Terence T K Loh

What happens when we put Generative AI into the hands of elderly individuals who have no design background? We explored this intriguing possibility with five senior citizens for Singapore Design Week. If you're in Singapore, come see this exhibition at the National Design Centre before it wraps up. At times, this endeavour felt nearly impossible, yet this unusual experiment has blossomed into one of my favourite projects. Today, I'm excited to share part one of five with you, which features the remarkable collaboration between Winnie Lim and her 82-year-old aunt, Mdm Yee Hoat Sang. If you haven’t used it this way, AI proves to be exceptionally effective for co-design; it not only stimulates recall but also encourages the sharing of insightful life stories better than many traditional participatory methods. What excites me most about Generative AI is how it allows us to tap into the imaginations and concerns of individuals who might otherwise remain silent or distant from the innovation process. Amidst so many different tools, we’re also increasingly discovering that Hypersketch excels in enabling everyday individuals to intuitively engage with AI for meaningful creative exploration—making it possible to collaborate with both the elderly and schoolchildren alike. Enjoy part one, and please let me know what you think about this! #industrialdesign #generativeai #industrialdesigner #designeducation #nationaluniversityofsingapore #stuckdesign #hypersketch #lumalabs #stuckdesign #nusdid #nuscde #designsingapore #ipadapps #SDWSG24 #SingaporeDesignWeek #PeopleOfDesign #DesignSingaporeCouncil

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Thank you to the speakers, the participants, and the amazing back-of-house support who brought the magic to #SingaporeDesignWeek’s Design Futures Forum 2024. It has been such an uplifting two days! After an incredible day of thought leadership yesterday, as we explored the role of design in the future of emerging technology, sustainability, and care, today we got more practical, with hands-on activities and lots of audience engagement. The future of care session, which I was fortunate enough to curate and moderate, brought together designers, and leaders who leverage the power of design, to examine the roles of fashion, environments, and culture in shaping our experiences and outcomes of care. We ran a “reverse” debate, in which our speakers pitched for one of these design domains as the most critical in impacting the future of care. But, of course, we all agreed that care cannot rely on one of these aspects alone. I loved the fact that my speakers argued their own case, and then argued on behalf of the other panellists too! True collaborators! Common themes emerged across the panels of speakers: The future of care needs us to design dignity, fuelled by empathy, into what we wear, the spaces we exist in, and the cultures we develop. Claudia Poh and Ting-Ting Zhang 张婷婷 showed us that fashion is one of the easiest areas to start designing care for the population into, bringing empowerment and wellness into our lives, and something relatively actionable for all. Designing environments that care, however, would take longer. Proud Patanavanich and Li Lian Liew shared research-backed arguments demonstrating the benefits of designing nature and comfort into our care spaces, to measurably reduce adverse health outcomes, but acknowledged this would take effort and investment to realise. In terms of culture, everyone agreed this needs a long term game plan, and even that we may never live to see the benefits of investments made to design cultures that care. Eason Yang and Maria del Pilar D. shared powerful examples of the impact and need to influence cultures of care. But achieving caring mindsets in our communities will require change across many aspects of life, and design. I found it fascinating that stigma and taboos were also unifying themes. From the stigmas associated with designing for women’s health (when half the population deals with menstruation each month, why do we still pretend that sanitary towels are designed to absorb bright blue liquids, rather than blood?!), to the taboos associated with discussing end of life (an issue that affects the entire population, yet something none of us wish to acknowledge), to the mindsets encountered by cancer survivors (it turns out that society is not very welcoming to those who’ve fought the big C). Perhaps the most critical issue to address, if we want to positively impact the future of care, is the challenging of stigmas and old beliefs.

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Do you consider yourself creative? After a successful design thinking project, these five primary school students now do. The pupils from Ai Tong School – Luke Tian Le Ke, Amelia Gaw Oon Leng, Ng Ying Xuan, Karyne Phua, and Gang Rui Jie – designed a digital food ordering concept for their school canteen, titled GummyCare. The system rewards healthy choices for lunches and snacks. The design process empowered the students with skills and qualities such as collaboration, empathy, and resilience – hallmarks of creative capacity. Their creative confidence grew further with an award in the inaugural National Design Project 2023, and opportunities to present GummyCare beyond the school environment. Many of us don’t recognise our capacity for creative thinking. This can dampen our inclination to approach problems proactively and creatively, to shape better outcomes in our lives. The experience of team GummyCare holds valuable lessons for us all. Read more about how they unlocked their creative confidence with design thinking by heading to bit.ly/pod-aitong. – Organised by the DesignSingapore Council, People of Design celebrates the everyday visionaries who are delivering extraordinary impact through design. These innovators defy the stereotype that design is only for designers or that it is merely about aesthetics – it is a tool for positive change that is accessible to everyone. Know someone who’s making a difference through design? Nominate them at https://lnkd.in/g_FVhH-P for a chance to be featured. #DesignSingaporeCouncil #PeopleOfDesign

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8 years ago, I lost my design mentor: Prof Rebecca Philip. Every year on Teacher’s Day, I am reminded of this one big lesson she taught me the first time that she met me: the urge to do better. The fact that there’s scope for improvement. Always. As designers of the future, make this a habit and you’ll for SURE ace in life. There’s always cope for improvement and you need to CONSTANTLY keep chasing it. Comparison with others is the thief of all joy. Comparison with self is the key to self-improvement and growth. :) You made me your Designer Didi so listen to me when I say this: Every single assignment, every single question you attempt, needs to be attempted in a better way than the previous one! There’s NO shortcut to excellence. Pure consistency and bettering your craft. So be hungry to learn and better your craft. ♥️ This is a letter I wrote in 2016 to her but the learnings still stand true. ♥️ #designer #mentor #teachersday #designerdidi #designershala #lifelessons

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At Dbs.studio, we rely on Adobe Illustrator to create specified eye-ware linework that acts as a crucial step before translating our designs into CAD. Illustrator gives us the flexibility to refine lines, proportions, and design elements in a 1:1 digital space, while maintaining complete control over each aspect of the design. By focusing on these detailed lineworks, we can make quick adjustments and fine-tune the overall concepts before committing to the more complex CAD phase. This not only speeds up our workflow, but ensures we stay aligned with both the aesthetic goals and manufacturing feasibility. Once the linework is finalized, we translate it into CAD, where we begin adding mass, functionality, and exploring manufacturability. This approach allows us to work efficiently, refining designs at the granular level while maintaining the broader design vision! What products can you see this process being applied to? #IndustrialDesign #Illustrator #CAD #DesignProcess #Efficiency #DBSDesign #Innovation

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Dance is an interaction of the human body with Space. What if we make the space visible and tangible? This was a proposal for an exhibition at a premier performance venue in Singapore that we were invited to participate in early last year. The location was at a little used part just off the main circulation space. The interactive exhibition - on local forms of transitional dance - was intended to pique the interests of visitors through participation and also to activate the space. We pushed traditional concepts of what a dance exhibition should be like. We chose to remove the typical iconography associated with the dance forms and instead created colourful interventions ambiguous in context within the space. These flexible interventions are physical manifestations of space, which visitors have to confront and negotiate as they move through the exhibition. Being flexible, and made of elastic bands, they flex, move, twist apart to the touch of the visitors. This inevitably creates an organic dance between the space and the participant. At the end of the exhibition, the visitors are treated to a video feed of their earlier progress through the space. We did our research for this quick proposal. But we also acknowledge we will not sufficiently have the intimate knowledge and experience of actual dancers of various genres. Nevertheless, it was a satisfactory attempt in a field which we are not familiar with. Hopefully we will have a chance in future to further build on it! #prosearchitects #claritythroughdesign

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I gained fresh inspiration recently after listening to the panel of esteemed speakers at ADPList Singapore Chapter's inaugural event. So I reflected upon my own design journey as well. There are often assumptions that designers and developers would be at odds. But from my own—as well as from 55 Minutes Pte Ltd's team—experience in: ✅ auditing the UX design of existing products ✅ designing, as well as re-vamping and improving entire UX UI of digital platforms ✅ conducting usability tests and prototyping tests Here's what I've uncovered about this critical collaboration: ⭐ Designers and developers are two sides of the same coin ⭐ Although they wear different hats, they have a shared goal — to create a product that works well and resonates with the end-user. But, they often speak different languages and start off with different priorities. 👉 Designers focus on aesthetics, user experience, and visual storytelling. (Yes, we care about alignments down to the pixels.) 👉 Developers, on the other hand, are all about functionality, efficiency, performance and code. This can lead to conflicts. But when they work well together, magic happens. Products that not only look good but also work seamlessly. So, how do we bridge this gap? ❤️🧠 Two things. Communication and trust. Designers and developers need to communicate what their priorities are, seek to understand each other's perspectives and why these matter to them. We need to respect each other's expertise, and keep communicating in ways that builds trust within this collaboration. A shared vocabulary and trust can do wonders. ❌ It's not about winning an argument, nor egos. ✔ It's about coming together to create the best outcomes possible. ✔ It's about involving both designers and developers as equal stakeholders right at the start of a project. ✔ It's about being curious, asking questions, listening to and respecting each other. Let's embrace the reality that complexity is part of creative work, but with a strong commitment to communicating clearly and communicating often, and creating a respectful and trusting collaboration, we can navigate the chaos together to achieve successful product outcomes. What other processes or practices worked for you when it comes to better collaborations between designers and developers? Pls share!

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80% of success is showing up. This was one of the key messages to the group of design alumni who joined the portfolio review session at Nanyang Polytechnic Alumni Day. In today’s competitive design job market, simply emailing portfolios is not enough. Turning up, both physically and consistently, is a statement. It shows you are willing to take the next step and put yourself out there. But how can you maximise the impact of showing up? Here are three ways to make a difference: 1. Showing up opens doors Being present at reviews, networking events and workshops signals dedication and drive. These moments are not just opportunities to showcase your work, but also opportunities to showcase who you are. Face-to-face connections still matter greatly in opening doors. 2. Engage beyond the portfolio Portfolios are important, but they are just the starting point. Employers want people who can articulate their process, show self-awareness and share the reasons behind their designs. Prepare to bring more than your visuals by showcasing your thinking, collaboration and adaptability. 3. Build a network, build your brand Many design opportunities come from relationships rather than job postings. Being visible at events, contributing to design conversations and connecting with the community keeps you top-of-mind when opportunities arise. Action steps to get started: Commit to attending at least one design event each month, whether virtual or in person. Be active on LinkedIn if you have not already and share your insights regularly. Consider joining design associations such as Design Business Chamber Singapore to connect with peers and mentors. A big thanks to NYP School of Design & Media for the invitation. To all the alumni who showed up, you have already taken the first step. #DesignCareers #PortfolioTips #DesignJobs #CreativeIndustry #DesignCommunity #CareerDevelopment #DesignAlumni #FutureDesigners #NYP #DBCS #Creativeans

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Telling stories is the best way to sell colors The former chairman of CMG once said, "If your color story cannot be understood by five-year-old children, it is invalid." In the CMG Color Prediction Workshop from April 25th to 26th at YANG DESIGN CMF Trend Lab, we had hands-on practice how to name colors and tell stories. Color Marketing Group (CMG) is the world's largest color group founded in 1962. Unlike static meetings, the CMG color prediction workshop requires participants to actively participate in the process of reading macro trends, doing homework in advance, presenting, group discussions, and hands-on creation of color story. Only by actively participating can participants truly learn the working methods of trend prediction. https://lnkd.in/g-R5PAqx #cmf #cmfdesign #cmftrends #color #colour #colortrend #coloroftheyear #trendprediction #designtrends #designtrend #coloursells #colourtrends #keycolors #keycolours #trending #coloursells #worldcolors #worldcolorforecast #colormarketinggroup #keycolor #colormarketing #colordirections  #cmg #chromazone #trends Color Marketing Group YANG DESIGN

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Are you struggling with designing a program for your service or users? Ethnographic research can be a powerful tool for you to achieve your goals! Reach out to us or Public Design School for more information.

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Thinking of making the leap from a salaried 3D visualiser to a freelancer? I have been a self employed architectural visualiser since 2008, a lot has changed in that time. However if I was making the leap again in 2024, from employment to running my own business, I’d still double down on these 3 things to get ahead. 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼.  First up, you'll need to get your portfolio together. You need to collate all of your 3D images in one place. Your portfolio needs to showcase the best of the best, but also have smaller themed collections showing all of your residential or commercial work etc. This is where you will point future clients, so they can see the standard of your 3D work. This small corner of the internet, will become your shop window. 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. It's not what you know, but who you know! Looking up old work mates and meeting new people in your sector has never been easier. LinkedIn enables you to build your network and promote what you do online. However, I would still recommend getting out there and meeting new people at in person events. The more people that know who you are and how you help others, then the more referrals are likely to come your way. 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 & 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. The dark art of sales and marketing! This was a completely new skill set for me when I first started out, its a profession in itself and I am still learning. Your job now as well as creating the 3D images is to take your portfolio, mixed with a compelling sales message and put it in front of your network. Spoiler alert: You'll need to do this over & over & over again! It’s all about timing, when people in your network are ready to buy, they will think of you and reach out. As any small business owner will tell you, there will be ups and downs but worth it in the long run. What top tips would you add?

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#GenerativeAI has often been seen by designers as a tool for generating content, typically for ideation or low-cost visualization. However, this view simplifies the true capabilities of #GenAI, even though these tools are still evolving. In a research project I conducted last year with my colleague Siw Eriksson at Chalmers University of Technology, we uncovered a range of opportunities that generative #AI can offer, particularly in transforming the #HumanCenteredDesign process. For instance, we synthesized a broad set of data gathered from various participatory design methods, including ideas from participants, into a cohesive, integrated design concept. Interested in learning more? The link to our publication is in the comments. PS: Thanks Mikael Johansson for the great video!

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Dance and AI—a seemingly unlikely pair—proved to be a perfect match. I had the privilege of attending an extraordinary performance: the AI Ballet organized by &samhoud and 2INNOVATION. There’s something magical about bringing the digital and physical realms together. It’s a fusion of creativity and computation, where boundaries dissolve, and new possibilities emerge. Following the enchanting AI Ballet performance, we engaged in thoughtful reflections — where lessons learned from the ballet intersected with our own AI journey within our companies. I noticed a lot of similarities and lessons in our own journey with AI adoption at Microsoft. Together with Maarten Kolkman RM, Rabobank, Giovanni Piccirilli, RTL and  Ingrid Smolders, Remy Middelhoff &Samhoud we shared our insights: New Habits, New Horizons: Adopting AI requires us to break free from old habits. We must reimagine how we work, think, and create. Let’s embrace creative possibilities and explore uncharted territories. Guidelines with Room for Creativity: While guidelines are essential, they shouldn’t stifle creativity. Let’s create clear boundaries while leaving space for experimentation, playfulness, and fun. Hackathons and collaborative experiments can ignite innovation. Iterative Evolution: Just as the ballet evolved through iterations, so does our AI journey. We learn, adapt, and refine. It’s an ongoing process, and agility is our ally. Ecosystem of Humans and AI: We exist in an ecosystem where humans and AI coexist. When digital meets physical we can create magic. Intentionality matters—let’s bring everyone along. Human drives technology, and our decisions remain pivotal. Nurturing skills, managing change, and upholding ethical standards serve as our guiding compass. Co-creation Sparks Innovation: Like the choreographers and dancers collaborating with AI, co-creation fuels innovation. Let’s learn from each other, share insights, and build a future where AI enriches our lives responsibly. Let’s continue pushing the boundaries of imagination, just as the AI Ballet did on that enchanting stage. Our journey with AI is a dance—one that invites us to leap, twirl, and create wonder like Zoé did - the amazing dancer in this case! Thank you &Samhoud for inviting me for this insightful and inspiring experience! #AI #Innovation #Creativity #ResponsibleAI #Cocreation #Microsoft #Ballet Stijn KerskesMichael KimmijserYvette LansbergenAnnelot Verbruggen

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*Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry becomes full signatory of Seoul Accord* As a Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) Assessor for Art, Design and Creative Multimedia field, I am happy that Malaysia now is a Full Signatory country for Seoul Accord. The Seoul Accord is a multilateral agreement among bodies responsible for accrediting degree programmes in computing and information technology at the academic level. At present, Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States are full signatory countries of the Seoul Accord. Through its status as a Full Signatory of the Seoul Accord, degree programmes, especially in three fields accredited by MBOT, namely Information and Communication Technology, Cyber Security Technology, and Creative Art and Multimedia Technology, are equivalent to the international standards set by the Seoul Accord. Therefore, for local graduates to achieve international recognition, all public and private higher education institutions offering bachelor's degree programmes in these fields must obtain accreditation from MBOT. #MBOT https://lnkd.in/gnjH3uG9

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“MRI scans can be traumatic for kids..but one designer turned them into exciting adventures” I recently attended an inspiring webinar on Design Thinking Innovation by Chui Yin Wong & iTrain Malaysia where we delved into the transformative power of human-centered design. One standout success story was from GE Healthcare, where they reimagined the MRI experience for children. The story begins with Doug Dietz, an industrial designer at GE Healthcare. He remembered the first time when he saw a little girl who was crying on her way to a scanner that was designed by him. This moment was a turning point for Doug. He spent time understanding the experiences of young patients and their families, delving into their fears and anxieties. With these insights, Doug and his team reimagined the MRI suite, not as a clinical room, but as a magical adventure land. They introduced the “Adventure Series” MRI, where each scan room was transformed into a different theme—pirate ships with some sandcastles, underwater experience, cozy camp with starry sky and more. 📌The impact of this innovation was profound. Children who once dreaded MRI scans were now excited, eager to embark on their next adventure. The atmosphere was filled with laughter instead of tears. Parents and healthcare providers noticed remarkable changes—less anxiety, fewer needs for sedation, and more efficient scans. Doug’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact of empathy-driven innovation. By putting himself in the shoes of young patients, he was able to transform a potentially traumatic experience into something truly magical. It’s a testament to how design thinking can make a profound difference in healthcare and beyond. Kudos to Doug Dietz and GE Healthcare for their inspiring work! #DesignThinking #Innovation #HumanCenteredDesign

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Ever wondered how changing your problem-solving approach could transform your business? Explore the potential of Design Innovation 🎓 I recently participated in the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Design Innovation Forum, an exclusive in-person engagement featuring a roundtable discussion on the future of design education with Mr. Chan Chun Sing, Minister of Education, and professors from local institutions like LASALLE College of the Arts, and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, alongside renowned institutions like the Royal College of Art, Zhejiang University, and KYOTO Design Lab, Kyoto Institute of Technology. Design Council's Double Diamond framework guides us through structured yet flexible problem-solving: discover, define, develop, and deliver to turn ideas into solutions that solve real-world problems. ⚡ Artificial intelligence is revolutionising this process, allowing us to explore new frontiers in design by accelerating and expanding the respective phases of the Double Diamond framework. 💡 Technology is pivotal, driving our design solutions from impossible to achievable, especially with the emergence of our rapidly evolving AI landscape. 🇸🇬 In Singapore, design extends beyond simply products; it is applied to policies and finite resources, emphasising the importance of understanding our unique heritage and societal context. 🇮🇹 Milan teaches us to use uncertainty as a canvas for innovation, creating human-centric solutions that truly resonate with our community. ****** Let's embrace uncertainty and transform design concepts into real-world solutions together! 💭 How would you define design, and how can innovation help? Share your thoughts as we redefine what design innovation can achieve today. #designinnovation #design #innovation #SUTD

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So fresh and so clean clean…

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Here is the video explanation of the PaperTouch: Tangible Interfaces through Paper Craft and Touchscreen Devices https://lnkd.in/gSX_K6mp

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In the rapidly changing technological landscape, connection and collaboration is the name of the game. If you are an innovator or organisation seeking solutions, do not miss out on TechInnovation the biggest technology brokerage event in town next week!

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