Dick Powell of Seymourpowell Design visited the agency yesterday evening to give us a fascinating and inspiring talk about design and innovation.

Great to hear from someone who really knows about what
they're doing in this sector (everything from cordless kettles to
spaceships) from a creative and business perspective.

A couple of interesting things:

– seymourpowell's creative process (they call it a 'crucible process') is based on visual concepting – you have to
actually draw the product idea to show how it works, the written word
being too open to varying interpretations.
– they believe that much of the skill of the product designer is in 'plate-spinning' – balancing all the considerations of how people use things, how they're made, how much things cost, what the client's business needs, etc.

– innovation isn't usually about looking for the 'big idea'; it's about bringing together a series of small ideas in a new, surprising and relevant way.

A final thought from Dick, via Shaw, paraphrased by me:

You see things and you ask 'why?' But creative people dream things that never were and ask, 'Why not?'

Last week, some of the Nokia UK team braved the Autumn cold to shoot a series of TV idents for Channel 4's new show 'Misfits' – breaking later this month.

Here is Interactive Producer Ryan with London's poshest creative, Freddie Powell, indulging in a spot of fishing in the depths of Thamesmeade

Karla Stewart – the epitome of 'working remotely'

Giles our UK client lending Freddie a helping hand after a long day on set

The TV idents, as well as the Mobile App and Widget break on 12th November.