Ep. 21: Leveraging Design & Public Policy to Create Innovative Cities with Matthew Scott Waldman

In this episode we're joined by Matthew Scott Waldman. Matthew is best known as the founder of NOOKA – the lifestyle design brand that bought the revolution of interface design to physical products and the founder of a “evolution by design” research lab at Keio University's Graduate School of Media Design. 

This conversation with Matthew left me, as how all good innovation conversation should, both with more questions than answers and with a motivation to be part of creating an innovation ecosystem in Japa n, to rival that of any other global hub. We explored the cyclic nature of design and linguistics; that is, how our language affects design that design affects our languages. Then we explored innovation in Japan from policy lens; we talked about LGBT rights, maternity leave and how to affect real change in Japan and some how we also touched on psychedelics. I don't know how it happened but it did and I loved it. 

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did and don’t forget to share your feedback with me on your favorite social platform. 

Let's begin!

02:55  |  Techno-progessivism and its relationship to Design.
06:15  |  Storytelling via Design.
08:50  |  Design as a language.
16:45  |  Matthew's Research Lab & Circular Design at Keio University.
24:18  |  Innovation in Japan.
28:15  |  Cultural Barries to Innovation; including positive policy for LGBT rights, parental leave and foreign talent.
51:45  |  Finding you voice in innovation.
56:00  |  Storytelling being equally important to tech innovation.
1:00:15  |  What innovation to expect next.

Connect with Matthew here:
→ www.kmd.keio.ac.jp/faculty/matthew-waldman
→ www.matthewwaldman.com
→ www.nooka.com
→ www.myuta.design

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@designthinkingjapan
@_brittanyarthur