Design Thinking
Nate Burgos has compiled an e-book chock full of inspirational snippets from design thought leaders such as Roger Martin, Tim Brown, Jesse James Garrett, Peter Merholz, and Micheal Bierut among others. Check it out.
Brand Utility
Russell Davies talks about the intersection of design + utility and it's place in the future. From his post:
"Branding is being replaced by design/technology as the future of business.
The dismal nature of the branding science has started to become clear to business recently and they're starting to vote with their investments and appointments. They're turning from the people who create perceptions of value to the people who create actual value - the designers, technologists, innovators. Hence branded utility, hence 'design is the new management consultancy', hence the current Business Week heroes being IDEO and Ives not CHI and Chiat Day. Hence the limited tenures of CMOs. Hence the rise of communications businesses that can actually make stuff rather than just think of stuff."
Strategy '07 Videos
Putting People First has put together a compilation of videos from IIT's Institute of Design Strategy conference in Chicago (which was really good). If you weren't able to make it in person, this is the next best thing.
