“Applied Journalism” is a term I’ve proposed as a descriptor of what I’ve been doing with RS Group plc on the #FightToRepair series - when being interviewed by Stephen Holmes for DEVELOP3D…
It reminded me of my A-Levels and how there was ‘theoretical’ and ‘applied’ maths, and physics. And I feel journalism perhaps has the same feeling…
…What I’m trying to suggest is that I quite like being a critic occasionally, but what I like much much more than that - is trying to propose an alternative to what I’ve just been critiquing!
I think this avoids just only seeing the negative (arguably not that intellectually difficult to have a ‘moan’!), but rather, to challenge ourselves to perhaps take an empathetic stance on why the status quo is what it is (complex - and why the long read is 25,000 words on RS DesignSpark ) - and then to see if it’s possible to propose something. Link below.
For me this is core to being a designer/inventor/creative. And yet I appreciate that being a small entity, I’m not expecting to ‘show them all how it’s done’ - but I sincerely hope there might be some folks in a related company who see that I’m trying to open a conversation about improvements.
So far, I’m pleased to say, this is ‘working’ and most companies are not alone in trying to balance ethics and economics of a more environmentally sound future. This however is what real innovation is about and I love it! And I’m grateful for companies who are willing to invest to push through a new ideology and methodology.
I realise that teams end up doing ‘applied journalism’ internally. It’s about the R&D - but also the Comm’s. The facts that make the future fiction honest.
I still feel I’m learning a new skill here, but I’m
encouraged that when one looks at some of the best innovators - they perhaps intuitively do a mix of theoretical and applied work in what they do. I guess I didn’t learn this at school, but it feels like when working in sustainability - having a mix of being unsatisfied with the status quo, but also empathetic to why change will be hard - that means ideas have a realism to them which is useful to companies and consumers alike.
If you need help changing innovation/communication culture in your company - I think this is a perfect time to apply some #appliedjournalism.
To dive deep, but then craft an honest new offering. To apply the facts to the future fiction. These are exciting times to embrace a necessary economic and ethical change.
Get in touch to dicuss what this looks like in your company…
#changemanagment #thoughtleadership #speaking #sustainability #circularity #innovation #design #engineering