down the rabbit hole
Curiosity gets the better of us.
These are the notes we bring back
from wherever it leads
Insights
Notes from the studio on emerging tech, the web and the events we've run, going back to 2012.
Autonomous AI: The Future is Here
As we stand on the cusp of a new era in technology, autonomous AI is rapidly transforming from science fiction into reality. These self-governing systems, which are capable of adapting to dynamic situations without constant human intervention, are revolutionizing industries and reshaping our world.
Could Organic Intelligence solve the AI energy crisis?
Organic Intelligence (OI) is a rapidly emerging field seeking to develop the ‘wetware’ of science fiction by creating biological computers through the use of organoids – artificially grown masses of cells or tissues originating from stem cells, essentially creating a living computer.
2023 Tech Trends set to reshape society
2023 is set to be a pivotal year for technology, we’ve seen major advancements that are set to deeply affect future society. Fields from AI and quantum computing to self-driving cars and Augmented Reality have moved out of development and into the consumer and public spheres. Our cities and our lives are getting set to become hyper connected.
How to kick start a project successfully
When you want to kick start a project with several people you will need to do a bit of planning! Here are a few tried and tested ingredients for a successful project start.
World Exhibition Stand Awards
Developing Dreams are delighted to have won two World Exhibition Stand Awards (WESA) for Small is Beautiful, designed and built for Visit Brighton.
3D printing face shields for the NHS
The hashtags of posts around it told the story, #PPE, #NHS, #Covid19, #3Dprinting, there was a form to sign up to a group, it was necessarily hasty, reactive, the word being spread by digital whispers while the group and the people joining it quickly found their feet and hit the ground running.
Resources
A free seven-part guide to running a creative project, from writing the brief to launch day.
7 Steps to Successfully Deliver a Creative Project
This seven-step guide looks at the anatomy of a creative project. We start with the brief and idea generation, then cover how to capture an idea and turn it into reality, the logistics of timelines and deliverables, and how to reach a happy, successful outcome.
Step 1: A Jargon Free Anatomy of a Creative Brief
Briefs can be big or small, loose or tight. OK, we’re not talking about your underwear here. We’re looking at the main elements of a creative brief, how to make it the touchstone for your creative project, and what your Unique Super Power is all about.
Step 2: The Art of Brainstorming
Brief in hand, you’re basking in golden sunshine, looking over an uninterrupted vista. Now you just need to start throwing ideas out there. But they need to be good, complete, on target and new, right? Wrong. This is a wilderness and you can make of it what you will. Ideas are ephemeral; at this stage you only need to capture glimpses. The most important rule is to have no rules: keep the ideas coming without judging them. Here are our top tips for generating ideas. Welcome the weird and wonderful ones.
Step 3: Capturing the Idea
Your creative butterflies flutter around you in all their dazzling glory, but they could vanish at any moment. After the outpouring of ideas in Step 2: The Art of Brainstorming, it’s time to pick the best and brightest and pop them in your butterfly jar for a closer look. We cover a digital and analogue toolkit for capturing your idea’s essence, sharing it within the team and communicating it to others.
Step 4: Harnessing the Power of Iteration
Every creative project is an adventure. It takes diversions before it reaches its end: new ideas join the old ones, you meet obstacles that seem unconquerable, and you have wonderful eureka moments. You’ll have to slay the beast of doubt and offer up thanks and prayers to the gods of digital fortune. One of the best weapons you can carry on that quest is iteration.
Step 5: Plan for the Known Unknowns – Project Planning
Creative projects often go down to the wire. They’re complicated by nature, and there can be huge unknowns, especially on the ‘cutting edge’. We’ve gathered tools to help you plan, keep communication positive between creators and client, build a timeline, and assess risks, with a contingency even for the unknown unknowns. To start, here’s an outline of what a project plan should include…
Step 6. On Budget
Ideally the budget is set as early as the brief. But many creative projects that use emerging technology need a discovery phase first, researching different options before a more accurate budget can be agreed. Here we look at ways to budget a creative project, and at tools for tracking time and effort.
Step 7: The Grand Finale
Once your thing of beauty is unleashed on the world, don’t rush straight on to the next project: celebrate it. Now’s a good time to sit down with the whole team for a debrief on what worked well and what could work better.