Wellbeing: Re-focus. Re-invent. Rejuvenate. This issue of Catalyst explores the role of strategic design in enabling wellbeing and creating life style choices that deepen our sense of aliveness, happiness and creative community. Our contributors help us define well being and demonstrate its design in their own lives and work. Why is it important to consider designing wellbeing into our everyday lives and enterprises? We asked our contributors to consider that question and to explore the meaning of well being in a world where just being can be challenging enough. They took the challenge. Their ideas enrich our understanding of how designing for wellbeing can deepen our experience of life, encourage our relationship with community and connect us in exchange experiences that are both rewarding and fun. We are reminded that products, services and spaces designed with wellbeing in mind can create mutually satisfying relationships between those who create the experience and those who engage in them. We discover in each article that well being can be variously defined, but that it is more than happiness. It includes a feeling of exhilaration, a sense of mastery and control. It is both personal and collective and is enhanced by a feeling of belonging and shared commitment to goals. Wellbeing implies a healthy blend of challenge and readiness mixed with resilience and joy. It is a sense that all systems are “humming away nicely”. It can be designed into the moments of a life, encouraged by the movements of the body and enabled by organizations interested in cultivating aliveness. But, not all of our systems are “humming away nicely.” Wellbeing is not a constant and availability to the conditions that support it varies across the boundaries of our world. Lack of wellbeing can create its own boundary. Life does not flourish when imagination and appetite go unfed, enthusiasm is undernourished and engagement with a living world is not encouraged. Strategic design solutions are necessary to deepen happiness, enable a creative economy and improve both our physical and emotional connection to life. In this issue, we focus on re-inventing and rejuvenating our organizations, our personal lives and our relationship with each other and our world CATALYST is an international dialogue on strategic design sponsored and published by the graduate program in Design Management at Pratt Institute of Art and Design. Dr. Mary McBrideDirector of the Design Management Program at Pratt Institute

© The Design Management Program

of Pratt Institute, April 2010

4 CATALYSTsdr.com Re-focus. Re-invent. Rejuvenate. 5

public,” as defined by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). Through this tenet, a designer will have applied occupational and safety standards, including accessibility requirements of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), national and regional fire safety and building codes, and ergonomics. Someone in a wheelchair will be able to use the space freely. People will be able to make a quick and unobstructed dash for the exit in the event of a fire. Employees will not hurt or strain themselves on the job due to poorly designed furniture. Recognizing that the construction industry is responsible for so much of the world’s waste, headways are being made throughout the trade and interior designers are in a position to encourage environmental sustainability. We can push our engineers to use more efficient electrical and mechanical systems. We can source more local, sustainable, and non-toxic furniture, equipment, and finishes. We can design more beautiful, timeless, and durable spaces instead of staying on trend only to demolish and rebuild every five years. To the public, we are purveyors of things cool and pretty, so we are duly responsible to introduce these responsible practices in order for them to become the norm. Interior designers can probably tell you where to put the sofa in your tiny condo and select curtains to match, but interior designers are positioned do so much more, for profit, people, and planet.

Read more posts on the CATALYST blog at: www.CATALYSTsdr.com/categories/blog/

The Khan Academy The Role of Education in Designing Wellbeing by Adam Zoltowski I can still remember vividly, in my past life as a political science student, a classroom debate about whether or not education was a right or a privelege. I’ve always believed it to be a right, as it benefits both society and the individual. The idea that education should be available to all is at the core of The Khan Academy, an open for all online school where curious minds from around the world can access information and lessons on everything under the sun. Khan Academy, founded by Salman Khan, the recipient of the 2009 Microsoft Tech Award in Education, is a non-profit organization with the modest goal of supplying education to ‘anyone, anywhere’. Khan, an MBA gradute from Harvard, started the online ’school’ by creating simple math lessons on youtube for his cousin who lived abroad. Before he knew it, thousands of people were accessing his online tutorials. Education plays a big role in the overall issue of wellbeing. It has an impact on almost every level and facet of our lives. If we start late in our schooling and formal education, it has a ripple effect that can last years. Income level disparity between the educated and non-educated has been clearly documented in recent years, showing a correlation between an individual’s level of schooling and pay. If students fall behind early on, they may spend many years trying to catch up. A lack of adequate education programs can also adversely affect communities, as poor educational offerings aid in keeping areas economically depressed. I was lucky to have parents who both worked in education; yet, not all families have matriarchs and patriarchs who value education. In some

countries the schools are inadequate at best, non-existent at worst.

The Khan Academy is a powerful example of the use of design because Khan has successfully developed an organization with a strong mission that requires limited resources and funds. By using the free technology provided by youtube, Khan has distributed education lessons to many corners of the globe, a feat that would have cost thousands of dollars ten years ago. Lessons are also not made with fancy software, but basic freeware that come with any PC. For example, he used Microsoft Paint to illustrate his cousin’s first lesson. Khan stumbled upon the power of his idea by chance, and has used his constraints to his advantage in growing the awareness and popularity of the Khan Academy. It is also a sign of the changing times: one man can single-handedly reach thousands through the use of open access internet applications.

From the CATALYST Blog

Highlights from the timely and diverse content found at www.CATALYSTsdr.com/categories/blog/

A Food RevolutionThe Strategic Value of Jamie Oliver’s TED Wish

by Giselle Carr

A few weeks ago, I watched Jamie Oliver’s talk on TED.com where he stated,“I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.” I’ve become a huge fan of his show and the conversation that it has sparked within the population. What has struck me most about Jamie’s Food Revolution is the social aspect and the subtle use of design thinking. The statistics are staggering as obesity-related diseases are the leading causes of death in America. Jamie reminds us that during his 20 minute TED talk, four Americans will die as a result of food-related illnesses. The effect this has had on the new generation of children growing up on processed foods is also extremely disturbing, as we have “blessed” the newest generation with a shorter lifespan for the first time in human history. Recent films such as Food, Inc. have depicted the level of artificial and unnatural ingredients used in agriculture, as well as the national demand and consumption of

fast or processed foods. What is hopeful amidst all the bad news, though, is the reminder that the power to change rests within our hands as consumers and purchasers of these products. However, this is still considering the issue at a slightly shallow, economic level. To observe the use of design thinking in this revolution, we must go past the effects, statistics, even some of the causes and simply look at what motivates us to consume these products. Jamie encourages the use of fresh, unprocessed foods and it is clear that he is concerned with the quality of the ingredients. He also reminds us that food is one of the few things that nourishes us, connects us to past traditions of our families and culture and unites communities in unique ways. He challenges us to think not only of the food we eat in terms of its components and preparation, but

also the meaning of it as a human practice “to inspire families to cook again.” This is at the heart of his strategic thinking, because ultimately what needs to change is not just the label on the food, but human behavior. His reform of the British school food system is a testament to the power of this type of behavioral change; my hope is that his efforts in America will be met with similar success. Other initiatives to transform the experience of food in the education sector, even at the tertiary level, have begun to emerge successfully across America. It is clear that the public is ready for this change, for a myriad of reasons (health is one of the largest); otherwise Jamie’s show would not be such a huge success. The challenge we face now is to rethink and redesign our approach to food, so that the policies and practices currently in place become our ally in working toward a healthier population; not just because we have to, but because we want to.

Interior Design as StrategyA dialogue on the strategic value of interior design

by Rene Ng

Renovation programs on TV have undoubtedly made the general public more aware of the built environment. However, the time and thought processes behind interior design is often left on the cutting room floor leaving the profession hugely undervalued and decoration mistaken for design. A wise professor, from Ryerson University’s School of Interior Design in Toronto, once said, “Interior designers must also know half of what an architect knows and a quarter of what an engineer knows, but they get half the pay and a quarter of the respect.” Interior design or interior architecture, as it is known in Europe, is responsible for most of the spaces we live, work, and play in. Everything, from the overall layout of rooms down to the exact location of the toilet paper dispenser, has been thought-out and strategically planned by an interior designer to add value. A well-designed space will maximize the use of real estate through efficient space planning, incorporate appropriate levels of natural and artificial lighting, and use non-toxic materials. For companies, this means increased employee satisfaction, productivity, and wellbeing. The space can also be considered an extension of a company’s values and identity, translating into teambuilding within, and customer loyalty through brand cohesiveness. Unbeknownst to the masses, an interior designer’s job is to “protect and enhance the health, life safety, and welfare of the

costa rica

new zealand

denmark

finland

norway

sweden

netherlands

switzerland

australia

canada

82%

62%

togo

rwanda

burundi

niger

haiti

benin

cambodia

comoros

sierra leone

burkino faso

1%

4%

10 LOWEST WELLBEING SCORES

10 HIGHESTWELLBEING

SCORES

A SNAPSHOT OF GLOBAL WELLBEING

82% - thriving wellbeing struggling to achieve wellbeing - 0%

happiest country:Costa Rica

least happy country:Zimbabwe

poorest country:Djiibouti

richest country:The United States

Economics HealthEnvironmental

Impact

Wellbeing Indicators


This infographic depicts the current state of global wellbeing. Regions in green and yellow are thriving, while those areas in organge and red are struggling. Based on qualitative surveys, wellbeing is measured by happiness, economic prosperity, health (physical and emotional as well as access to basic necessities) and environmental impact (including carbon footprint). Most important to note, is that wellbeing is a cumulative result of a number of factors, and cannot be measured through one aspect of life alone. For more on the survey method and how data is weighted please visit gallup.com and thehappyplanetindex.org

CATALYZING the Conversation

An introduction to this theme of CATALYST Strategic Design Review

Look for these indicators in each article to see how they line up with

Happy Planet and Gallup’s definition of

wellbeing.


Executive Summary: As the business world faces a crisis point, new ways of doing business must be found. Horst Rechelbacher tells us about his experiences pioneering two innova-tive and successful sustainable companies in the beauty and cosmetics industry, Intelligent Nutrients and Aveda. He explains how his crusade to phase out the multiplicity of toxic ingredients in cosmetics has led to a new para-digm of products based on food chemistry and a new model for business. He shows us that by merging self, community, and environment, we can usher in a new age of enlightened capital-ism that nurtures wellbeing and creates profits while restoring the planet.

Minding Your Busines Profits that restore the Planet a conversation with horst rechelbacher founder of intelligent nutrients and aveda Conducted by dr. Mary McBride, Ph.d and Maren Maier

Dr. Mary McBride is the Director of the Design Management program at Pratt Institute where she has been building out the program and teaching in it since 1999. Mary is also a Partner in Strategies for Planned Change. She, leads their strategic leadership and stewardship practice coaching and facilitating change in individuals

and organizations.Horst M. Rechelbacher An Austrian by birth, and son of an herbalist, Horst M. Rechelbacher is an active environmentalist, innovative business leader, author, artist, and organic farmer. In 1978, Horst founded Aveda Corporation, a global plant-based cosmetic company. Nearly two decades later, he sold Aveda to Estee Lauder but remained a consultant until March 2003. Since then, he has focused on a new product paradigm by founding Intelligent Nutrients, a health and beauty product company utilizing 100% food-based and organic-certified ingredients. Horst is one of the three original founders of Business for Social Responsibility, which promotes the idea that businesses have the greatest responsibility and opportunity to provide sustainability to all living species. In his continuing study of plant-based medicine, he collaborates with noted physicians, chemists and pharmacologists, as well as with experts and traditional healers throughout the world.

Maren Maier is a graduate of the Design Management Program at Pratt, and is currently a Buyer at ABC Carpet & Home, a home furnishings store in New York City. She oversees a department of socially and environmentally responsible home products, entitled ‘ABC Home & Planet’ and she is in charge of transitioning suppliers to more sustainable production processes, while simultaneously educating consumers about the value of conscious consumerism

Native to Morocco, the Argan tree is the

source for natural, rejuvenating body oil

Wellbeing indicators


A favorite food of the Aztecs, AGAVE is high in fructose rather than glucose,which allows it to be absorbed slowly into the blood stream.

COSMETICS: RE-DESIGNING WITH FOOD

HORSTTo redesign beauty products, we have to look at chemistry. What is available to us? I think the solution can be found in food chemistry. By using food as medicine, we can apply the flavors and colors of things like seeds, berries and vegetables. They are intense in color, concentrated and have high antioxidant food values. I call it skin or lip-delivered nutrition, because it can deliver good things at the same time as you beautify. So, in a way, you are turning super foods into super cosmetics. I like to follow traditional formulas and then stretch them with my imagination to create new aromatic compositions. They all have a purpose and do something of benefit.

MARYThis is what you started at Aveda over 30 years ago. Are you perfecting the process with Intelligent Nutrients?

HORST I started Aveda more than 30 years ago and left because it was time to reinvent myself. Back then, certified organic products were not available. Raw material manufacturers promised us natural ingredients, yet no one told us, for example, that sodium laurel sulfates derived from coconut was

a petrochemical process. We didn’t know that in those days, and it took us decades

later to realize this synthetic process. The word natural is very confusing

because petrochemicals are also natural. Crude oil is a natural substance

from earth; it’s a mineral oil,

but it’s

not edible and extremely toxic, even when refined. Intelligent Nutrients in

contrast is based on hi-tech, nutritional

substances. I hired food chemists to help

me create a new paradigm of products, where we utilize

certified organic, nutritional ingredients to make products

that, when taken internally and applied topically, deliver the best benefits to the

body.

MARENWhat is your goal with Intelligent Nutrients?

HORSTWe are very small, and I want to stay that way. I am focused on small batch production and high quality, because to do what I do, you have to go the extra mile. I don’t just work with one

Food chemistry encourages the development of chemicals and products designed from the outset using ingredients that pose no hazards to our health.

The ultimate goal is not only to design products safe enough to put in our mouths, but to design ones that deliver nutritional value upon application. Intelligent Nutrients is has achieved this by integrating organic farmers, food chemists, and cosmetic chemists in the product development process.

“Nobody tests these products and ingredients for toxicity or how they affect us on a cellular level.”

and dangerous. The only testing performed on cosmetics and personal care products are for eye and skin sensitivity.

This is unfortunate, because anything that goes on the skin is in the blood seconds later. Any ingredients absorbed by our skin bypasses the detoxifying enzymes in our liver, which protect us from toxins in food. That means the harmful chemicals that you apply to your skin are more toxic and pose greater cancer and other risks, than if you ate them.1.

MARYWhat are the effects of these substances on our bodies?

HORSTWe have evidence of the dangers of heavy metals and other hazardous substances on the body, some of which are known carcinogens. Dr. Samuel Epstein, a professor of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, describes the different types of hazardous substances and their effects on the human body in his books. He also lists products that contain these “horrific substances” by category, and the list is endless: shampoos, deodorants, toothpastes, lotions, blushes, eye shadows, mascara, lipstick, hairspray, etc. On average, women use about twenty-five cosmetic products on a daily basis, and many ingredients in these products are not digestible, not even recyclable. Babies are even born with cosmetic waste, because it is transferred through the umbilical chord and breast milk. A recent study of 31 brands of lipstick sent to laboratories for testing showed 61% contained lead1. Why are we putting things on our skin that we wouldn’t put in our mouths?

MARENHow are you redesigning beauty products to fix this problem?

MARYTransforming big industries is an extremely challenging task. There are so many people who say it can’t be done, and then there are people like you who are doing it. You’ve had amazing successes with Aveda and have just launched your new company, Intelligent Nutrients. What motivates you?

HORSTThat’s exactly why I am doing it, because I know it can be done. I want to show the cosmetics’ industry that it is possible to design a better product. From their point of view, what I am doing with Intelligent Nutrients is absolutely ridiculous. Ultimately, I am trying to go beyond the traditional cosmetic pursuit of outer beauty to the core elements that compose true beauty, in order to find the ultimate sense of health and wellbeing.

MARENIt’s interesting, because the official definition of cosmetics goes against the very idea of beautification and health. The American Heritage Dictionary defines ‘cosmetics’ as “something superficial that is used to cover up a deficiency or defect.”

COSMETICS: TOXIC BEAUTY HORST When we look at the cosmetics industry, we are really looking at the petrochemical industry. And literally to this day, it’s the base of everything that makes up a beauty product, including surfactants, preservatives, lubricants, colorants, packaging, etc. That needs to be corrected. It’s outdated

“The dark irony is that the things we put on our bodies

to cover our perceived defects or make ourselves look better are often toxic.”

Strategy in Action

How to Effectively Manage I, Inc.

Before attempting to create a successful

business venture, ask yourself if you are

successfully operating your inner business.

Then, lead your inner life like you are its

CEO:

» Hold daily meetings

» Understand the interdependence of

each department

» Be a dedicated apprentice to your

organization

» Conduct a weekly inventory

» Focus on service towards all

stakeholders

» Never lose sight of the bottom line


two, three or four species. I’ve been studying indigenous plant species for many years, and it’s a pharmacopeia. I travel around the globe to find the best raw materials. In doing so, I practice what I call ‘pure sourcing,’ which ensures that the ingredients I use are 100% organic, not tested on animals, free of synthetic ingredients, and do not exploit workers. This is an enormous challenge for many reasons, particularly with organic certification, but we are doing it. To ensure quality, I recently started my own organic farming operation, using solar power, electric farm vehicles and purified water for irrigation.

I’ve been operating the farm now for six years and grow many of the certified organic preservatives for my products. This cuts out the middlemen and ultimately allows me to have a more holistic understanding of my business.

MARYWhat has been your biggest hurdle since starting Intelligent Nutrients?

HORSTFinding honest suppliers and educated consumers. There are so many companies out there screaming organic this, natural that, when in fact their products are not certified. This misleads consumers into thinking products are safe. Even though cosmetics use some of the same ingredients that are in drugs and foods, both of which are regulated by the FDA, there lacks a governmental watchdog. When it takes millions of dollars to reformulate a product or change one small ingredient, it is not surprising when large manufacturers look for ways to cut corners. Senator Edward Kennedy read a statement at Senate hearings on the FDA Reform Bill On September 10, 1997 stating: “The

Cosmetics Industry has borrowed a page from the playbook of the tobacco industry by putting profits ahead of public health.”1 Over ten years later, this is still the case.

Fortunately, there is a group called the Organic Consumers Association that wants to inform and protect the public. The OCA has tested many personal care products for dioxane, surfactants, fragrances for phthalates

and other petrochemical ingredients. Intelligent Nutrients recently joined the OCA, Dr. Bronners and Organic Essence in filing a complaint with the USDA to request a federal investigation into misleading organic labeling of personal care products. Thankfully, the federal courts passed a ruling in 2005 that stated cosmetics companies must also comply with USDA organic regulations specifying the exact definition and parameters of the ‘organic’ label, which should help keep companies from using the word under false pretences.

MARENIn light of these regulatory issues, do you have any words of advice or inspiration for designers and entrepreneurs?

HORSTWe need to redesign, totally redesign everything. If we don’t, we risk becoming collectors of the old, paying homage to a system that is broken. Each individual and every organization must play a part in manifesting a new system of

‘enlightened enterprise.’

CATALYST terCATALYST Definition: Pure Sourcing:A method of sourcing materials that ensures ingredients are 100% organic, not tested on animals, free of synthetic ingredients, and do not exploit workers.

“When you look at the legal interpretation of cosmetics, the FDA says it is neither a food nor a drug, which means that the cosmetics industry is largely self-regulated.”

“We need a new understanding of health, a new relationship with ourselves, a new respect for wellbeing.”

Women use about 25 cosmetic products on a daily basis, and many ingredients in these

products are not digestible or recyclable. Babies are even born with cosmetic

waste, because it is transferred through the umbilical chord

and breast milk. There are five main classifications

of chemicals found in beauty products.

CARCINOGENS Chemicals that are shown in lab testing to cause cancer.liMoneneCateareths (ethYlene oXide & dioXane)

PolYethYlene glYCol (Peg) (ethYlene oXide & dioXane)

laurethstalC (talCuM PoWder)

triethanolaMine (tea) (PreCursor to nitrosaMine)

lead aCetateP - PhenYlenediaMine (CarCenogeniC folloWs oXidation)

Ci disPerse Blue 1d&C red 33hC Blue no.1diethanolaMine & triethanolaMinePolYethYlene glYColdMdM-hYdnatoin (PreCursor to forMaldehYde)

iMidaZolidinYl ureaQuaterniuM - 15diaZolidinYl urea (PreCursor to forMaldehYde)

fd&C red 40PolYsorBates

HORMONE DISRUPTERS Chemicals that imitate the effects of natural hormones in the body. When mistaken for its own hormones, the body disrupts its natural processes.ParaBen Phthalates (dehP and deP BenZoPhenone-3)

oCtYl-MethoXYCinnaMate (oMC)

oXYBenZone4- MethYl-BenZYlidene CaMPhor (4-MBC)

ethYlenediaMine tetra-aCetiC aCid (edta)

triCloCarBantriClosan

SKIN IRRITANTS Chemicals that cause reactions or irritations when applied to the skin.hYdroXY aCidstalC

NEUROTOXINSChemicals that have a direct

effect on the body’s nervous system.ethYl MethaCrYlate

MethYl MethaCrYlate

BisaBolhYdroXY aCids

nanoPartiCles (MiCro fine, ultrafine)

disodiuM edtaBenZoPhenone- 3

oCtYl-MethoXYCinnaMate (oMC)

ethYlenediaMine tetra-aCetiC aCid (edta)

sodiuM laurYl sulfate

PENETRATION ENHANCERS Chemicals that improve the absorption of other ingredients, which poses significant

danger if those ingredients are toxic.BenZYl alCohol

hYdroXY aCidsnanoPartiCles (MiCro fine, ultrafine)

BenZoPhenone- 3ethYl MethaCrYlate

glYCerYlPhenol forMaldehYde resin

MethYl MethaCrYlatelanolin

TOXINS found in CoMMon eVerYdaY SKIN PRODUCTS.

ProduCts for infants and ChildrensoaPs, shaMPoos and deodoranthair dYesBeautY and nail ProduCtssunsCreens and sunBloCKsWoMens CosMetiCs

ProduCt tYPes


CATALYST Insight:Designers must effectively manage themselves internally before they can manage external forces and assets

HORSTI, Inc., as I call it, is the foundation of every aspect of our life, and of every enterprise we will undertake. I believe the first question we should always ask ourselves before endeavoring to create a successful business venture, is: am I successfully operating my inner business? The reality is few of us are, because most of us were not taught inner skills when we were growing up. In business terms, our mind is the CEO of I, inc., and our job is to be an effective manager of the company we own--our life. Our bottom line is to create harmony, balance, health and ultimate wellbeing. Unfortunately, many of our problems occur out of ignorant, inept, reckless or irresponsible management of I, Inc. Until we learn to effectively manage I, Inc., we can’t create a sustainable personal life, let alone a successful business.

MARENHow have you strengthened your own inner skills? Do you have any tips for other entrepreneurs and designers who are interested in doing the same?

HORSTIt all boils down to mind-body relationship, learning to manage your emotions through consciousness, or daily inventory. For instance, I meditate three times daily and find ways to give thanksgiving. Take anger as an example. Like all of us, I get angry, but for me it’s like thunder in nature. It’s an energy release. I pay attention to its cause, and usually it’s something I haven’t fixed within myself, or something that is still around me that I allow to be. But then I always go to my healing moment, where I use a technique just like on a computer. I delete it. Release it. I don’t stay attached to it. I honestly believe that pain needs to be ’thanked’, rather than avoided or suppressed. It’s inflammatory, and every time you avoid dealing with it you add more fire to the emotion and make it bigger. I think it’s the dis-ease, which eventually becomes the disease, both within our bodies and within an organization.

MARYHow would you suggest applying these skills in a business environment?

HORSTEvery successful entrepreneur knows the importance of doing a regular business inventory. An inventory helps us to know the condition of

our business, to set goals and to know when and how to adjust or reset them. Yet one of the most common problems in business is the toxic relations that often develop, through poor management, unclear protocols and procedures, poor communication, interdepartmental bickering, low employee morale, etc. Regular

‘detoxification’ through conscious observation is equally important in maintaining the health of an organization. It is where we invent ourselves to go into the next level. And it helps remind us that the causes of all dysfunction and disease are linked to our psychological and physiological environments, as well as the interpersonal environments in which we work. A process of weekly inventory is a good guideline and should be built into the operating procedures of any company. And it is important to look beyond the financials. Is there synergy between each department? Are the right people in the right positions? Is communication flowing in every direction? Is the company consciously seeking out the bliss and the pain, and finding ways to heal? By doing this at Aveda, we became a real learning organization. Intelligent Nutrients has adopted this model as well.

MARENThese ideas take us to an entirely new realm of awareness with respect to enterprise, and a different concept of a healthy organization.

HORSTThat is correct. I often define the health of the business using the philosophies of traditional medicines. Traditional medicines never treat the symptom. They use the symptom to find the cause and then they eliminate the cause by making the necessary changes. I think business needs to do the same. If you do the comparison, a business is just another body, a living organization, something which is alive. It

“I think we often forget that we operate in a unified system in which every part and function is linked in dynamic interdependence to the whole.”

MARYHow would you build the ideas of ‘enlightened enterprise’ into the fabric of a business or an organization?

HORSTI asked myself the same questions while I was running Aveda. After successfully formulating a sustainable line of natural plant-based products, I felt it was equally important to formulate a sustainable business model. So I started thinking of ways to design a creative, humane, and socially responsible environment for my employees, encouraging them to participate in building the organization. With their help, we instated a day care center for working mothers and created internal training programs around the Waldorf education model, both of which were met with resounding success. By listening to my employees, I began to understand that the company couldn’t reach its full potential until the employees were treated just as customers. That is when I truly began to appreciate the art of service, and I learned some valuable lessons along the way, particularly about reframing the very definition of ‘business.’

MARENThe definition of business in the old Anglo Saxon, which is probably closest to yours, is to “deliver solicitude or solace.” Business, in that sense, is about exchanging in ways that enliven and enable people to thrive. How do you define business?

HORSTI believe at its core, business is an energetic exchange, an equal exchange between two entities. You give me a value such as money and I give you goods. This exchange encompasses

the law of preservation of the living organization, whereby the success of the living organization is dependent on the contribution of its members. And the success of the member is dependent on the success of the system as a whole.

A good friend of mine, the Austrian physicist, Fritzjof Capra defines trade, or business this way in one of his books. Nature operates like this as well, and it is the most successful sustainable business there is. It’s design to function and an enlightened approach to enterprise.

MARYYou usually hear the term design to function in the context of design disciplines. How would you apply this to business?

HORSTMost businesses do not operate on the principles of design to function. Building a company is very architectural, and in order for it to work every part has to function flawlessly. If it isn’t designed correctly, it won’t work. The principles of nature and evolution are the best example of this. In fact, I think the Native American “Seventh Generation” principle is a good guide when introducing any new business idea. Will the idea work seven generations into the future without compromising the wellbeing of our progeny or the planet? So, that’s the kind of business that interests me.

MARENYou didn’t start off with such a dedicated mission, but you had a few crises that turned into huge opportunities in your life.

I, INC.

HORSTYeah. I’ve had good guiding forces. Somehow they always showed up to help me work through them. I honestly believe that, because I’m definitely not that smart. Through the years, I’ve learned to recognize opportunities when they present themselves, by developing a sense of self-awareness through routine self-observation. I really believe the concept of I, Inc. is so important

MARYIt sounds like an interesting concept. Can you elaborate?

In addition to being beautiful, studies

suggest that hibiscus flower

contains powerful procyanidins which

are beneficial to the cardiovascular

system.


Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health, by Samuel Epstein

Safe Shopper’s Bible: A Consumer’s Guide to Non-Toxic Household Product, Cosmetics, and Food, by Samuel Epstein

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, by Stacy Malkan

Skin Deep (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) - A safety guide and database to cosmetics and personal care products from researchers at the Environmental Working Group.

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (www.safecosmetics.org) A non-profit coalition working to protect consumer health by eliminating the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems from consumer products.

Organic Consumers Association (www.organicconsumers.org) - A research and action center for the organic, buy local, and fair trade movements.

CATALYST WEBSITE

Continue the conversation about redesigning beauty products on: http://www.CATALYSTsdr.com/2010/05/minding-your-business

References1. Epstein, Samuel (1996).Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health.

Related Resources

CATALYST Website

12 Let our gifts and knowledge outlive us by teaching and mentoring others. 13 Create healthy, ethical, creative, holistic business and home environments.

14 Make a business opportunity of the environmental crisis by desining innovative, sustainable products and solutions.

15 Express gratitude in our prayers for our successes in every area of our lives- past, present, and future.

16 Rejuvenate and reinvent ourselves daily through spiritual practice and creative evolution.

17 Appreciate and learn the lessons of past and present painful experiences, and unconditionally forgive those who may have caused them.

18 Gracefully accept challenges and lessons- they are gifts of God.

has a brain, it has a kidney and it has to eliminate waste. Of course healing isn’t always pleasurable. Sometimes the pain hangs out for a while, but those are the creative challenges of operating an enterprise.

Designing a business like the human body is the first step in building a healing organization. Again, it is design to function, and you find ways to fix it before it becomes unmanageable. That is a true healing organization.

MARYHow can we encourage designers and business leaders to start the process of healing?

HORSTIt is going to be very interesting. There is a lot of healing to be done in business today. Nature has ultimately become the teacher. Business doesn’t affect just humans but it also affects Nature - our environment. Separating people from Nature is no longer practical. In an inventory of the last hundred years, we know we have done more harm to our Planet than ever before. This is a crisis, but also the opportunity to redesign consumer product chemistry utilizing carbohydrate or plant based, non-toxic food chemistry to make products nutritious and safe. Recently there were major issues with children’s toys containing lead, phthalates and heavy metals. These issues exist in water bottles, toys, furniture fabrics, carpets, lipstick containers, etc. But it is possible to make plastic out of carbohydrates. Unfortunately, very few material manufacturers are aware of these options. The 21st century paradigm will be to redesign materials and therefore reinvent consumerism. I think it’s inevitable in the new economy, and it will happen through activism. But activism without show and tell is not as effective, so clearly the best way to prove that you are doing something good is to be successful. And to be successful is art, science, math, analytics and intuition. It requires a whole spectrum of consciousness. Whatever business you are in, you have to seek out the bliss and pain. Is the customer in pain? Is your employee in pain?

MARENDo you have examples of other organizations that are paving the way and redesigning the way we do business?

HORSTThere is a group of professors in Berkeley, called the Good Guide. They are designing an

instrument that senses danger in consumer products, such as insecticides, pesticides, heavy metals, mercury, etc. Their goal is to give the consumer the ability to test products for safety before they use them. Another example is the Henry Ford Clinic in Michigan, a LEED certified hospital. They serve organic food to their patients and their staff uses non-toxic cleaning and skin care products. They even have a gift shop dedicated solely to environmentally-friendly products, including the organic mattresses they use in their hospital beds. So it is being done in different sectors, but we need many more examples if we are ever going to get past this critical juncture and transform our troubled world. No matter how small the endeavor, we have to start now.

A SUSTAINABLE TO DO LIST

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS, HORST RECHELBACHER

1 Wake up and embrace our interdependence with all living things.

2 Visualize our goals and pursue them with positive discipline.

3 Recognize the opportunity in every crisis, and turn every crisis into an opportunity.

4 Be a dedicated apprentice to great teachers and to life itself.

5 Tune our mind and senses through meditation to connect with the intelligence of nature and the spirit of the cosmos.

6 Manage the laws of cause and effect in our own lives by conducting a daily inventory and adapting our behavior and actions accordingly.

8 Educate ourselves through study and direct experience about the realities of our planetary crisis.

9 Serve selflessly and joyfully, seeing our customers as ourselves.

10 Purchase wisely, knowing that every dollar we spend is a vote cast for or against a sustainable future.

11 Learn to work and communicate as part of a dynamic team-system.

CATALYST Definition:

Healing Organization:

An organization that consistently

integrates a system of conscious

observation and learning into

business practices in order to re-

invent itself to a level of enlightened

enterprise.


eGretchen Anderson, Director of Interaction Design, LunarGretchen seeks out those design challenges that ultimately make a positive impact on people’s daily lives and environment. Her design philosophy is rooted in the belief that a user interface should be as seamless and invisible as possible. Throughout her career, Gretchen has designed a wide variety of products, experiences and users. From medical devices, to casino entertainment, to business productivity tools, her varied clients, technologies and customers form a solid foundation from which she approaches new problems eagerly and fearlessly.

Gretchen graduated with honors from Harvard University. Prior to joining LUNAR, she worked for several Bay Area design consultancies and clients including: Johnson & Johnson, TurboChef, Microsoft, Intel and Starbucks. She has also taught design and research methodologies to designers and clients.

Janna C. Kimel, Chief Experience Officer, third brain studio, llcJanna has been practicing design and design research with a focus on accessibility, high tech and health since 1991. Logging hundreds of hours of research in the lab and in the field, her focus is on qualitative research in the form of individual interviews, contextual inquiry, focus groups and user testing. Her work focuses on performing well-executed research to transform an organization’s understanding of its customers and create compelling experiences. She has consulted with innovative companies such as IDEO, Ziba and Herbst Lazar Bell and healthcare companies including EnteroMedics, Providence Health and Oregon Health Sciences University. Janna spent several years working with Intel’s Digital Health Group where she was part of research and development.

Janna was vice-chair of the Oregon Chapter of the Industrial Design Society of America from 2006 to 2009 and she teaches industrial design and design research as adjunct faculty at the Portland Art Institute. She holds a master’s degree in industrial design from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Executive SummaryA designer and a design researcher investigate how motivational theory can inform design decisions that increase the adoption of healthy behaviors. This article begins with an exploration of trends found in the theories of thought leaders who study motivational behavior. After identifying the motivating significance of freedom, belonging, power and fun, the text goes on to present nine design strategies that harness those motivating factors. The reader is encouraged to incorporate elements such as personal goal setting, network building, feedback loops, competition and more into design solutions.

refocusing behavior through design. bY Janna KiMeL and gretchen anderson

There is an old joke that asks, “How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb?” The answer? “One, but it really has to want to change.” As usual, it’s funny because it’s true. Long-term behavior change cannot happen until an individual truly wants to change and they have an internal desire to transform a habit or behavior. And yet, many tools designed to support medicine and healthy living, seem to ignore what we know through an expanding body of research about how to help people help themselves to live better.

With the current emphasis on improving healthcare using technology, it is important that product designers understand how behavior change happens. This article lays out some fundamentals of behavioral theory and then offers design strategies to harness that knowledge and influence behavior and wellbeing.



MotivationaL theories

What motivates an individual to do anything? Why don’t we just lie on the beach all day and hope for the best? Researchers focused on this human condition provide us with a few factors that motivate individuals into action.

Several key thought leaders of motivational theory include: Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence,1 Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan who postulated Self-Determination Theory,2 William Glasser, who developed Choice Theory3 and Abraham Maslow who postulated Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.4 Combining these theories with the benefits of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, we can provide a framework, which can then be integrated with products and services designed to motivate wellbeing.

Each of these thought leaders offers a list of concepts that describe what motivates a person. When listing the key components of each theory side by side, we begin to see trends which show that human motivation can have up to five basic components, four of which are most relevant to creating a successful product. As evident in Figure 1, multiple experts agree that four factors contribute to motivation: freedom, power, belonging and fun.

For this article, we will assume that the fifth component, the basic need for safety and survival has been met and, therefore, will not be addressed in this design-driven conversation. For the purpose of this conversation it is also assumed that we are discussing motivation from the perspective of the western world.

Three of the four theories postulate that some form of freedom or autonomy is important to an individual. When a person shares in the responsibility of setting goals and outcomes, there is a much higher potential for achieving success. Examples include engaging low-income individuals in the design and construction of their home (Habitat for Humanity), allowing workers to decide which 40 hours they will work or asking a patient to take an active role in defining their health goals.

Feeling powerful or showing mastery of a topic is another motivational force identified by all four of these theories. An individual may be motivated to spend endless hours in the gym to become an Olympic athlete and prove complete mastery of a particular sport. The top student in class may spend hours memorizing and studying to show excellence in intellectual pursuits. Each of these individuals is motivated by the feeling of mastery and excellence.

Mastery of a skill often results in a positive feedback loop that keeps a person motivated to continue. Harnessing this force for healthcare means giving people feedback about their progress and presenting them with discrete tasks to complete or skills to learn. Many people struggle with their food intake and being overweight or even obese. Research has shown that asking people to simply keep track of what they eat leads to losing weight, which in turn inspires people to make healthier choices.

Belonging to and committing to the goals of a group is a third key factor in creating individual motivation. Being responsible to a group creates

Glasser Choice Theory Deci & Ryan Self Determination Goleman Emotional Intelligence Maslow Hierarchy of Needs

survival

Freedom Autonomy Ready to act on opportunities

Power Persistence Physiology & safety

Belonging Relatedness Committing to goals of group Belonging

Fun Competence Drive to achieve excellence esteem & self Actualization

Figure 1: Comparison of the factors motivational theory experts attribute as influencers of behavior.

Strategy in Action

Motivating Healthy

Behavior Through Design

» Enable the user to set personal goals

» Provide feedback that measures

progress

» Incorporate small tasks that encourage

learning

» Establish a community to support

public commitments

» Make it fun!

a situation where an individual knows s/he is being watched and a situation in which an individual does not want to disappoint another. This is the value of meeting with a book club once a month as incentive for finishing the reading or meeting regularly with an exercise partner. Facebook has an interesting application that allows the community to support you in your New Year’s goals. Whether it is losing weight, walking, or quitting smoking, being publicly responsible to those around you helps to commit to new, healthier behaviors.

Additionally, Glasser adds fun as a motivational force. Autonomy, committing to the goals of a group and striving for excellence are all a part of intrinsic motivation, but fun can be a make-or-break factor in certain situations. If all of this striving and motivation feels too intense, adding an element of fun increases enjoyment and, therefore, increases the likelihood a person will engage in a particular activity long enough to qualify as behavior change.

Motivation tYPes

Motivation comes in two forms: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is the ability to motivate regardless of any awards, financial prizes or recognition. It is the human desire to do better simply for the sake of being better. Marathon runners are the epitome of intrinsically motivated individuals. As a runner at PumaRunning.com said, “I run for clarity, I run for internal peace, I run for an outlet…”6

Extrinsic motivation is the opposite. It involves financial or material rewards or recognition. A person may work on a task that is less interesting to him/her simply to reap the rewards once the task is completed.

Often, when we approach the design challenge of changing behavior, we think about setting up a reward system to capitalize on that extrinsic motivation. But, as research shows, the things that actually motivate people can be much less tangible.

Re-Mission was created for teens and young adults with cancer. The videogame shows the importance of treatment adherence in a fun and unintimidating way by enabling players to make “rapid fire assaults on malignant cancer cells” with chemotherapy.5

“To enable autonomy, experiences around healthcare need to feel tailored to a person’s specific situation.”


Bank of America’s “Keep the Change” program har-nesses the inertia of spending toward the beneficial act of saving by rounding each transaction up to the nearest dollar and automatically transferring the difference to a savings account.

design strategies for buiLding Motivation

Nine key design strategies have been identified that can be used in the creation of products and experiences to most effectively utilize research surrounding motivating people to change. The strategies are described here with examples that intentionally craft experiences to motivate certain behaviors.

Harness Inertia

One of the simplest design principles is that of harnessing the power of “inertia.”7 Bank of America’s “Keep the Change” program helps people do something they know is good, but have trouble executing on: saving money. By telling the bank to “round up” each transaction and transfer the difference to a savings account the bank harnesses the inertia of spending toward saving.

Enable Personalization

Our interactive experiences are becoming more and more personalized. People expect to have control over the type of information that they share and see.

Personalization is a great way to draw people into an experience. Netflix has a huge challenge in presenting its diverse customers with a dizzying array of movies to view. By asking users to rate movies and then presenting suggestions to people based on those ratings, Netflix creates a strong bond with customers. By rating more movies, customers reveal more (and presumably better) suggestions for themselves.

Enable Goal Setting

Educators have known for years that children who can structure their own explorations and direct their interests show improved behavior and performance in the classroom.8 The key takeaway for designers is to enable the setting of personal goals which are meaningful and relevant. Designs should support goals that are specific and that relate to skills or actions that users need to learn or change.

Goals are the journey, not the destination. When structuring goal setting in a product or experience, designers should remember that the purpose of goal setting is to motivate the user and help them connect choices with outcomes. Designers should work with subject-matter experts to structure goals that are safe, achievable and that clearly relate to better health outcomes.

Netflix exposespeople to the

reasoning behindtheir suggestions.This helps people

understand howtheir experience isbeing customized

and makes the sitea valuable tool for

discovering media.

Enable Reflection

In order to gain perspective on our actions and instill new behaviors, people need to connect the dots between what they do and how it affects their goal. In a healthcare context this involves giving rich, interactive visualizations of both actions and outcomes. As mentioned above, relating choices to outcomes helps people learn (and master) healthier behaviors. It is important to provide people with a sense of progress over time, and in relation to goals.

Cultivate Belonging

In today’s “anywhere, anytime” computing world, people expect that their experiences will be networked. But for designers, it is important to understand the value a network has in affecting behavioral change.

A network of “friends,” in the context of healthcare, means either actual “friends” of users or relative strangers who face similar challenges. Supporting a simple way for people to share support and information personally is a start. Virtual support groups like babycenter.com are a popular

destination for expectant mothers who crave information and want to know that they are not alone with their prenatal concerns.

Game theory also tells us that asymmetrical relationships, where better contribution earns the person a level of status in the larger group, are a key part of networked experiences. This can be seen in action on Yelp! or Amazon, where certain reviewers or sellers who contribute more build their reputation as trusted experts. By giving people ways to gain status according to their participation, designers create rewards for those who are motivated by their standing in the community.

The Zeo is a bedside device and virtual sleep coach that relates people’s sleep habits with certain behaviors. The bedside read out coupled with the “cause & effect tool” is an especially powerful concept that will motivate certain people to make changes.

“The key here is to provide rich visual feedback tied to choices or actions that help people learn the relationships between various factors.”


Enable Competition & Comparison

It is somewhat obvious to say that competition is a motivational force. And yet, it can be difficult for designers to incorporate competition into products related to healthcare. If someone really cannot compete with their peers then competition quickly becomes de-motivating. It can also be dangerous with complex health conditions and must be used with caution.

Comparing ourselves to others gives us a sense of where we are and provides a gentle prompt to catch up if behind. The display of this information needs to be carefully considered. Beware of chastising or overly praising people on their progress and losing focus on the ideal behaviors. But for those who gain momentum through the urge to compete, it is a powerful tool to keep in the designer’s toolkit.

What is the biggest surprise about the competitive force? Beware of letting your users “win.” Research9 in the area of energy conservation has shown that people who receive a smiley face rating for their efforts tend to lapse once they see that they are already performing “well.” Instead look at ways to acknowledge progress without implying that a threshold has been crossed or that there is no more room for improvement. Consider a scale that told people that they were simply “thin” rather than their actual weight. Given that weight management is not a one-time achievement, users would have no reason to continue mastering their diet.

Scaffold Success & Manage Failure

Building skills and mastery are a key motivational force, which means that products and experiences need to enable people to “win” from time to time, not simply chase a specific long term goal. Make sure to build into your system the ability to create and revise. Timothy Bickmore of MIT’s Media Lab conducted a study with an artificial intelligence agent named Laura, designed to encourage exercise. A journalist for Wired Magazine10 writes about his experience with the system. At one point he has to “explain” a minor injury to Laura: “She moves in close and shows a look of concern…She asks me if the injury will have an impact on my exercise program. [No.] But later that session, when I tell her I will be able to walk only 4,000 steps the following day, she doesn’t ask me to do 10,000. She knows not to push.”

Whether you make use of algorithms or healthcare counselors and staff to maintain and evolve goals for people don’t make the mistake of setting one (or even just a few) huge, monolithic goals.

Posit Science’s “Brain Fitness” product line is a more subtle example of this. As people play games designed to improve their visual or auditory processing power, Brain Fitness

Jewel Diver from Posit Science helps people improve their attention span and mental acuity by tracking objects as they move around the screen. It starts off simply with a few hidden jewels. As the user succeeds, they are given more and more jewels to track.


References1. Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why it can

matter more than IQ. Bantam Books, 1995.

2. Ryan, Richard M., Deci, Edward L. (2000). Self- Deter-mination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motiva-tion, Social Development and Well-Being. American Psychologist,55(1), 68-78.

3. Glasser, William., Choice Theory - A New Psychology of Personal Freedom. Harper Collins Publisher, 1998.

4. Maslow, Abraham, H. “A Theory of Human Motivation”. Psychological Review. 50 (1943): 370-396.

5. (2010) http://www.re-mission.net/

6. (2009) http://www.pumarunning.com/contest-entries-why-do-you-run

7. Thaler, Richard H., Sunstein, Cass R. Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness. Penguin, 2008.

8. Bronson, Po., Merryman, Ashley. Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children. Thinking About Children. Twelve. 2009.

9. Schultz, P. Wesley, Jessica M. Nolan, Robert B. Cialdini, Noah J. Goldstein and Vladas Griskevicius. “The Con-structive, Destructive and Reconstructive Power of So-cial Norms.” Psychological Science 18 (2007): 429-34.

10. Diamond, D. (December, 2003) The Love machine. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.12/love.html

11. Pink, D. (July, 2009) Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_

motivation.html

12. See Thaler, Richard H. et al.

adjusts to their level. A plateau in performance means harder challenges are presented and as people begin to make mistakes, the application automatically serves up easier challenges. In the Jewel Diver example, (see above) people track hidden gems as they are moved around by fish. The number and movement of the fish changes to make the program more challenging over time.

Understand Context

Designers should also remember to take advantage of information that can be gleaned about the situation in which a device may be used, including (but not limited to): time, location (online and off) and concurrent tasks. This also means choosing your platform accordingly. If location information is important, think about piggy backing on mobile phone GPS information. PC-based experiences are necessary when tasks or information are detailed and important enough to demand the user’s full attention. Additionally, they are best used to help people get into a reflective mode and make connections between behaviors and outcomes.

Consider the example of glucose meters and insulin pumps. Currently, a diabetic sitting down to dinner is asked to test their blood glucose levels before they eat. This is important to avoid catastrophic choices about food and insulin, but it does not contribute to changing lifestyles. A meal is often a social event, not the right time to connect the dots for people about their actions and effects. Rather, that education can take place during a more reflective moment.

Play Against Loss

Daniel Pink’s recent presentation at the TED talks11 states that for highly repeatable, time-based tasks, money works fine as a motivator. But when the aspiration is more open-ended and involves more intellectual creativity or problem-solving (“Why am I not losing weight? Is it the ice cream? Or do I just need to hit the gym?”), innovators need to encourage people differently.

One approach that designers can consider is to make use of a “pay it forward” model for extrinsic rewards. Since science shows that people are more motivated to avoid a loss than by the promise of gaining more, give users a way to set aside an amount of their choosing (say $50) that they “earn back” their money by achieving milestones. Money that they do not earn in a certain period goes to charity.12

Personalization is a great method to draw people into an experience. Video games make extensive use of this approach in the customization of avatars. Little Big Planet (pictured) offers players to chance to unlock outfits and appearances related to different worlds

Related ResourcesTED Talk: Dan Pink on the Surprising Science of Motivation

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness by Thaler and Sunstein

CATALYST Website

Continue the conversation about the Motivating Wellbe-ing on the CATALYST website: www.CATALYSTsdr.com/2010/05/motivating-wellbeing

concLusion

Long-term behavior change can only happen if people are properly motivated and engaged. Designers can make use of motivational theory to craft products and experiences that actually transform those who use them, for the better. But it is not enough to simply add features to a product with the intention to create positive change. The techniques presented above need to be applied carefully and actual outcomes must be monitored to ensure that the desired change is occurring. As shown in the examples, products have the power to affect how people behave. Designers have the responsibility to reflect that behavior change in the design of devices that support and promote healthy lifestyles.


Kevin Rorick is a marketing and advertising design professional. He finds inspiration in well crafted, multi-channeled marketing campaigns, loud, fast music and those that employ a “do-it-yourself” work ethic. Currently Kevin is a graduate degree candidate in Pratt Institute’s Design Managment Program.

destinatation: Wellbeing

BIKES AND WELLBEING

When discussing riding a bike, there are two distinct moments that I can recall with complete clarity from my youth. The first is getting on a bicycle with training-wheels and the frustration that coursed through my five year-old frame as the bike teetered side to side, never truly balanced, never totally in control. True, I was “riding a bike,” but riding with the support of training wheels. There had to be more. I could not keep up with the other kids in my neighborhood, I did not possess the balance that they all had as they zoomed up and down the street playing and laughing. Dejected, I swore off the bike for several weeks.

The second moment came shortly after. The same neighborhood kids, the same bikes, the same playing, the same laughter, only this time my older brother had left his bike unattended, with no training wheels, leaning up against a mailbox. I hopped into action, filled with confidence knowing that “today was the day.” And it was. Up the street, back down, circling around back, my brother

now noticing his bike missing,chasing me. The chase only added to the excitement of that afternoon. The giant smile that crossed my face, the adrenalin, the fresh air and the confidence boost, I had done it, I was riding a bike!

Wellbeing as defined by Princeton.edu is: “a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous.” Wellbeing for me is riding my bike. How the bike has contributed to my wellbeing in the ensuing years is immeasurable. My world and my understanding of it expanded. First, my bike took me to the local corner market just a couple of streets over, I was independent. Then, my bike took me to my friend’s house across town. I rode my bike to work. I rode my bike for work; it became my source of income.



GROWTH OF BIKING.

The global recession has been felt across many industries over the last year and a half. While the biking indus-try was affected by the economic down-turn, 2009 saw upwards of 2.6 million bicycle purchases, versus less than 2.5 million automobile purchases during the same period in the U.S.2 Coupled with the fluctuating prices of oil that left a U.S. national average at $4.12 per gallon of gas in 2008,3 it is not surprising to see more of the population turn to biking as an alternative means of transportation.

In the U.S. there are ambitious programs that span urban, suburban and rural biking routes. July 2009 saw New York City complete 200 miles of bike lanes, bringing the amount of bike lanes in the city’s five boroughs to 420 miles. Over the course of three years, as the last 200 miles were being installed, commuting by bike in New York City increased 45%. 1,000 guide signs and the installation of 6,100 new bike racks support the bike lanes across the city. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said of the completion, “Leave the combustible engine at home. Come out. Get a bike. Borrow a bike if you don’t have one.”4

DESIGNING A PRODUCT TO SUPPORT A SYSTEM.

Bike-sharing has been promoted by many over the recent years as an alternative to the automobile with the goal of reducing one’s carbon footprint and increasing one’s wellness through exercise and activity. As cities such as Portland, Chicago and New York begin work on creating safe havens for bikes to travel in urban areas, cities in Europe are expanding the scope of biking and public spaces. The City of Copenhagen Technical and Environmental Adminis-tration Department of Traffic recently hosted an international bike-share de-sign competition. The goal of the compe-tition was to design a bike-share system that supported Copenhagen in becom-ing a sustainable and dynamic city. The city, already supported by a robust

biking community, was now seeking to develop an infrastructure and become a concept leader in how a population can travel by bike and interact with their environment. Criteria for the competi-tion ranged from creating strong brand identity, emphasis on effective and environmental forms of transportation and, most importantly, design of the en-tire system which would be required to compliment the city and the people who would be using it.5 The winning solution, as described by the Copenhagen Bike Share jury, was “a floating bike share system wherein the bicycle is virtually a system unto itself and the technology is integrated into the bicycle. OPENbike opens up for an exciting perspective relative to how a modern bike share system can allow itself to be swallowed up by the city’s spaces and become an integral part of everyday mobility in a larger city.”

The solution, designed and developed by LOTS, a Swedish design agency, Koucky & Partners and Green Idea Factory, is “a user-friendly, lightweight bicycle and effective technologies used in telecommunications, public-transport, positioning, and logistics.” The frame-work of the OPENbike is built using existing industry standard design and infrastructure. Technologically, it is outfitted with an RFID chip for identify-ing location, and GSM/GPRS unit. This allows a biker to use a mobile phone to communicate their identification and payment purposes. All information is tracked and stored back to the OPEN-bike central.6 LOTS said of the entry, “The solution grew from a dialogue with a common goal to create a system based on user need that is realistic, and to profile Copenhagen as the bicycle capital of the world.”7

BUILDING SUPPORT FOR A BIKING COMMUNITY.Stepping out of my apartment, my roommate and I, bikes in tow, both looked towards the sky, “We can make it.” My roommate, more of a meteorologist than I am, looked at the

OPENBike, created by LOTS Design

in response to the City of Copenha-gen’s open call to

become a concept leader in how a population can

travel by bike and interact with their

environment.

Strategy in Action

Designing community and health through

physical activity

» Consider the whole community when

designing

» Design fun

» Don’t underestimate designing with emotion

» Get on a bike and ride

www.lotsdesign.se


Cumulonimbus clouds and said, “no way.” “Come on, we will just have to ride fast today.” We made it two miles from the apartment when the sky opened up. Soaked to the bone we continued our ride to the office. On our lunch hour I bought dry socks, t-shirts and jeans and offered up a hearty apology. Our bikes stayed locked up, outside in the rain, and we changed in the bathroom.

Though this was the extreme version of a commute for cyclists, changing in the office bathroom is generally an everyday

occurrence. Whether changing out of a sweat-soaked shirt or attempting to iron out the wrinkles in suit pants, the bathrooms are the only area of respite for many. Changing in a bathroom is relatively minor in terms of challenges that cyclist who chose to commute face. Lack of showers, adequate changing and storage areas and secure bike parking all add to a bike commuter’s list of challenges to be resolved before sitting down at their office desk. With commuting in urban and suburban areas in the U.S. a growing trend, the

more that builders adopt Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification the more amenities and facilities will become available for bike commuters.

According to Transportation Alternatives, a New York City-based bicycling, walking and public transportation advocacy group, “lack of secure bike parking is the number one reason that seasoned cyclists don’t bike to work.”8 Including secure and designated areas into a building will lead towards one point of LEED certification. Architects and designers who include bicycling accommodations are most likely to be including other environmentally forward design as well. Allowing for bicycles in the design of buildings presents the greatest cost-benefit ration of any zero emissions urban transportation or green building retrofitting initiative.9 Those who do adopt LEED standards into their buildings design will prove themselves as leaders in a rapidly changing industry showing a commitment to environmental, social and financial wellbeing as well as communicating differentiation in the market place.

The City of Chicago went beyond LEED to build an entire hub for local cyclists. In its quest to become a “greener” city, Chicago built a freestanding indoor bike station. Located in the center of Chicago’s business district, the center contains, showers, lockers, a small café, a bike repair station, bike rental hub and 300 bicycle parking spaces. The bike station has been heralded internationally by environmentalists, health advocates, urban planners and cycling enthusiasts. Interestingly enough, the bike station, now sponsored by McDonalds, shows a commitment from the international fast food retailer to bolster their efforts to help their customers become more healthy by encouraging “balanced, active lifestyles.”11

Including accommodations and encouraging cycling through architecture is good for a community and one’s wellbeing in both the short and long term. One example is The Rose Garden, a LEED Gold certified building, and home to the Portland Trail

BEST BIKING CITIESGLOBALLY

1. AMSTERDAM | NETHERLANDS

2. PORTLAND | OREGON, US

3. COPENHAGEN | DENMARK

4. BOULDER | COLORADO, US

5. DAVIS | CALIFORNIA, US

6. SANDNES | NORWAY

7. TRONDHEIM | NORWAY

8. SAN FRANCISCO | CALIFORNIA, US

9. BERLIN | GERMANY

10. BARCELONA | SPAIN

11. BASEL | SWITZERLAND

ENGINEERING Residents are asked to examine the community's existing infrastructure to determine how well it supports cycling activities.

EDUCATION Cities are measured by how well cyclists of all ages are taught how to ride safely in any area, including multi-use paths and congested city streets, and whether motorists are coached on how to share the road safely with cyclists.

EVALUATION AND PLANNING The community is assessed according to its friendliness to bikers and its plan to provide additional cycling programs and initiatives.

ENCOURAGEMENT Cities are rated by their support of cycling. Favor-able cities produce community bike maps, have route-finding signage, host local biking events, support commuter incentive programs and have a 'Safe Routes to School' program.

ENFORCEMENTThe relationship between cyclists and local law enforcement is analyzed and evaluated.

Established by the Bicycle Friendly Communities Campaign, 5 criteria were used to determine the best biking cities in the world.

*Data for this was sourced from the American Leagueof Bicyclists and the Virgin Atlantic travel guide.

The McDonald’s Center, located in the center of Chicago’s business district, contains, showers, lockers, a small café, a bike repair station, bike rental hub and 300 bicycle parking spaces. The

bike station has been heralded internationally by environmentalists, health advocates, urban plan-

ners and cycling enthusiasts.


Blazers basketball team, considered transportation when retro-fitting their new stadium. “More than 30 percent of Rose Garden attendees use public or alternative transportation, such as bicycle commuting. The team subsidizes transit passes for staff and uses bikes and electric vehicles for on-site operations.”12 With the race for many cities in the U.S. to earn the title “greenest city,” the President of the Portland Trail Blazers said that the new stadium “is a result of the local expertise and innovation helping Portland foster a stronger, more sustainable economy.” The Rose Garden is currently the only sports arena in the U.S. to haveLEED certification.

ATTRACTING A NEW GENERATION

Design thinking is an agent of education and change. Is the bike ready for reinvention? What if we stripped it down to the core, what needs do bikes fulfill? The bike fundamentally provides an aerobic workout recognized by leading

health authorities as integral in keeping the human body healthy. In 2009 across the U.S., obesity rates among adults increased in 23 states with no decrease in other states. Obesity in children is, “at or above 30 percent in 30 states.”13

A report released in July of 2009 titled: F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, outlined the growing trend of obesity in the U.S. and made key recommendations for health reform and called for a National Strategy to Combat Obesity. Their goal is to unite all levels of government and encourage collaboration between public and private sectors.

The bike can assist in meeting the goal of “increasing the frequency, intensity, and duration of physical activity at schools and improving access to safe and healthy places to live, work, learn and play”. Concerned about health issues facing children in the Bronx, The 62, a Brooklyn-based art collective, took the fundamentals of the bike and applied them to a project titled “Re-Bicycling.” The group thinks of their workspace as “a laboratory where we tinker,

romanticize, cook and converse about notions of self-sufficiency, sustainability, beauty, building communities and the possibilities of using art to make that happen.” The 62, working with discarded bike parts donated by a local bike shop, work-shopped with ten high school teens at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. The program ran over the course of ten weekends and culminated with a “critical-mass” bike ride through the Bronx with the teens riding the bikes that they had built. During the program members of the 62, while addressing the basics of how to design and build a bike properly, also discussed pertinent health issues, such as obesity, asthma and diabetes, all of which exist at high rates in the neighborhoods in which the teens reside. The bike, as presented to the teen participants, is now more than an alternative to taking the subway, bus or a taxi. It has become a means by which they can affect healthy change, both internally and externally.

Upon the completion of the project, the workshop component was picked up by Recycle A Bicycle, an “innovative,

fun, youth training and environmental education initiative”14 non-profit, that is dedicated to the health and wellbeing of New York City youth. Besides this project, Recycle A Bicycle works in the New York City public schools and conducts after-school workshops. Their programs include, Earn-A-Bike, Ride Club, Cycle Craft and a Summer Youth

Employment Program. In 2009, they “worked with more than 1,000 young people and collectively pedaled more than 10,000 miles. On average, Recycle A Bicycle salvages 1,200 bicycles each year from the waste stream, diverting a total of 36,000 pounds of waste from NYC’s landfills.”15

CONFIDENCE AND EMPOWERMENT: FROM A BACKYARD IN BROOKLYN TO AFRICA

Using the same philosophy employed by The 62 and Recycle A Bicycle, the Bamboo Bike Studio has taken the sentiment and extends it. They address the importance of confidence, empowerment and wellbeing from local to global and directly couple self-health with environmental-health. The Bamboo Bike Studio’s mission is to “provide every cyclist the experience of building his or her dream bike from scratch, while advancing sustainable entrepreneurship and development through financing bamboo bike factories in Africa and South America.”16 Working with partners at Columbia University’s Bamboo Bike Project and the Millennium Cities Initiative for development, the weekend long course provides product testing and prototype construction for scaleable implementation.

The process starts in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn at the Bamboo Bike Studio. Students enter the studio on Saturday and pedal out with their own custom-built bamboo bikes on Sunday. Over the course of the weekend, the students will learn how to build a

bike using sustainable materials and sustainable practices. Prior to arriving students are encouraged to, “bring your own iPod, bring your dreams of a perfect ride, bring expectations of tackling new skills; leave any anxieties about pretentious cycling culture behind— for the next two days, this is your workshop.”

The tuition cost per individual goes directly to seed funding for the development and growth of bamboo bike factories in Africa and South America. For those who live in developed countries or cities where there are miles of concrete and developed infrastructure, the idea of “how do I get to work?” is never

The 62, working with children in the Bronx, chose to address alarmingly high pollution rates and neighborhood health concerns through the exploration of alternative-transportation modes and

environmental education. The project emphasized the importance of exercise and physical health, creative thinking, pollution control, and environmental responsibility.

The Bamboo Bike Studio in the Red Hook neighbor-hood of Brooklyn, New York allows for participants to build their own Bamboo Bikes dur-ing a weekend long session. The tuition paid is then used as seed capital for bamboo bike facto-ries in Africa and South America.

For those who live in developed countries or cities where there are miles of concrete and developed infrastructure, the idea of “how do I get to work?” is never really an issue.


really an issue. But, in places such as Ghana or Kenya, reliable and affordable transportation “can dramatically improve access to jobs, commerce, education, basic food and water resources and health care.” By providing local factories in these areas, utilizing sustainable and renewable resources, such as bamboo, the positive effect on these communities wellbeing can be dramatically increased. The tuition paid to Bamboo Bike Studio directly seeds the development of factories and supports two international development goals: Improved Access to Transportation and Sustainable Light-Industrial Development. Bamboo bicycle factories in developing areas of the world that are “locally owned and operated will tap a growth-positive bicycle market, stimulate self-sustaining local business, and sow the seeds for further light-industry growth and entrepreneurship.”

Why bamboo? Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world, and grows in both cold and tropical environments. The first bamboo bicycle was showcased in 1864. “Features designed in mind when this bike was made were vibration damping, crash tolerance, and the natural look of the bike.”17 Today, bamboo has garnered the attention of many focused on sustainable design, as “it is a hardy, durable product from a renewable resource.”18 For the Bamboo Bike Studio the use of bamboo is directly related to its, “build-ability.” Traditional bike frames are constructed of steel and aluminum and require a vast understanding of welding in order to complete a frame. “Bamboo requires no refineries, mines, smelting or long-distance freighting— the

result is quality bicycles, grown in our backyard.”17

The exhilaration experienced on Sunday as participants pedal out of the Bamboo Bike Studio after a two-day workshop on their new bike is unique, as it is not only felt in Brooklyn, New York, but rather shared with an entire village thousands of miles away.

As defined earlier, wellbeing is “a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous.” Additionally, wellbeing can be defined as responsibly adhering to the Triple Bottom Line of people, planet and profit. The Bamboo Bike Studio makes provides economic value while enhancing the lives of people and conserving our planet. It promotes the wellbeing of the individual and our world by promoting the use of sustainable resources and helping to build a productive and scaleable bike industry.

GET ON A BIKE AND RIDE!So, get on your friend’s or a stranger’s bike and ride! The invention of the bike, dates back to the 19th century and has undoubtedly been a catalyst for change in the ensuing years, intended or not. The empowerment of the individual, of a group, of a city, can be traced back to the simple act of balancing on two wheels with the intent of getting from point A to point B. It can be the simple act of riding a bike that can contribute to the wellbeing of oneself as well as the wellbeing of our entire planet.

References1. (2010) www.huffingtonpost.com/

dennis-markatos/us-bike-sales-higher-than_b_207899.html

2. (2010) www.fuelgaugereport.com/

3. (2009) www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2009/07/09/2009-07-09_rol-lin_to_a_record_city_finishes_200_miles_of_bike_lanes.html#ixzz0dvBo3ZIm

4. (2009) www.cphbikeshare.com/default.aspx?old=true

5. (2009) www.savingtheplanetinstyle.se/2009/12/14/design-agency-lots-won-bike-sharing-design/

6. (2009) www.industrialdesignserved.com/Gallery/OPENbike/365762

7. (2010) transalt.org/campaigns/bike/parking/indoor

8. (2008) blog.bicyclecoalition.org/2008/03/bicycle-parking-in-leed-certification.html

9. (2010) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s_Cycle_ Center

10. (2010) portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/01/25/daily13.html

11. (2009) www.healthyamericans.org/re-ports/obesity2009

12. (2010) www.recycleabicycle.org/about

13. (2010) www.recycleabicycle.org/

14. (2010) www.bamboobikestudio.com/go/home

15. (2010) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_bi-cycle

16. (2010) hubpages.com/hub/Is_Bamboo_a_Sustainable_Building_Material

17. (2010) bamboobikestudio.com/go/the-bamboo

Related ResourcesLEED-ND and Healthy Neighborhoods An Expert Panel Review: Center for Disease Control Bicycle Diaries; by David Byrne

CATALYST WebsiteContinue the conversation about Destination: Wellbeing on CATALYSTsdr.com/2010/05/destination-wellbeing

“The bike...is now more than an alternative to taking the subway, bus or a taxi. It has become a means by which we can affect healthy change, both internally and externally.”


DESIGNING A CULTURE OF CHOICE.Interview conducted by Elad

Persov from Bezalel at the

St.Andrews Church Hostel

in Jerusalem.

CHIEF CULTURE OFFICER

DNA VALUES PHILOSOPHIES

Lahav Gil is the CEO and founder of Kangaroo Design and Innovation Inc., a Toronto-based innovation firm offering product development services to the medical devices and diagnostics industries operating in Canada, US, Europe, Israel and the Far East. As CEO and Director of Design at Kangaroo, Lahav’s main responsibilities are Business Development, Organizational Development, and Design Leadership and Strategy.

Kangaroo upholds a values-driven work environment and principles-based leadership as core to its ideology and culture.

In addition to founding and leading Kangaroo, Lahav is also the co-founder of a number of technology startups (BeFocused Inc., Inventions That Matter Inc., CertoLabs Inc.,) where he holds a lead role in product strategy, design strategy and product development.

Elad Persov, a graduate of the DMP at Pratt institute, is the Coordinator of the Design Management at the M.Des Program at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, Israel, and a PhD student at the Porter School for Environmental Studies at the Tel Aviv University. His research topic is “managing design for sustainability: the designer role in the new management paradigm”

Lahav Gil, President and CEO of Kangaroo Design, proposes how wellbeing at work can affect core fundamentals of an organization. Interviewed by Elad Persov from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, Lahav begins by explaining how he transferred his “personal culture” of self-awareness into Kangaroo’s “organizational culture. He explores examples of how wellbeing is applied to a work environment: into the eco-system and culture of the firm and in the values and guiding principles.

Lahav proposes how wellbeing at work translates into product innovation, which is the core business of Kangaroo Design and Innovation Inc., through the invention and development of a system and product intended for the corporate work environment. The system returns to employees the control of their “own time” by allowing effortless shifting between disturbance-free mode and communication/collaboration mode. It facilitates a shift in the organizational culture to respect the space and time that an individual needs to be able to perform their work. As a part of developing the organizational culture at Kangaroo, Lahav explores factors which can interfere with wellbeing, factors such as, fear, politics, internal competition, as well as ego, and then discusses designing the thinking models and attitudes that empower a cultural transformation.

Executive Summary



Kangaroo Design CEO Lahav Gill

Lahav: In my mind, wellbeing implies a healthy balance of “all systems humming away nicely” sort of state. A natural state, a sustainable state, that every living being has the right to experience.

Looking at the Delcaration of Independence, we see that it includes the right of every person to “the pursuit of happiness”. We could easily swap happiness with the term “wellbeing”. What does wellbeing encompass – happiness, love, compassion, a good feeling, sustenance, good health of body and mind… a state of balance... Perhaps it contains a measure of healthy excitement and inquisitiveness. Wellbeing is sweet not sharp.

Many designers would consider design for wellbeing as a discipline that aims to assist people who lack basic needs. Yet I understand that you have a different def inition.

Lahav: For those who do not have enough food, dry warm clothes, or a roof over their heads – their living conditions can be re-shaped so that these basic needs are met, but this is not wellbeing. It is relief from suffering. If you are sleeping on the floor, we must make sure that that you have a comfortable

mattress to sleep on before we have the moral right to talk of anything else. After the basics are there, then we can begin talking about wellbeing. I look at the world of consumerism and luxuries and ask myself if as a society we actually have wellbeing? Maybe we feel that all is well as long as we can go shopping on a Saturday to buy a new LED TV. Is that wellbeing?

So you’are saying that possessions cannot generate a state of wellbeing? Lahav: Not in the long run. Possessions create a temporary perceived satisfaction. Even products that are aimed at providing wellbeing, at their best can only provide for people an opportunity to choose to be in a state of wellbeing. The person still needs to make that choice, but more and more products in the world are not designed to empower towards that choice. Their aim is to make us feel that we are wanting for something, which will tempt us to purchase; “If you’re not feeling good, go shopping – buy something and you will feel better” we are told repeatedly. And we believe. When people feel good – they generally don’t buy extra stuff.

“In my mind, wellbeing implies a healthy balance of ‘all systems humming away nicely.’ A natural state, a sustainable state, that every living being has the right to experience.”

Lahav, I’am interested in hearing how you perceive the concept of design for wellbeing and wellbeing at work. Lahav: I’ve been struggling with the question of whether it’s even possible to design wellbeing. I think that products by majority do not create wellbeing. If wellbeing is a state of mind, then products can empower people to make that choice.

When considering wellbeing in the context of modern society I can’t help but ask: How could the western world possibly take something as important as wellbeing and tuck it away in some dark corner, de-legitimized? From a business perspective, wellbeing is not regarded as something of high value. An entire culture is willing to sacrifice it’s wellbeing for the sake of the “economy of money”? People are willing be offended, suppressed corroded, eroded and you name it…to make a buck. We sacrifice so much for the sake of profit.

How will the “Encyclopedia Galactica*” catalog us humans? “The species that got obsessed with mobile communication devices” perhaps?

Its disheartening to see that kids form their sense of self-worth by relating to a…cell-phone. A species that is capable of such profound depth has been reduced to such a painful shallowness. And this shallowness comes at the expense of wellbeing. So we have traded off our wellbeing for material trinkets and “shiny stuff”.

*Reference Cosmos by Carl Sagan

How would you def ine wellbeing?

» Organizations can create an environment

of wellbeing by creating a reward

system and removing penalties.

» encourage employees and coworkers to

nurture their own greatness.

» Discourage competition

amongst employees and coworkers by encouraging team

identity and shifting the focus from status

to function.

» Truly give people the room to be imperfect

and embrace mistakes as learning.

» Freedom to share crude ideas is critical to an environment that promotes innovation.

Strategy in Action


“You can design the cultural fabric and the DNA of an organization and that will create opportunities for wellbeing. But people need to choose to adopt this new paradigm of the importance of their own wellbeing, and integrate it into their lives”.

The culture of Kangaroo places an emphasis on internal satisfaction as well as that of their clients

Structure (-) penalties + Freedom =Increased Organizational Wellbeing

Take for example, the iPod Touch – it’s a lovely product, but by majority it generates a feeling of excitement and desire, not wellbeing. I would guess that the product brief did not stipulate wellbeing as one of the key benefits to the user.

If that’is the case, how can design contribute to wellbeing?

Lahav: I think that design can create the products, environments and tools with which people are able to choose to have wellbeing. Design can empower people. But not only is it up to the individual to make the choice, but also, we need to train ourselves to apply this choice and to sustain it. It requires a paradigm shift about what is important. It requires us to rethink the purpose of business.

Design and business can help def ine the factors that prevent us from reaching a state of wellbeing.

Lahav: We can begin very simply by removing harmful substances from the environment, materials such as toxins and allergens and noise. Unhealthy food, bad water and air pollution. Physical discomfort does not give wellbeing much of a chance. This is the base line. From here it’s a question of attitude and mindset.

Is this in line with your belief that everything begins in the mind?

Lahav: I really don’t know how to look at it differently. I don’t think you can produce wellbeing for someone. It’s an inner state. I believe that you can design attitudes and mental constructs, that if adopted could make wellbeing more accessible in the work environment, the domestic environment, and school environments. You can design the cultural fabric and the DNA of an organization and that will create opportunities for wellbeing. But people need to choose to adopt this new paradigm of the importance of their own wellbeing, and integrate it

into their lives. Only then will it authentically diffuse into the organization.

Try to summarize your approach to wellbeing and focus on the work environment. Lahav: I see an entire culture with little attention to wellbeing at work. It’s an accepted norm that at work you “work” and that is associated with something hard, even suffering. But I also see that this paradigm is beginning to shift. Some organizations take on the value of fun as core to the workplace. Some value personal greatness. If you study recent concepts from thought leaders such as Steven Covey and Jim Collins you will see the beginning of a trend. It is small, but it is evident.

As a founder and CEO of a Design f irm, what have you done to tackle this situation on your own turf?

Lahav: Kangaroo was established just over a decade ago. When I set up the company, I tried to remove certain elements from the work environment while adding in others. For example, we removed the concept of penalties. We inserted the concept of flex-time. These on their own were enough to significantly improve the wellbeing in our workplace.

Many of the well-known design f ir ms develop different design processes that focus mainly outward toward understanding their client and f inal users. Yet at Kangaroo work processes also look inwards?

Lahav: Yes. We try to create a place that provides people with a greater opportunity to find their own niche, their own greatness. And also to explore zones that stretch beyond their comfort zone, if they want to.

CATALYST Insight:Design is only

half the solution towards achieving

wellbeing. The rest needs to

come from within individuals.


Kangaroo design employs a matrix like structure to their organization of responsibilities and tasks

What is the platform you created to leverage people’s skills and their enjoyment from their work? And how do you turn this inward looking process into a value to your customer?

Lahav: We have tried creating a relatively flat (non-hierarchical) ecosystem and have greatly reduced the ‘command and control’ approach. Our approach to management is based on giving service, not on giving orders. We chose to employ people who are self-motivated, who do not need too much supervision. Mostly they need direction and empowerment. Kangaroo’s structure goes beyond a matrix organization into what we call multi-matrix. The same people are involved in different parts of the matrix at the same time, each time wearing a different hat. One person could be the project manager of one project, while at the same time she is a designer on a second project, which is lead by someone else. Who could be working as a design engineer on the project where she leads the way. The person’s ability to understand their function within the team and the decision making process, becomes key. This also creates opportunities for reflective processes and inner growth. It keeps ego quite low because the focus is on function and not on status. It helps people to not get entrenched in their “position” too much. On the one hand Kangaroo is a results-driven organization and on the other hand it is an organization that likes to look inwards to discover itself.

It is well-known that designers are motivated by their over-sized egos which detract from their ability to work in a team.

Lahav: We have reduced the need for people to compete with each other within our organization, which is of course, ultimately a matter of personal choice, maturity and desire. We encourage the team identity, and the team’s success. We talk a lot. You have to allocate time for talking when you have these kinds of goals. Through talking with each other we come

closer to these ideas. Ideas that require personal change and trust. We pass design concepts from one designer to another, effectively designing as a team. We believe in the value of “small-ego-culture.” We hire people who are inclined this way.

CATALYST Insight:Organization

structures can be designed to

improve employee wellbeing, which leads to greater

wellbeing for clients and customers


.How do you know that competition within the organization has been reduced?

Lahav: I can’t measure it with a “competitionometer”. It’s a subjective assessment. But I know that there’s no need for competition; we don’t have a job-advancement model or reward system where one person needs to compete with another to be more visible or to reduce another person’s visibility. But even in a horizontal organization we cannot force any person to behave in this way – we can only provide them with the option to do so. We are trying to adopt the approach that will allow each person to be in the best possible place for him or her, where they can each be in their element. And we are trying to find a suitable recompensing model, which we are still developing.

One of the best def initions for strategy is that it is the deployment of resources. Henry Mintzberg correctly asked “ which resources and for what purposes?” I understand that you aim to create a work environment free of fear, yet what are the resources that you deploy in order to achieve that?

Lahav: The principle of “giving people the freedom to make a mistake” begins with memorizing the concept, chanting it again and again, and then repeatedly explaining it – and moreover, you prove this by example and by showing people that although mistakes have been made, people have not been asked to endure pain for their mistakes. But this is not enough. One of the most important things is to budget for possible mistakes (time and money).

Is it not customary Project Management practice to say a project will take 15 days when you know it will only take 10?

What you describe is a defensive tactic used by PMs in an environment that does not tolerate mistakes – so they lie, creating a buffer. In my world everything hangs on motive, and on transparency and agreement. So we add the buffer in full transparency and full agreement because we believe its an essential part of the

‘quality management plan”, because we believe in errors as an inherent part of creative work. If you do not build in these buffers, then people become scared to voice their opinion, to report an error to try something new, or to take risks. A culture of concealment ensues. You get people who are afraid to say “no, I don’t understand”, or who smile even though they feel bad. I want to work with people who feel free to be themselves, and aren’t afraid to show imperfections. Because they know that it’s safe and will not be used against them in any way. I also want this freedom to be imperfect.

In your opinion, does this have any effect on the level of innovation in Kangaroo’s products?

Lahav: Yes, it has a critical effect on freedom of expression, and even more so, on freedom of thought, because by removing from the work environment the need to fear, you are giving the designers an opportunity to be far more creative. They are able to talk nonsense, knowing that they will not be judged; and it is right at this point that we sometimes find the breakthrough solutions. Your ability not to be ashamed to share crude ideas during the design process invites wide-ranging cooperation from your other team members. This sort of freedom is critical to a design and innovation environment.

“Protectivism” invites mental constipation. We are experimenting with these kind of ideas.

The work environment in a design studio is intensive and brimming with excitement. I get the impression that you are looking for a fundamental calm which from here looks to be a long way off.

CATALYST Insight:Designing a culture where employees can fail in the design process allows for better final results

“Kangaroo’s structure goes beyond a matrix organization into what we call multi-matrix. The same people are involved in different parts of the matrix at the same time, each time wearing a different hat.”

The DuoCheck, one of Kangaroo’s many product innovations, which has been developed for ThornHill Research, a Toronto based Medical Device company that works on unique life sustaining systems and respiratory technology.


Lahav: Yes, that’s right. Perhaps it belongs to the new generation of products that are trying to protect us from the wonders of technology. We are enabling a work climate that is a little more refined. The product does not do this by itself. It merely serves people and organizations that wish to make changes in their organizational culture and “personal culture”.

I am not familiar with the concept “personal culture”.”

Lahav: This is a term that I recently began using and which is provocative to a certain degree. It draws attention to the idea that there is no such thing as organizational culture on its own. After all, organizational culture is actually based on the “personal culture” of each and every one of us and the interaction that develops between us all. The product enables people to deal with the third form of disruption – the one that each of us generates for him or herself. The change within the organization is possible because each user gets to practice using the system while focusing on their work whenever the light is on red. The change that occurs within the organization is a direct outcome of the change that occurs within each individual using the system.

In our previous conversation you told me about yourself and how you began your career as someone trying “to save the world”, how you would walk around garbage dumps trying to deal with all the garbage.…

Lahav: I have always felt the need to be a positive influence, to do something useful and meaningful. I want to be part of this quiet revolution in which we improve the world, in which we give things a new significance, in which we do something that contributes to the broader concept of sustainability that will enable the human species and other creatures living on this earth to maintain a sane and meaningful existence. At the beginning of my career as a designer, I was interested in ecological sustainability; what we should do with garbage, how to deal with Life Cycle Analysis, and so on. When I was 13, I would go to the dump station

to catch doves for my dovecote. That was my first exposure to solid waste. That’s when I realized that every time I throw something into the garbage bin, it makes its way to the garbage dump – and that’s how this mountain of garbage gets created.

One day when I was older, I did this mind simulation exercise and imagined as if we had resolved all the world’s ecological problems and then I discovered that the problem that remained was us, the humans; human attitudes and conduct were the worst pollutants. If a person hits their children or is aggressive on the road or at work, if they are habitually worried or fearful, then the world is still heavily polluted, even if the air is clean. That’s when I realized that if I want to clean up the world, I need to start with the pollution inside people’s heads. And that the honorable thing to do is to try to begin with my own head.

I think that much of these thoughts can be summarized by the famous Frankel quote about man’s last freedom to choose his response to the circumstances he finds himself in, to choose his attitude, his way.

Related Resources 1 The 7 habits of highly effective people, By Steven Covey 2. Good to Great, by Jim Collins 3. Henrymintzberg.org 4. Man’s search for meaning, by Victor Frankel

CATALYST Website

Continue the conversation about esigning a culture of choice on: CATALYSTsdr.com/2010/05/chief-culture-officer

CATALYST WEBSITE

Continue the conversation about Waste Energy alternatives on: CATALYSTsdr.com

Lahav: Wellbeing involves our ability to move between states of calm and excitement, and to sustain an inner balance. When you go hunting the mammoth, you set off on the hunt full of excitement, adrenaline and energy. When the hunt is over, you return to the tribe with the catch. For the next few months you will live with the tribe, exposed to the world of the women and the children, to the family, processing the parts of the beast, community rituals, etc. I see these processes as part of a person’s wellbeing. If someone needs to hunt a mammoth every day because his own psyche needs constant excitement, I don’t think they will ever reach a state of wellbeing, and after X years they will burn out.

This professional agenda has evolved into a product that aims to assist wellbeing in work environments.

Lahav: The idea for the system evolved out of my need to enable myself and others to be in a state of wellbeing at work. It is based on the understanding that in a person’s life, and particularly in their work environment, there are three sources of disruption – the physical work environment, digital technology, and the person themselves. In the physical work environment, and particularly in a collaborative one, people come to you wanting something (work-related, human contact, or something else) and this also includes the telephone. Then we have the digital disturbances such as Skype, email, ICQ, etc. And then we have a whole world of inner disruptions that reduce the ability to concentrate – all of a sudden I want to browse the Internet, or I get up to chat with someone, or feel the urge to check my email. By end of day, with all the telephones, meetings and ICQs, you realize that you have been accumulating tasks but have not done most of them. This “over-availability syndrome” causes people to come in to work three hours before everyone else or stay three hours after them. Or perhaps they take work home. It was clear to me that neither a product nor a gadget could solve this problem – and this generated a new work norm that respects the individual’s right to control their ”own time” or “time on task” as it is sometimes referred to, that improves his or her productivity and that of the organization.

How does it work?

Lahav: The product works in conjunction with a shift in the company culture; adopting some of Steven Covey’s ideas about the four quadrants of spending one’s time for example. It is somewhat similar to hanging a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door handle of your hotel room. The product is actually a big toggle installed on your desk, which when pressed toggles between two modes: Green means I am free and able to work collaboratively. Red means please do not disturb me. Respect my need to be focused. This toggle connects to a computer and a light above the door/cubicle wall. When the light is on red, everyone in the work environment knows that I am focusing on something. If someone walks down the hallway and wants to talk to me, they see that the light is on red and continue past my office. When on red, it automatically diverts all digital communication to voice mail and inboxes without alerting me. My presence is displayed to all members of the work-group on their desktop client application. The toggle also addresses the last form of disruption –me– because when I see that I am on red, it is easier for me to be called back into focus, which I’ve committed to earlier. It gives me a sense of control.

This is actually a form of anti-technology, like theTV Be Gone, which enables people to turn off television sets that disturb them in public places.

“Wellbeing involves our ability to move between states of calm and excitement, and to sustain an inner balance.”


As CATALYST rounds out its first year in existence and I finish my transition out of the role of Executive Editor, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on the unexpected lessons this past year has brought…

sTRATegiC Design CAn CHAnge THe WORlD.It took 6 months, two issues and lots of discussions and reading for me to fully comprehend why designers should be talking about enabling land ownership in Central America, transforming abandoned infrastructure into park space and developing sustainability

standards for agriculture. My intrinsic interest in its breadth of topics and noble efforts of its subject matter attracted me to become the first editor of CATALYST Strategic Design Review. However, it took time for me to effectively articulate the value design brings to the solution of complex challenges and why CATALYST should feature authors and subject matter outside the traditional scope of design publications.

In the fall of 2008, when I had been attending the Pratt Design Management (DM) program for just two months, the director, Mary McBride, expressed her vision for the publication of a magazine which would represent the diverse, triple bottom line focus of the curriculum. I volunteered to lead our small team through the process of launching the publication while trusting

that Mary’s “big, hairy, audacious goal” would come into focus during my process of discovery.

Looking back, I am thankful to have trusted Mary’s insight. The summer after Issue 1, Tim Brown’s words in his book Change by Design spoke to my newfound appreciation of Mary’s vision for CATALYST:

“The next generation of designers will need to be as comfortable in the boardroom as they are in the studio or the shop, and they will need to begin looking at every problem—from adult illiteracy to global warming—as a design problem.” He goes on to say, “Our real goal, then, is not so much fulfilling manifest needs by creating a speedier or a more ergonomic keyboard; that’s the job of designers. It

for THe ROAD

Reflection Piece By Erin Weber

Erin Weber recently became a Program Manager at the Manhattan office of Frog Design. This spring, she graduated from the Pratt Design Management program. She holds an interdisciplinary degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Communication Design and Psychology. She maintains a blog called Resolving to Innovate, which was inspired by one of the posts she wrote for CATALYST.

lessons


THe vAlue OF DeFining PROCesses.When we launched issue one I wore many hats: author, editor, project manager, designer, typesetter, production specialist, marketer… (you get the idea). That omnipresent strategy would be even more challenging now that CATALYST has an expanded web presence, tripled its staff and set lofty goals for the future. In order to create a sustainable organization that could continue to flourish after I graduated, the processes I had internalized for my own reference needed to be clearly defined in order to facilitate a transition to my predecessors. It was while establishing those standards and best practices that I became a true believer in the value of a leader’s exposure to every part of the process. Early in her experience, the incoming blog director asked how we determined what blog posts were

appropriate for inclusion. Her question was a good one and something I had taken for granted because the three of us who launched the magazine had come to internalize its brand promise. It quickly became clear that there was value in defining that promise in the form of a mission, vision and questions to ask when considering the relevance of proposed content. Additionally, the process of defining CATALYST terms and blog categories further enhanced my personal understanding of the topics we were covering.

I found it helpful to forfeit my responsibilities in steps. For instance, a designer joined the team for issue two which meant that instead of adding content on the fly, I needed to consolidate everything and bundle it into a clear deliverable to be handed off. Writing captions, “strategy in actions”, CATALYST insights and compiling content for the entire publication took me nearly 40 hours. By issue three, I was able to explain the components and process to our editorial board and divide the work load between eight

people. Consequently each editorial board member was able to dive further into the article content they were managing and CATALYST represented a wider spectrum of perspectives (not to mention that I got more sleep!).As Roger Martin presents in his book The Design of Business, moving ideas through the “knowledge funnel” from abstract ideas (“mysteries”), to general rules of thumb (“heuristics”) and then defined processes (“algorithms”) enables organizational efficiency and growth.

FOR THe ROAD...As I head into the next stage of my career, I am grateful to take with me these life lessons from my time with CATALYST. I am extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to apply the Design Management curriculum to the leadership and implementation of this organization. My hope is that my predecessors gain as much inspiration and insight from the experience as I have!

“The next generation of designers will need to be as comfortable in the boardroom as they are in the studio or the shop...” – Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO

CATALYSTsdr.com, launched in February of 2010, along with Cradle to Cradle. The new site features online versions of the print publication, a blog and original online content.

The most recent issue of CATALYST, Designing Wellbeing: Re-focus. Re-invent. Rejuvenate.

Related Resources 1 Change by Design, by Tim Brown

CATALYST Website

Continue the conversation about Erin’s experiences forming CATALYST on: CATALYSTsdr.com/2010/05/lessons-for-the-road

It is helping people to articulate the latent needs they may not even know they have, and this is the challenge of design thinkers.”

– Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO

By the time issue two was published, I had instituted the addition of

“CATALYST insights,” snippets of text, which bridge article content to the processes and practices used by strategic designers (or as Brown would call us, design thinkers).

eveRYOne HAs A sTORY TO Tell.I have always been a “people person,” but I was not prepared for the

unexpected connections and doors CATALYST opened during the course of this past year.

Various talented and alumni and professors have advised on everything from the CATALYST name, to font choices, blog posts and editing. In fact, one of CATALYST’s primary editors was also the author of the HOW magazine article that initially attracted me to the Pratt DM program. Thanks to CATALYST I was able to thank her in person for writing the article that redirected my entire professional future!

Another Pratt alumni connected me with a talented photographer while I was in search of a professional to capture my wedding day. We quickly got to talking about his life outside wedding photography. The next thing

I knew, he was connecting me with Agros International and sending me his beautiful photographs to enliven the spreads of the Cradle to Cradle issue. And then sometimes contacts are unavailable and luck, timing and an enticing sales pitch must be on your side. While soliciting articles for issue two, I decided to throw a hail Mary and send an email to the publicist for Ray Anderson, the CEO of Interface Carpet, one of the “it” companies for sustainability. To my amazement, Mr. Anderson’s publicist replied, invited us to meet him and facilitated the collection of content, which was later featured in Life-Centered Design.

CATALYST opened my eyes to the number of interested and supportive people who are willing to become involved in a good cause.

The first issue of CATALYST published in May, 2009.

The second issue of CATALYST published in

December, 2009.

The Road: 2009 - 2010

Issue 3 , Cradle to Cradle, published in February,

2010. It features articles on designing sustainable

economies.

CATALYSTsdr.com, launched in February of 2010 along with Cradle to Cradle. The new site features online versions of the print publication, a blog and original online content.

The most recent issue of CATALYST, Designing Wellbeing: Re-focus. Re-invent. Rejuvenate.


The Happiness Project provides a framework and strategy for increasing life satisfaction through a series of actionable processes and measurable goals that can contribute to personal wellbeing. Rubin, a writer living in New York City seems to be a happy person, she has a loving family and a good career, but she felt as though she could get more out of life. Her solution is a yearlong project and the inspiration for this book in which she tackles a number of issues related to happiness through a systematic approach.

At first glance the idea seems a bit odd, were it not for Rubin’s structured approach to her mission. To begin she set out to establish a set of commandments for her to follow and couples them with 12 issues to be tackled one month at a time (energy, work, marriage, family and so on). The order is strategic and her approach is

guided by insights found through extensive research of psychological and sociological writings. Additionally, she also establishes concrete resolutions that she is able to quantify through her behaviors as opposed to leaving things open to much interpretation. She begins with the issue of increasing her own energy level so that she will be able to keep up with theyearlong quest.

As the book progresses she incorporates new resolutions and issues to her ever-increasing load each month, while still attempting to maintain the level of commitment she had to her earliest happiness touch-points. While doing this, Rubin also continues to guide her quest through study and research, constantly seeking for the best course of action.

The result is positive, as Rubin does seem to experience an increase in happiness. She learns to value family more, to be more aware of her actions and how they affect others and simply to appreciate more what she had already.

Written in a personal and humorous style, the book provides valuable insights and a model that could easily be replicated and adopted by readers. Though all of her examples come from her own life and experiences the process she establishes is universal and the project has not ended with the publishing of this book. A part of the process was the creation of a blog in which her and readers share thoughts and ideas on the best way to achieve increased happiness. The blog, in conjunction with this book can provide readers with a systematic approach towards increased wellbeing.

THE HAPPINESS PROJECT: Or, why I spent a year trying to sing in the morning, clean my closets, fight right, read aristotle, and generally have more fun.Book by Gretchen RubinReview by Adam Zoltowski

Read about more Tools for CATALYZING Change at: www.CATALYSTsdr.com/tool-reviews/

Tools for CATALYZING Change

Resource reviews for environmentally, socially and economically responsible leaders

As the national discussion on health care ensues, the design industry is implementing a few ideas of its own.

In 2002, The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) developed the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC), the healthcare sector’s first quantifiable sustainable design toolkit. The GGHC integrated both environmental and health standards into the planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance of healthcare facilities. Designers, owners and operators were encouraged to use the GGHC to design, construct and maintain high performance healing environments.

The GGHC focused on design considerations specific to the healthcare industry that weren’t addressed in previous sustainability manuals including non-stop operations, regulatory requirements and the handling of chemicals. The GGHC was applicable both to new construction, and to renovations and rehabilitations of existing facilities. Additionally, the voluntary, self-certifying guide recommended operational procedures for all facilities related to health and healing.

After an extensive pilot program in 2004, which gathered feedback from over 100 healthcare facilities, the GGHC formed a joint partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to develop Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards for the healthcare industry. Through this partnership, the USGBC is developing a LEED Healthcare certificate process. The GGHC will continue to develop tools to improve and inform future design standards.

LEED for HealthcareBy Da`nte A. Clemons

On average, hospitals consume twice the amount of energy as typical office buildings. This is due in part to their primary function – to save lives. Hospitals are a complicated building type, requiring energy-intensive lighting and equipment, sophisticated mechanical systems to manage ventilation and temperature control, and complex operational processes. The healthcare sector has the potential to benefit the most from LEED standardization.

LEED Healthcare reinforces the inherent relationship between the built environment and human health. Studies have shown increases in the health, happiness and productivity of people who live and work in green buildings. Likewise, patients residing in green hospitals have shown greater emotional wellbeing, reduced requests for pain medication and have shorter hospital stays. As the healthcare sector moves towards greener practices, designers play a vital role in reshaping, redesigning and reconstructing the concept of healing itself, both in the environment and the body. That is another national discussion worth having.

SUPER NATURAL HOMEBook by Beth GreerReview by Erin Weber

Super Natural Home is an eye-opening book about the dangerous toxins found in our homes and the decisions we can make to eliminate them. The book starts with a quiz designed to help readers identify where they fall on the spectrum of healthy to toxic homes. The quiz also assists in identifying immediate opportunities for improvement. The quiz is followed by actionable suggestions, habits, terms and products that can help decrease toxins in the home. Super Natural Home is broken into three main sections: what goes in you, what goes on you and what surrounds you. The book is peppered with resources, websites and expert insights. The content is designed with informative titles, which facilitate skimming for easily adoptable habits based on a current area of concern. Too often triple bottom line techniques are applied to professional practice, but are forgotten in our personal lives. Super Natural Home enables consumers to make informed decisions about the purchases they make, resulting in healthier homes and increased market demand for healthier products.

Healthcare costs as a % of GDP

source: OECD Health Data, 2009

source: CDC.org

5.9%1966

8%1975

10%1982

12%1990

14%2001

16%2007

GRILLED ANDROASTED FOODS

SOFT DRINKScauses: calcium depletion

PROCESSED MEATScauses: kidney failure

INSTANT FOODScauses: obesity

causes: Gastric Cancer

FROZEN DESERTS

CANNED FOODScauses: alzheimers

causes: diabetes,obesity

DEEP-FRIED FOODScauses: heart trouble,

depressionPICKLED FOODScauses: oral ulcers

FOOD & DISEASE

MORTALITY IN THE UNITED STATES - 10 BIGGEST KILLERS

Heart disease: 631,636 Accidents: 121,599

Diabetes: 72,449Alzheimer's disease: 72,432

Nephritis: 45,344 Septicemia: 34,234Influenza: 56,326

Cancer: 559,888 Stroke: 137,119 Chronic lower respiratory diseases:

124,583

Death rate: 810.4 deaths per 100,000 population

Life expectancy: 77.7years

Infant Mortality rate: 6.69 deaths per 1,000 live births

62% of female Americans and 67% of male Americans are considered

overweight. Today, 25% of American children are also obese or

overweight. An estimated 400,000 Americas deaths per year may be

attributable to poor diet and lack of physical activity.

obesity related

JUNK FOODcauses: hypertension


Infographic: Food and Health

Recent infographics from CATALYSTsdr.com

View more infographics like these at: http://CATALYSTsdr.com/tags/infographics/


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Anke Stohlmann, graduate of the Pratt Design Management program, is one busy and accomplished strategic designer. For some, running their own design firm would be all that they could manage. But in addition to running Anke Stohlmann Design ankestohlmanndesign.com, this German-born designer is also a member of the board of AIGA/NY where she is currently working on a Design Thinking series with fellow board member, Helen Steed.

The goal for the series is to use case studies to communicate that Design Thinking, specifically sustainability, is a journey that includes both successes and pitfalls. The series kicked off on March 12th with a presentation by Johnson and Johnson and will be followed by smaller events at the J&J lab.

At her own design firm, Anke uses strategic design to help clients find their footing and clearly articulate their values and identity so that they are better equipped to connect with their target audience. Anke’s team designed the book ‘Awearness’ with Kenneth Cole’s creative team, Melcher Media and illustrator Andy Pressman. The book includes an introduction by Kenneth Cole and features stories from social activists who spend much of their time advocating for social causes including wellbeing.

In 2007, in collaboration with Jacqueline Thaw, Anke’s firm designed Global Writes, a non-profit educational organization that globally connects artists with K-12 classrooms by using video technology, poetry and performance. Keeping the core concepts of this project in mind, Anke’s firm created an identity that visualized the ideas of communication, expression and community.

Clearly, Anke is a person who uses her passion for typography and design strategy to make the world a better place by designing wellbeing.

Richard Green is a professor in the Pratt Institute Design Management Program where he teaches Leadership and Teambuilding, Managing Innovation and Change and Strategic Marketing.

For over twenty years, he has been a Partner at Strategies for Planned Change, a New York based consultancy specializing in the strategic management of change, helping companies to identify their creative assets and use them to create sustainable strategic advantage. He was inspired to launch the business as a way to focus his interest, attention and experience on innovation and change across a wide variety of industries. Richard’s seminar, Designing

Future Competitive Advantage: Strategies for Planned Change has recently been delivered at NEC in Tokyo, at the Barcelona Arts Design Council, and is offered through the Design Management Institute.

A Philadelphia native and Temple University alumnus, Richard has also been on faculty at NYU’s Stern Graduate School of Business, Fordham University, the New School for Social Research and Yeshiva University. After 35 years of teaching, he continues to be enthused and excited by the opportunity of working with students to encourage the development and practice of I-Inc, a grounded sense responsibility for self, others, and organizations.

Diane Ruengsorn

Diane Ruengsorn is a Pratt Design Management graduate who is designing wellbeing. Born and raised in California, today Diane is the founder and director of Domestic Aesthetic (http://www.domestic-aesthetic.com/),

a design firm where 100% of the products created are sustainable and socially produced. Her powerful ideas have been featured in many locations from the MOMA Design Store to the pages of the New York Times. Using design thinking, Diane has been working with a sawmill cooperative in Mozambique, where she has been working for over a year to promote growth and expansion of their sustainable furniture business by increasing their distribution to include the North American market. Mozambique is a war-torn country where many villagers have little access to education and a means to support themselves so it gives Diane personal satisfaction to work with “a group that promotes grass roots community development, local educational initiatives and allows [her] to fulfill [their] social mission.” Diane’s inspiration for starting her company came from her experience working in a furniture factory. At the factory, she was affected by seeing the amounts of waste that was being created and witnessing people who became her friends being exposed to toxic chemicals in their day-to-day factory work life. Currently utlizing the Pratt business incubation lab, her goals for the future are to continue designing products that are affordable for consumers, environmentally responsible, and consider issues like production, while not jeopardizing the integrity of the design. Diane is also looking forward to growing her company by forming new partnerships in both social development and design.

CATALYSTS

News from alumni, staff and friends of the Pratt Design Management Program

By Holly Burns

Anke Stohlmann

Richard Green

California & Oregon

Wellbeing inDiCATORs

Happiness

economics

Health: Physical and emotional

environmental impact